Genesis chapter 45
Joseph reveals his true identity. Pharaoh invites Jacob to Egypt.
JOSEPH REVEALS HIS TRUE IDENTITY
VERSE 1. Then Joseph couldn’t control himself before all those who stood before him, and he called out, “Cause everyone to go out from me!” No one else stood with him, while Joseph made himself known to his brothers.
VERSE 2. He wept aloud. The Egyptians heard, and the house of Pharaoh heard.
VERSE 3. Joseph said to his brothers, “I am Joseph! Does my father still live?” His brothers couldn’t answer him; for they were terrified at his presence.
VERSE 4. Joseph said to his brothers, “Come near to me, please.” They came near. He said, “I am Joseph, your brother, whom you sold into Egypt.
I am Joseph, your brother. This must have been a wondrous moment for Joseph’s brothers. Yet it was tinged with an unpleasant truth.
whom you sold into Egypt. Not only is he Joseph, their brother. But he is also the one they abused.
Joseph does not hesitate to state their abusive behavior. He specified how they had abused him.
There comes a time when abuse survivors need to be able to say, with clarity, how people have wounded them.
VERSE 5. Now don’t be grieved, nor angry with yourselves, that you sold me here, for God sent me before you to preserve life.
don’t be grieved, nor angry with yourselves. Jacob does not hold them accountable.
They had tried to murder a child. Then they trafficked in human slavery. Those are heinous crimes. They should have been held accountable.
Yet Joseph does not hold them accountable for their heinous crimes.
VERSE 6. For these two years the famine has been in the land, and there are yet five years, in which there will be no plowing and no harvest.
VERSE 7. God sent me before you to preserve for you a remnant in the earth, and to save you alive by a great deliverance.
God sent me before you. Joseph’s brothers had sold him into slavery in Egypt.
Joseph later saw that good was able to be salvaged from this abusive situation. It worked for the good of:
- Joseph
- The Hebrew people
- The known world
VERSE 8. So now it wasn’t you who sent me here, but God, and he has made me a father to Pharaoh, lord of all his house, and ruler over all the land of Egypt.
VERSE 9. Hurry, and go up to my father, and tell him, ‘This is what your son Joseph says, “God has made me lord of all Egypt. Come down to me. Don’t wait.
VERSE 10. You shall dwell in the land of Goshen, and you will be near to me, you, your children, your children’s children, your flocks, your herds, and all that you have.
VERSE 11. There I will provide for you; for there are yet five years of famine; lest you come to poverty, you, and your household, and all that you have.” ’
VERSE 12. Behold, your eyes see, and the eyes of my brother Benjamin, that it is my mouth that speaks to you.
VERSE 13. You shall tell my father of all my glory in Egypt, and of all that you have seen. You shall hurry and bring my father down here.”
VERSE 14. He fell on his brother Benjamin’s neck and wept, and Benjamin wept on his neck.
VERSE 15. He kissed all his brothers, and wept on them. After that his brothers talked with him.
PHARAOH INVITES JACOB TO EGYPT
VERSE 16. The report of it was heard in Pharaoh’s house, saying, “Joseph’s brothers have come.” It pleased Pharaoh well, and his servants.
VERSE 17. Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Tell your brothers, ‘Do this: Load your animals, and go, travel to the land of Canaan.
VERSE 18. Take your father and your households, and come to me, and I will give you the good of the land of Egypt, and you will eat the fat of the land.’
I will give you the good of the land of Egypt. God’s riches blessings are chasing down the Hebrew people.
you will eat the fat of the land. Dietary fat is seen as a GOOD thing.
In the beginning, when we humans walked in the Garden of Eden, what did the LORD God command us to eat? The Bible’s answer may surprise you. Read more »
VERSE 19. Now you are commanded to do this: Take wagons out of the land of Egypt for your little ones, and for your wives, and bring your father, and come.
VERSE 20. Also, don’t concern yourselves about your belongings, for the good of all the land of Egypt is yours.”
don’t concern yourselves about your belongings. This is a great manifestation of grace! The best in the whole land of Egypt would be theirs. Freely.
All their belongings would be replaced by the best available anywhere.
However, they did not accept this gift. Instead, they dragged all their worn out old possessions along.
They were limited by a works-mentality. They were not accustomed to grace.
VERSE 21. The sons of Israel did so. Joseph gave them wagons, according to the commandment of Pharaoh, and gave them provision for the way.
VERSE 22. He gave each one of them changes of clothing, but to Benjamin he gave three hundred pieces of silver and five changes of clothing.
VERSE 23. He sent the following to his father: ten donkeys loaded with the good things of Egypt, and ten female donkeys loaded with grain and bread and provision for his father by the way.
VERSE 24. So he sent his brothers away, and they departed. He said to them, “See that you don’t quarrel on the way.”
VERSE 25. They went up out of Egypt, and came into the land of Canaan, to Jacob their father.
VERSE 26. They told him, saying, “Joseph is still alive, and he is ruler over all the land of Egypt.” His heart fainted, for he didn’t believe them.
VERSE 27. They told him all the words of Joseph, which he had said to them. When he saw the wagons which Joseph had sent to carry him, the spirit of Jacob, their father, revived.
VERSE 28. Israel said, “It is enough. Joseph my son is still alive. I will go and see him before I die.”
GENESIS
CHAPTERS: 01, 02, 03, 04, 05, 06, 07, 08, 09, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50
RESOURCES: Summary, Outline, Memorize
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