11 And there will I nourish H3557 thee; for yet there are five H2568 years H8141 of famine; H7458 lest thou, and thy household, H1004 and all that thou hast, come to poverty. H3423
And Joseph H3130 nourished H3557 his father, H1 and his brethren, H251 and all his father's H1 household, H1004 with bread, H3899 according H6310 to their families. H2945
The land H776 of Egypt H4714 is before thee; H6440 in the best H4315 of the land H776 make H3427 thy father H1 and brethren H251 to dwell; H3427 in the land H776 of Goshen H1657 let them dwell: H3427 and if thou knowest H3045 H3426 any men H582 of activity H2428 among them, then make them H7760 rulers H8269 over my cattle. H4735
But G1161 ye G5210 say, G3004 Whosoever G3739 G302 shall say G2036 to his father G3962 or G2228 his mother, G3384 It is a gift, G1435 by G1537 whatsoever G3739 G1437 thou mightest be profited G5623 by me; G1700 And G2532 honour G5091 not G3364 his G846 father G3962 or G2228 his G846 mother, G3384 he shall be free. Thus G2532 have ye made G208 the commandment G1785 of God G2316 of none effect G208 by G1223 your G5216 tradition. G3862
And G2532 he said G3004 unto them, G846 Full well G2573 ye reject G114 the commandment G1785 of God, G2316 that G2443 ye may keep G5083 your own G5216 tradition. G3862 For G1063 Moses G3475 said, G2036 Honour G5091 thy G4675 father G3962 and G2532 thy G4675 mother; G3384 and, G2532 Whoso curseth G2551 father G3962 or G2228 mother, G3384 let him die G5053 the death: G2288 But G1161 ye G5210 say, G3004 If G1437 a man G444 shall say G2036 to his father G3962 or G2228 mother, G3384 It is Corban, G2878 that is to say, G3603 a gift, G1435 by G1537 whatsoever G3739 G1437 thou mightest be profited by G5623 me; G1700 he shall be free. And G2532 ye suffer G863 him G846 no more G3765 to do G4160 ought G3762 for his G846 father G3962 or G2228 his G846 mother; G3384
But G1161 if any G1536 widow G5503 have G2192 children G5043 or G2228 nephews, G1549 let them learn G3129 first G4412 to shew piety G2151 at home, G2398 G3624 and G2532 to requite G287 G591 their parents: G4269 for G1063 that G5124 is G2076 good G2570 and G2532 acceptable G587 before G1799 God. G2316
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Genesis 45
Commentary on Genesis 45 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 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 by sympathy and joy; they were astonished, confounded, terrified; and 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.