(Genesis 45:1) Then Joseph could not refrain himself before all those who stood by him, and he cried out, “Make everyone go out from me!” And there stood no man with him, while Joseph made himself known to his brothers.
In the last chapter, Joseph as second to Pharaoh and not recognized by his brothers, had detained the brothers longer by having his silver cup placed in the sack of his youngest brother, Benjamin, where it was later found by his steward. He ordered Benjamin to remain his servant, while the rest of the brothers were to return home, at which time Judah made a very impassioned plea for his brother. I love the words written by Biblical scholar Adam Clarke, after calling Judah's plea to Joseph in the last chapter "one of the most tender, affecting pieces of natural oratory ever spoken or penned", he went on to say, "We cannot but deplore the unnatural and unscientific division of the narrative in our common Bibles, which obliges us to have recourse to another chapter in order to witness the effects which this speech produced on the heart of Joseph."
It seems pretty clear that Joseph's intentions were never really to merely exercise supremacy over his brothers, but rather he used his position to test his brothers. He could surely then see the repentance of his brothers and their attachment to Benjamin and his father, and after the words of his brother Judah, Joseph could no longer restrain his emotions and ordered his steward and all other servants out of the room so that he could talk to his brothers.
(2) And he wept aloud, and the Egyptians and the house of Pharaoh heard it.
Even though Joseph had cleared the room of anyone other than his brothers, he wept so loud that they still heard him. They heard his crying, but it remains to be seen whether they heard his words following his weeping.
(3) And Joseph said to his brothers, “I am Joseph; does my father still live?" And his brothers could not answer him, for they were troubled at his presence.
The brothers must have been quite stunned at this revelation and there surely was a flood of troubling emotions. They must have been terribly confused and they could have even been filled with fear that Joseph would now avenge himself for what they had done to him.
(4) And Joseph said to his brothers, “Come near to me, please. And they came near. And he said, “I am Joseph your brother, whom you sold into Egypt. (5) Now therefore do not be grieved, nor angry with yourselves, that you sold me here; for God sent me before you to preserve life."
Joseph drew his brothers near to him and began to explain that he was their brother whom they had sold into slavery. He had obviously completely forgiven his brothers as he sought to alleviate their fears and guilt by further explaining that God had had a purpose in his going to Egypt; in his position he was now able to save lives from starvation. Joseph said God sent him to Egypt. In no way is that to be understood to mean that it was God's plan for his brothers to hate their brother and sell him into slavery. God would never have people sin "for the ultimate good" like some modern-day governments might propose. However, originally the brothers wanted to dump Joseph in a pit and leave him there, so I do believe God was instrumental in changing their plans for ultimate good.
(6) "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 harvest. (7) And God sent me before you to preserve a posterity for you in the earth, and to save your lives by a great deliverance. (8) 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 told the brothers that there would be famine in the land for five more years, and explained in further detail how God brought him to his position in Egypt.
(9) "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. (10) And you shall dwell in the land of Goshen, and you shall be near to me, you and your children, and your children’s children, and your flocks and your herds, and all that you have. (11) And there I will nourish you, lest you and your household, and all that you have, come to poverty; for there are still five years of famine.”’"
Joseph instructed the brothers to hurry to his father and tell him that Joseph was lord of Egypt and that he could come to him, and that his entire family could dwell there in the land of Goshen, where land either belonged to Joseph, or was completely at his disposal, as right hand man to Pharaoh. There Joseph would be able to provide for his father and his family, as there were still to be five years more of famine.
(12) "And behold, your eyes and the eyes of my brother Benjamin see that it is my mouth that speaks to you. (13) And 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.”
(14) And he fell on his brother Benjamin’s neck and wept, and Benjamin wept on his neck. (15) Moreover he kissed all his brothers and wept over them, and after that his brothers talked with him.
Joseph then hugged and probably kissed his brother Benjamin's neck and Benjamin also hugged Joseph, both men weeping. Then Joseph kissed all his brothers as he cried over them. At that point his brothers felt comfortable and confident that Joseph was their brother and that he had truly forgiven them and was reconciled to them, and they talked freely with him.
