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The Reconciliation of the Brothers

45 Joseph was no longer able to control himself before all his attendants,[a] so he cried out, “Make everyone go out from my presence!” No one remained[b] with Joseph when he made himself known to his brothers. He wept loudly;[c] the Egyptians heard it and Pharaoh’s household heard about it.[d]

Joseph said to his brothers, “I am Joseph! Is my father still alive?” His brothers could not answer him because they were dumbfounded before him. Joseph said to his brothers, “Come closer to me,” so they came near. Then he said, “I am Joseph your brother, whom you sold into Egypt. Now, do not be upset and do not be angry with yourselves because you sold me here,[e] for God sent me[f] ahead of you to preserve life! For these past two years there has been famine in[g] the land and for five more years there will be neither plowing nor harvesting. God sent me[h] ahead of you to preserve you[i] on the earth and to save your lives[j] by a great deliverance. So now, it is not you who sent me here, but God. He has made me an adviser[k] to Pharaoh, lord over all his household, and ruler over all the land of Egypt. Now go up to my father quickly[l] and tell him, ‘This is what your son Joseph says: “God has made me lord of all Egypt. Come down to me; do not delay! 10 You will live[m] in the land of Goshen, and you will be near me—you, your children, your grandchildren, your flocks, your herds, and everything you have. 11 I will provide you with food[n] there because there will be five more years of famine. Otherwise you would become poor—you, your household, and everyone who belongs to you.”’ 12 You and my brother Benjamin can certainly see with your own eyes that I really am the one who speaks to you.[o] 13 So tell[p] my father about all my honor in Egypt and about everything you have seen. But bring my father down here quickly!”[q]

14 Then he threw himself on the neck of his brother Benjamin and wept, and Benjamin wept on his neck. 15 He kissed all his brothers and wept over them. After this his brothers talked with him.

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Footnotes

  1. Genesis 45:1 tn Heb “all the ones standing beside him.”
  2. Genesis 45:1 tn Heb “stood.”
  3. Genesis 45:2 tn Heb “and he gave his voice in weeping,” meaning that Joseph could not restrain himself and wept out loud.
  4. Genesis 45:2 tn Heb “and the Egyptians heard and the household of Pharaoh heard.” Presumably in the latter case this was by means of a report.
  5. Genesis 45:5 tn Heb “let there not be anger in your eyes.”
  6. Genesis 45:5 sn You sold me here, for God sent me. The tension remains as to how the brothers’ wickedness and God’s intentions work together. Clearly God is able to transform the actions of wickedness to bring about some gracious end. But this is saying more than that; it is saying that from the beginning it was God who sent Joseph here. Although harmonization of these ideas remains humanly impossible, the divine intention is what should be the focus. Only that will enable reconciliation.
  7. Genesis 45:6 tn Heb “the famine [has been] in the midst of.”
  8. Genesis 45:7 sn God sent me. The repetition of this theme that God sent Joseph is reminiscent of commission narratives in which the leader could announce that God sent him (e.g., Exod 3:15).
  9. Genesis 45:7 tn Heb “to make you a remnant.” The verb, followed here by the preposition ל (lamed), means “to make.”
  10. Genesis 45:7 tn The infinitive gives a second purpose for God’s action.
  11. Genesis 45:8 tn Heb “a father.” The term is used here figuratively of one who gives advice, as a father would to his children.
  12. Genesis 45:9 tn Heb “hurry and go up.”
  13. Genesis 45:10 tn The perfect verbal form with vav consecutive here expresses instruction.
  14. Genesis 45:11 tn The verb כּוּל (kul) in the Pilpel stem means “to nourish, to support, to sustain.” As in 1 Kgs 20:27, it here means “to supply with food.”
  15. Genesis 45:12 tn Heb “And, look, your eyes see and the eyes of my brother Benjamin, that my mouth is the one speaking to you.”
  16. Genesis 45:13 tn The perfect verbal form with the vav consecutive here expresses instruction.
  17. Genesis 45:13 tn Heb “and hurry and bring down my father to here.”

Joseph Deals Kindly with His Brothers

45 Then Joseph could not control himself in front of everyone standing before him, and he shouted, “Have everyone leave me!” So there [a]was no one with him (A)when Joseph made himself known to his brothers. Then (B)he [b]wept so loudly that the Egyptians heard it, and the household of Pharaoh heard about it. And Joseph said to his brothers, “(C)I am Joseph! (D)Is my father still alive?” But his brothers could not answer him, for (E)they were terrified in his presence.

Then Joseph said to his brothers, “Please come [c]closer to me.” And they came [d]closer. And he said, “I am your brother Joseph, whom you (F)sold to Egypt. Now do not be grieved or angry [e]with yourselves because (G)you sold me here, for (H)God sent me ahead of you [f]to save lives. For the famine has been in the land (I)these two years, and there are still five years in which there will be neither plowing nor harvesting. So (J)God sent me ahead of you to ensure for you a remnant on the earth, and to [g]keep you alive by a great deliverance. Now, therefore, it was not you who sent me here, but God; and He has made me a (K)father to Pharaoh and lord of all his household, and ruler over all the land of Egypt. Hurry and go up to my father, and (L)say to him, ‘This is what your son Joseph says: “God has made me lord of all Egypt; come down to me, do not delay. 10 For you shall live in the land of (M)Goshen, and you shall be near me, you and your children and your [h]grandchildren, and your flocks and your herds and all that you have. 11 There I will also (N)provide for you, for there are still five years of famine to come, and you and your household and all that you have would be impoverished.”’ 12 Behold, your eyes see, and the eyes of my brother Benjamin see, that it is my mouth which is speaking to you. 13 Now you must tell my father of all my splendor in Egypt, and all that you have seen; and you must hurry and (O)bring my father down here.” 14 Then he fell on his brother Benjamin’s neck and (P)wept, and Benjamin wept on his neck. 15 And he kissed all his brothers and wept on them, and afterward his brothers talked with him.

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Footnotes

  1. Genesis 45:1 Lit stood
  2. Genesis 45:2 Lit gave forth his voice in weeping
  3. Genesis 45:4 Lit near
  4. Genesis 45:4 Lit near
  5. Genesis 45:5 Lit in your eyes
  6. Genesis 45:5 Lit for preservation of life
  7. Genesis 45:7 As in MT; another reading (cf. LXX) keep alive for you a great remnant
  8. Genesis 45:10 Lit children’s children