Genesis 45

Genesis 45:16-24

It is pity this chapter and that foregoing should be parted. Here is, 1. Joseph’s discovery of himself to his brethren, and his difcourse with them upon that occasion, vers. 1—15. 2. The orders Pharaoh heresque gave to fetch Jacob and his family down

to Egypt, and Joseph’s dispatch of his brethren accordingly to her. Before Christ

father with their orders, vers. 26—24. 3. The joyful tidings of 1795. this brought to Jacob, vers. 25—28. 1. THEN Joseph could not refrain himself before all them that stood by him; and he cried. Cause every man to go out from me: and there stood no man with him, while Joseph made himself known unto his brethren. 2. And he wept ahead: and the Egyptians and the house of Pharaoh heard. 3. And Joseph said unto his brethren, ‘I am Joseph; Doth my father yet live? and his brethren could not answer him; for they were troubled at his presence. 4. And Joseph said unto his brethren, Come near to me, I pray you; and they came near; and he said, I am Joseph your brother, ‘whom ye sold into Egypt. 5. Now therefore be not grieved I, nor angry with yourselves, that ye sold me hither: for God did send me before you, to preserve life. 6. For these two years hath the famine been in the land: and yet there are five years in the which there shall neither be eating nor harvest. 7. And God sent me before you, to preserve you a posterity in the earth, and to save your lives by a great deliverance. 8. So now it was not you that sent me hither, but God: and he hath made me a father to Pharaoh, and lord of all his house, and a ruler throughout all the land of Egypt. 9. Haste you and go up to my father, and say unto him, Thus faith thy son Joseph, God hath made me lord of all Egypt; come down unto me, tarry not. 10. And ’thou shalt dwell in the land of Goshen, and thou shalt be near unto me, thou, and thy children, and thy children’s children, and thy flocks, and thy herds, and all that thou hast. 11. And there will I nourish thee, (for yet there are five years of famine) lest thou and thy household, and all that thou hast, come to poverty. 12. And behold, your eyes see, and the eyes of my brother Benjamin, that it is my mouth that speaketh unto you. 13. And you shall tell my father of all my glory in Egypt, and of all that you have seen; and ye shall haite, and ‘bring down my father hither. 14. And he fell upon his brother Benjamin’s neck, and wept; and Benjamin wept upon his neck. 15. Moreover, he kissed all his brethren, and wept upon them: and after that, his brethren talked with him. 9. 1—15. An address so affecting, could not fail of moving any heart, not a stranger to the feelings of humanity; and how much more Joseph’s, so deeply interested in every argument, and pierced with every word of Judah’s expressive anguish. The servants instantly dismissed, a burst of tears, no longer to be refrained, given vent to the overflowing tenderness of his soul. His brethren, who stood in tremulous suspense of instant doom, are astonished at the sight; and how, beyond all imagination surprised, when words begin to find a passage, and he cries, I am Joseph—Is my father yet alive? Confounded, they are dumb; guilt troubles them: but oh! how far is Joseph’s heart from anger or revenge. He draws then near; comforts, instead of reflecting on them; hails them for God’s hand bringing good out of their evil; and hastens them to carry his dear and aged father the strange tidings, and bring him down, to spend in plenty, in the land of Goshen, the remaining years of famine. With mutual kisses and embraces, he seals the happy meeting, whilst tears of joy>Ladies each others make, and testify him reconciliation. Reader, thy heart is unfeeling, if thy tears mingle not with theirs. Now, (1.) We have here a beautiful emblem of God’s comparisons towards the fateful sons of men. (2.) An astonishing display of his providence! how glorious and how merciful the dispensation! Blessed are they that trust in him. (3.) It is not only the duty, but should be the delight of children to support their parents in their old age. (4.) As Joseph says, come down to me, Jesus saith, come up to me; and Pharaoh’s kingdom cannot provide such a dwelling, as those mansions he hath prepared for us, in our father’s house in heaven. 16. ¶ And the same thereof was heard in Pharaoh’s house, saying, Joseph’s brethren are come: and it plead— ed Pharaoh well, and his servants. 17. And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, Say unto thy brethren, This do ye take your beasts, and go, get you unto the land of Canaan, 18. And take your father, and your households, and come unto me: and I will give you the good of the land of Egypt, and ye shall eat the fat

of the land. 19. Now thou art commanded, this do ye: take you waggons out of the land of Egypt

Before Chalk

1. And the children of Israel did so; and Joseph gave them waggons, according to the commandment of Pharaoh, and gave them provision for the way. 22. To all of them he gave each man changes of raiment: but to Benjamin he gave three hundred pieces of silver, and five changes of raiment. 23. And to his father he sent after this manner; ten after a laden with the good things of Egypt, and ten the-asses laden with corn and bread and meat for his father by the way. 24. So he sent his brethren away, and they departed; and he said unto them, See that ye fall not out by the way.

We have here, 1. Joseph in haste to have his father with him; and Pharaoh well pleased with the event, orders his brethren all necessaries for their journey, and promises them the best of the land, so that they need not regard their shall which they could not remove from Canaan; Egypt had enough for them. Note, Heaven is before us, the shall of the world should be little in our eyes; we shall there have enough and to spare.

2. Joseph’s disinfection of them loaded with presents, attended with carriages for their removal; to his father he sends a particular cargo of the best things of the land, to comfort him by the way, and as an earnest of the greater gifts he had in there for him; and he adds one needful admonition, that they fall not out by the way. They might be sore, after what had passed, to upbraid one another for their wickedness: but as he had forgiven them, and was reconciled, they must forgive and love one another. Note, (1.) In our way to heaven, we should carefully avoid disputes; we are brethren. (2.) To forgive, becomes those who are forgiven. (3.) We shall give the Egyptians, the men of this world, a bad opinion of our religion, if we quarrel among ourselves.

3. ¶ And they went up out of Egypt, and came into the land of Canaan unto Jacob their father, 26. And told him, saying, Joseph is yet alive, and he is governor over all the land of Egypt. And Jacob’s heart fainted, for he believed them not. 27. And they told him all the words of Joseph, which he had said unto them; and when he saw the waggons which Joseph had sent to carry him, the spirit of Jacob their father revived. 28. And Israel said, It is enough; Joseph my son is yet alive: I will go and see him before I die.

Genesis 45:25-28

With eager haste, they fly to their father with this transforming message, Joseph is yet alive. Overcome with the transport, Jacob’s heart faints, and trembling in hope, subjects it too good news to be true. But when the evidence is undoubted, and the waggons come in view, his spirit revives, exaltation and joy burst from his aged heart, and since Joseph is alive, it is enough; this is the summit of his worldly bliss, he will go and see him before he dies. Note, (1.) The waggons of death are coming to remove us to Jesus, let not our trembling beasts faint, but revive at their approach. (2.) A sight of their gracious children is among the greatest comforts an aged parent knows. (3.) To keep death in our view, it always useful; for old men, it is doubly needful; it cannot be long before they die.