8 So now it was not you that sent H7971 me hither, but God: H430 and he hath made H7760 me a father H1 to Pharaoh, H6547 and lord H113 of all his house, H1004 and a ruler H4910 throughout all the land H776 of Egypt. H4714
And Micah H4318 said H559 unto him, Dwell H3427 with me, and be unto me a father H1 and a priest, H3548 and I will give H5414 thee ten H6235 shekels of silver H3701 by the year, H3117 and a suit H6187 of apparel, H899 and thy victuals. H4241 So the Levite H3881 went in. H3212
And Pharaoh H6547 said H559 unto Joseph, H3130 Forasmuch H310 as God H430 hath shewed H3045 thee all this, there is none so discreet H995 and wise H2450 as thou art: Thou shalt be H1961 over my house, H1004 and according unto thy word H6310 shall all my people H5971 be ruled: H5401 only in the throne H3678 will I be greater H1431 than thou. And Pharaoh H6547 said H559 unto Joseph, H3130 See, H7200 I have set H5414 thee over all the land H776 of Egypt. H4714 And Pharaoh H6547 took off H5493 his ring H2885 from his hand, H3027 and put H5414 it upon Joseph's H3130 hand, H3027 and arrayed H3847 him in vestures H899 of fine linen, H8336 and put H7760 a gold H2091 chain H7242 about his neck; H6677 And he made him to ride H7392 in the second H4932 chariot H4818 which he had; and they cried H7121 before him, H6440 Bow the knee: H86 and he made H5414 him ruler over all the land H776 of Egypt. H4714 And Pharaoh H6547 said H559 unto Joseph, H3130 I am Pharaoh, H6547 and without H1107 thee shall no man H376 lift up H7311 his hand H3027 or foot H7272 in all the land H776 of Egypt. H4714 And Pharaoh H6547 called H7121 Joseph's H3130 name H8034 Zaphnathpaaneah; H6847 and he gave H5414 him to wife H802 Asenath H621 the daughter H1323 of Potipherah H6319 priest H3548 of On. H204 And Joseph H3130 went out H3318 over all the land H776 of Egypt. H4714 And Joseph H3130 was thirty H7970 years H8141 old H1121 when he stood H5975 before H6440 Pharaoh H6547 king H4428 of Egypt. H4714 And Joseph H3130 went out H3318 from the presence H6440 of Pharaoh, H6547 and went throughout H5674 all the land H776 of Egypt. H4714 And in the seven H7651 plenteous H7647 years H8141 the earth H776 brought forth H6213 by handfuls. H7062 And he gathered up H6908 all the food H400 of the seven H7651 years, H8141 which were in the land H776 of Egypt, H4714 and laid up H5414 the food H400 in the cities: H5892 the food H400 of the field, H7704 which was round about H5439 every city, H5892 laid he up H5414 in the same. H8432
I was a father H1 to the poor: H34 and the cause H7379 which I knew H3045 not I searched out. H2713
He made H7760 him lord H113 of his house, H1004 and ruler H4910 of all his substance: H7075 To bind H631 his princes H8269 at his pleasure; H5315 and teach his senators H2205 wisdom. H2449
Ye G5210 have G1586 not G3756 chosen G1586 me, G3165 but G235 I G1473 have chosen G1586 you, G5209 and G2532 ordained G5087 you, G5209 that G2443 ye G5210 should go G5217 and G2532 bring forth G5342 fruit, G2590 and G2532 that your G5216 fruit G2590 should remain: G3306 that G2443 whatsoever G3739 G302 G3748 ye shall ask G154 of the Father G3962 in G1722 my G3450 name, G3686 he may give it G1325 you. G5213
Jesus G2424 answered, G611 Thou couldest have G2192 no G3756 power G1849 at all against G3762 G2596 me, G1700 except G1508 it were G2258 given G1325 thee G4671 from above: G509 therefore G5124 G1223 he that delivered G3860 me G3165 unto thee G4671 hath G2192 the greater G3187 sin. G266
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.