(16) And the report of it was heard in Pharaoh’s house, saying, “Joseph’s brothers have come"; and it pleased Pharaoh and his servants well.
The original word for "report" above was "qol" and was most often used to mean "voice", "sound", or "noise". Some of the servants heard exactly what was said and that news passed from one to another till all knew that these were Joseph's brothers, and Pharaoh and his servants were happy to welcome them, as they must have held Joseph in high regard.
(17) And Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Say to your brothers, ‘Do this: load your animals and depart; go to the land of Canaan. (18) And 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. (19) Now you are commanded; do this: take wagons out of the land of Egypt for your little ones and your wives; bring your father and come. (20) Also do not be concerned about your stuff; for the good of all the land of Egypt is yours.'"
It was Pharaoh himself who told Joseph to tell his brothers to take wagons and go back to their home in the land of Canaan and bring back their father and all their family, and he would give them the best Egypt had to offer. He further told him to tell them not to be concerned with bringing all their household "stuff" because they would have all they needed there in Egypt.
(21) And the children of Israel did so; and Joseph gave them wagons, according to the command of Pharaoh, and he gave them provisions for the journey.
I found it interesting to see the beginning of the use of the phrase "the children of Israel" here, where it obviously means "the sons of Israel (or Jacob)". The phrase would later come to mean to the reader the people of the country of Israel, but its meaning has probably always been more about the people and not the country and literally meant "the sons of Israel". Just as generations later, men regarded themselves as sons of Abraham, so the people of Israel were children of Israel, or Jacob. The sons of Jacob did as Pharaoh told them, and Joseph gave them wagons and provisions for their journey back to their father.
(22) 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.
Joseph obviously had the greatest love and affection for his one full brother, Benjamin, as once again, he gave him much more than he did his other brothers--more clothes and even silver.
(23) And to his father he sent after this manner--ten donkeys loaded with the good things of Egypt, and ten female donkeys loaded with corn and bread and meat for his father for the journey. (24) 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 sent gifts to his father with his brothers and he sent them on their way. He told them not to become troubled on the way. I believe the sense was that he had totally forgiven them, and he wanted them to remain in this joyous reconciled state; he didn't want them to return to their thoughts of guilt for themselves or blame toward each other.
(25) And they went up out of Egypt, and came into the land of Canaan to Jacob their father. (26) And told him, saying, “Joseph is still alive, and he is governor over all the land of Egypt.” And Jacob’s heart fainted, for he did not believe them.
The brothers returned home to their father, Jacob, and immediately told him the news that Joseph was still alive and was governor of Egypt. The news was so overwhelming that it caused Jacob's heart to feel faint; it was too good to be true that he dared not believe it at first.
(27) And they told him all the words of Joseph, which he had said to them, and when he saw the wagons 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 still alive. I will go and see him before I die.”
When his sons told him all that Joseph had said, and when he saw the wagons Joseph had sent to take him and all his family back to Egypt, his spirit lifted because he could see that the news was true. It was enough that Joseph was still alive; all his glory and position mattered none; all that mattered was that Joseph was still alive and Jacob would go and see him before he died. Surely his sons had told him that they could live with Joseph, but either that mattered not, or perhaps Jacob did not expect to live that long; all that mattered was that he would see Joseph again before he died! Actually, upon further research of the original word used for the phrase "it is enough", "rab", it is usually more often used to mean something along the lines of "much, many, great". It was not only enough that Jacob just be able to see Joseph before he died, but it was MORE than enough! It was more than he could have ever hoped for; it was great!
Many of the Biblical scholars consider Joseph a picture of Christ. I've previously considered how he was sort of raised from the dead to a position where he saved from death all who came to him for food. In light of this, it makes Jacob's words take on new meaning. Is not the gift of Christ enough? More than enough? He's all we could ever hope for and all the worldly glory "stuff" means nothing! This incident reminds me of Simeon in the New Testament who was able to see the Christ child before he died:
"Lord, now let Your servant depart in peace, according to Your word, for my eyes have seen Your salvation." - Luke 2:29-30
"It is enough to see You; I may now die in peace."
