Genesis 45

Ge 45:1-28.

JOSEPH

MAKING

HIMSELF

KNOWN.

1. Then Joseph could not refrain himself--The severity of the

inflexible magistrate here gives way to the natural feelings of the man

and the brother. However well he had disciplined his mind, he felt it

impossible to resist the artless eloquence of Judah. He saw a

satisfactory proof, in the return of all his brethren on such an

occasion, that they were affectionately united to one another; he had

heard enough to convince him that time, reflection, or grace had made a

happy improvement on their characters; and he would probably have

proceeded in a calm and leisurely manner to reveal himself as prudence

might have dictated. But when he heard the heroic self-sacrifice of

Judah

[Ge 44:33]

and realized all the affection of that proposal--a proposal for which

he was totally unprepared--he was completely unmanned; he felt himself

forced to bring this painful trial to an end.

he cried, Cause every man to go out from me--In ordering the

departure of witnesses of this last scene, he acted as a warm-hearted

and real friend to his brothers--his conduct was dictated by motives of

the highest prudence--that of preventing their early iniquities from

becoming known either to the members of his household, or among the

people of Egypt.

2. he wept aloud--No doubt, from the fulness of highly excited

feelings; but to indulge in vehement and long-continued transports of

sobbing is the usual way in which the Orientals express their

grief.

3. I am Joseph--or, "terrified at his presence." The emotions

that now rose in his breast as well as that of his brethren--and chased

each other in rapid succession--were many and violent. He was agitated

betrayed their terror, by shrinking as far as they could from his

presence. So "troubled" were they, that he had to repeat his

announcement of himself; and what kind, affectionate terms he did use.

He spoke of their having sold him--not to wound their feelings, but to

convince them of his identity; and then, to reassure their minds, he

traced the agency of an overruling Providence, in his exile and present

honor

[Ge 35:5-7].

Not that he wished them to roll the responsibility of their crime on

God; no, his only object was to encourage their confidence and induce

them to trust in the plans he had formed for the future comfort of

their father and themselves.

6. and yet there are five years, in the which there shall neither be

earing nor harvest--"Ear" is an old English word, meaning

"to plough" (compare

1Sa 8:12;

Isa 30:24).

This seems to confirm the view given

(Ge 41:57)

that the famine was caused by an extraordinary drought, which prevented

the annual overflowing of the Nile; and of course made the land unfit

to receive the seed of Egypt.

14, 15. And he fell upon . . . Benjamin's neck--The

sudden transition from a condemned criminal to a fondled brother, might

have occasioned fainting or even death, had not his tumultuous feelings

been relieved by a torrent of tears. But Joseph's attentions were not

confined to Benjamin. He affectionately embraced every one of his

brothers in succession; and by those actions, his forgiveness was

demonstrated more fully than it could be by words.

17-20. Pharaoh said unto Joseph, Say unto thy brethren--As

Joseph might have been prevented by delicacy, the king himself invited

the patriarch and all his family to migrate into Egypt; and he made

most liberal arrangements for their removal and their subsequent

settlement. It displays the character of this Pharaoh to advantage,

that he was so kind to the relatives of Joseph; but indeed the greatest

liberality he could show could never recompense the services of so

great a benefactor of his kingdom.

21. Joseph gave them wagons--which must have been novelties in

Palestine; for wheeled carriages were almost unknown there.

22. changes of raiment--It was and is customary, with great men,

to bestow on their friends dresses of distinction, and in places where

they are of the same description and quality, the value of these

presents consists in their number. The great number given to Benjamin

bespoke the warmth of his brother's attachment to him; and Joseph felt,

from the amiable temper they now all displayed, he might, with perfect

safety, indulge this fond partiality for his mother's son.

23. to his father he sent--a supply of everything that could

contribute to his support and comfort--the large and liberal scale on

which that supply was given being intended, like the five messes of

Benjamin, as a token of his filial love [see on

Ge 43:34].

24. so he sent his brethren away--In dismissing them on their

homeward journey, he gave them this particular admonition:

See that ye fall not out by the way--a caution that would be

greatly needed; for not only during the journey would they be occupied

in recalling the parts they had respectively acted in the events that

led to Joseph's being sold into Egypt, but their wickedness would soon

have to come to the knowledge of their venerable father.