Genesis

Chapter Forty-five

Preface

This chapter conveys a number of significant lessons and attributes of God.  It further pictures the coming reconciliation between the Messiah and God’s chosen people, the Jews, who rejected Him at His incarnation.  Overshadowing all that is taught in this chapter is the fact that God is always in control, moving events in men’s lives to fulfill His plan and their destiny.

In typology Joseph prefigures Jesus Christ.  It is noteworthy that in this chapter Joseph mentions his father Jacob five different times and shows strong concern for him.  Jesus Christ made it a point to cast attention away from Himself and to focus it on His Father.  It was Christ’s love for His Father and His desire to do His Father’s will that brought Him into the world to redeem fallen man.  God the Father is mentioned approximately 176 times in the Gospels.  Christ attributed everything He could do or would do to the will of and the empowerment from His Father (John 14:10, 11, 28; 17:5-26).  When Christ left a “model prayer” for His followers to pattern their prayers after, it started with “Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name” (Matthew 6:9).  It is important for the Christian to understand that it is God the Father to whom he should pray; not to the Son or the Holy Spirit.

As this chapter is discussed, a keynote New Testament verse of scripture that is embodied in its context and should always be predominant in the thoughts of God’s children is as follows:

And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. (Romans 8:28)

Genesis 45:1-4

Then Joseph could not restrain himself before all those who stood by him, and he cried out, “Make everyone go out from me!” So no one stood with him while Joseph made himself known to his brothers.  And he wept aloud, and the Egyptians and the house of Pharaoh heard it.  Then Joseph said to his brothers, “I am Joseph; does my father still live?” But his brothers could not answer him, for they were dismayed in his presence.  And Joseph said to his brothers, “Please come near to me.” So they came near. Then he said: “I am Joseph your brother, whom you sold into Egypt.”

Finally Joseph could not contain his emotions.  He sent out his servants and began to cry loudly, so much so that his voice was heard throughout the palace.  When his outcry subsided enough to enable him to speak he identified himself to his brethren and inquired concerning his father.  But his brethren were unable to say anything because they were greatly terrified (fearfully alarmed).  The word for “dismayed” in Greek is bahal, which essentially means they greatly feared for their lives.  All they could think of was how horrendously they treated Joseph back in Canaan; and their natural assumption was that he would pay them back in kind.  And even though Joseph takes great pains to alleviate their fears, they remained in their terrified state-of-mind for years up to their father’s death (Genesis 50:15-18).

Genesis 45:5-8

“But now, do not therefore be grieved or angry with yourselves because you sold me here; for God sent me before you to preserve life.  For these two years the famine has been in the land, and there are still five years in which there will be neither plowing nor harvesting.  And God sent me before you to preserve a posterity for you in the earth, and to save your lives by a great deliverance.  So now it was not you who sent me here, but God; and He has made me a father to Pharaoh, and lord of all his house, and a ruler throughout all the land of Egypt.”

Joseph was seventeen when he was brought into Egypt.  He was thirty when he stood before Pharaoh.  There had been seven years of plenty and now there have passed two years of famine.  So Joseph was 39 years old and had been living in the land of Egypt for 22 years.  A great deal of this time he spent in bondage, out of favor, and under less than favorable conditions.  But rather than viewing this time with a negative frame of mind, Joseph could only see the “hand of God” in it.  Truly the New Testament verse of Romans 8:28 is gloriously revealed in the life of Joseph.

The Nelson’s NKJV Study Bible, Nelson Bibles, 1997, offers the following cogent comments:

The remarkable story of Joseph’s rise to power in Egypt is not just another rags-to-riches story.  Fundamentally, the story is about how the Lord created a nation out of a troubled family . . . .

But the Lord did not let the troubles of this family thwart His good purposes.   He had promised to shape a great nation from it—a nation that would spread His blessings to the whole earth (12:1-3).  Jacob’s family was divided, but God worked the events so that the family was reunited.  Through a remarkable series of circumstances, God elevated Joseph from the position of slave and prisoner to administrator of Egypt, Pharaoh’s right-hand man.  God transformed the evil plans of Joseph brothers into something good (37:19-28; 50:20).  As the administrator of the Egyptians’ plan to survive the coming famine, Joseph could save the lives of many people in the ancient world.  With his new name, Zaphnath-Paaneah (“God Speaks and Lives”), and his remarkable story, Joseph could witness to these people about the power and goodness of the living God (41:45).

But God’s good plan did not end there.  God used the physical hardship of famine to reunite Israel’s family.  When Joseph’s brothers saw him, not only did they express sorrow for their former evil actions (42:21; 45:5), but they demonstrated a new loyalty to their other half brother, Benjamin.  Judah, who had left the family before (38:1), begged for Benjamin’s life, even at the cost of his own freedom (44:18-34).  The reunion of the family and the pressures of famine prompted Jacob to move closer to Egypt, to the land of Goshen.  God used the evil attitudes of the Egyptians—their hatred of shepherds—to isolate the family there (43:32; 46:34).  In this isolation, God could develop a nation dedicated to worshiping and obeying Him. 

In all the exceptional events of Joseph’s story, God remained faithful to His promises to Abraham (12:1-3).  He created a great nation out of Jacob’s family through a maze of human jealousy, family divisions, and racial hatred (50:20). (Nelson’s NKJV Study Bible, Nelson Bibles, 1997)

Joseph had come to realize that whatever happened to him in life was by the will of God.  This was a position of faith, which all believers should ascend to in their spiritual lives.  Joseph had gone from a mere slave to becoming a “father” (trusted advisor) to Pharaoh himself, not to mention becoming Pharaoh’s “chief-of-staff” over Pharaoh’s house and throughout the land of Egypt.  But the ultimate purpose for this grand and miraculous transformation was to preserve the then small numbers of the nation Israel.  It was done so that Israel could grow protected into a mighty nation, as God had promised Abram (Genesis 12:1-3; 15:5, 13, 14), so that eventually the Messiah could be brought forth to bless the world.  Psalm 105 should be reviewed along with this passage.

Genesis 45:9-13

“Hurry and go up to my father, and say to him, ‘Thus says your son Joseph: “God has made me lord of all Egypt; come down to me, do not tarry.  You shall dwell in the land of Goshen, and you shall be near to me, you and your children, your children's children, your flocks and your herds, and all that you have.  There I will provide for you, lest you and your household, and all that you have, come to poverty; for there are still five years of famine.”’  And behold, your eyes and the eyes of my brother Benjamin see that it is my mouth that speaks to you.  So you shall tell my father of all my glory in Egypt, and of all that you have seen; and you shall hurry and bring my father down here.”

Joseph instructs his brethren to go back to Canaan and retrieve his father and the remainder of his household.  He promises that they will reside in the land of Goshen.  Goshen is located in the easternmost section of Egypt’s Delta—northeast of Heliopolis (“On,” Genesis 41:45) and is associated with the Wadi Tumeilat, a very fertile area that joins the Nile at Bubastis with Lake Timsah at modern Ismailiya and north of the Bitter Lakes.  Joseph most likely selected Goshen so that his family could not only be close to him, but also because the land was better suited for their pastoral livelihood (vs. 10).  In verse 12 he again stresses that it was indeed their brother Joseph that was speaking these words to them, for they were still stunned upon seeing him.

Genesis 45:14-20

Then he fell on his brother Benjamin's neck and wept, and Benjamin wept on his neck.  Moreover he kissed all his brothers and wept over them, and after that his brothers talked with him.  Now the report of it was heard in Pharaoh's house, saying, “Joseph's brothers have come.” So it pleased Pharaoh and his servants well.  And Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Say to your brothers, ‘Do this: Load your animals and depart; go to the land of Canaan.  Bring your father and your households and come to me; I will give you the best of the land of Egypt, and you will eat the fat of the land.  Now you are commanded-do this: Take carts out of the land of Egypt for your little ones and your wives; bring your father and come.  Also do not be concerned about your goods, for the best of all the land of Egypt is yours.’”

Pharaoh is apprised of the reunion of Joseph and his brethren and also hears of Joseph intention of bringing his entire family back to Egypt.  To this Pharaoh gave his full and enthusiastic support.

Genesis 45:21-24

Then the sons of Israel did so; and Joseph gave them carts, according to the command of Pharaoh, and he gave them provisions for the journey.  He gave to all of them, to each man, changes of garments; but to Benjamin he gave three hundred pieces of silver and five changes of garments.  And he sent to his father these things: ten donkeys loaded with the good things of Egypt, and ten female donkeys loaded with grain, bread, and food for his father for the journey.  So he sent his brothers away, and they departed; and he said to them, “See that you do not become troubled along the way.”

Joseph loaded his brethren down with 20 donkeys and several carts loaded with the “good things of Egypt” and food provisions for their journey to and from Canaan.  Also, for his blood-kin Benjamin, he gave him a special allotment.  He also warned his brethren not to “become troubled” (argue) along the way.  His brothers had a history of quarreling, as seen from Genesis 37:4 onward.  Joseph hoped now that there would be harmony among them.

Genesis 45:25-28

Then they went up out of Egypt, and came to the land of Canaan to Jacob their father.  And they told him, saying, “Joseph is still alive, and he is governor over all the land of Egypt.” And Jacob's heart stood still, because he did not believe them.  But when they told him all the words which Joseph had said to them, and when he saw the carts which Joseph had sent to carry him, the spirit of Jacob their father revived.  Then Israel said, “It is enough. Joseph my son is still alive. I will go and see him before I die.”

Jacob was in a state of disbelief until finally he became convinced his sons were telling him the truth.  His decision was then swift and certain.  He would travel to Egypt to see Joseph while he was still alive.

Finally, the following comments from The Quest Study Bible (Zondervan Publishing House, 1994) are appropriate in regards to this reunion between Joseph and his brethren:

The brothers had obviously done a great wrong to Joseph years earlier.  Joseph does not gloss over the truth of their offenses nor their culpability for it.  Rather, he focuses his mind, and their minds, on the key message of this saga:  God is at work even amid the plans of evil men (50:20); also see this theme in 42:28 and 43:23.

The brothers are responsible for their actions, but they are forgiven.  God’s original plans did not necessarily include Joseph’s rejection, slavery and imprisonment.  God allowed these problems to happen and He used them to fulfill His purpose.  Yet, the brothers did not have to treat Joseph wrongly for God to do what He desired.  God’s options are infinite.  We can now understand Joseph’s story in light of Romans 8:28.