Genesis 45

I.                 Joseph Reveals Himself to his Brothers (Genesis 45:1-15)

a.      Genesis 45:1 – 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.

§        Joseph fully satisfied that his brothers were truly sorry for what they had done and that their hearts were changed in how they would not abandon their little brother Benjamin, could not restrain himself any longer.

§        Family matters are kept “in-house”

b.      Genesis 45:2 – And he wept aloud: and the Egyptians and the house of Pharaoh heard.

§        Didn’t have soundproof doors back then

§        Imagine what was going through the brothers’ minds, here is the 2^nd in command of Egypt, alone in this room with us and he suddenly starts weeping.

§        Think about how vulnerable he made himself here, his brothers could have unknowingly done him harm, but he didn’t care, he risked it all.

c.      Genesis 45:3 – 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.

§        Suddenly he speaks in their native tongue!  Without an interpreter! “I AM JOSEPH”, is there anything that could compare to this?

§        Joseph’s first concern was that of his father

§        “…at his presence…” פנים paniym, masculine noun, “face”

§        Revelation 1:7 – Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they [also] which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen.

§        Matthew 24:30 – And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.

§        Acts 9:4-6 - And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: [it is] hard for thee to kick against the pricks.  And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And the Lord [said] unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do.  And the men which journeyed with him stood speechless, hearing a voice, but seeing no man.

§        If the guilt was strong before, now it was unbearable!

d.      Genesis 45:4 – 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.

§        Hebrews 10:22 - Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.

§        “…whom ye sold into Egypt…” no one could have known this but Joseph!

e.      Genesis 45:5 – Now therefore be not grieved, nor angry with yourselves, that ye sold me hither: for God did send me before you to preserve life.

§        Psalm 105:17-19 - He sent a man before them, [even] Joseph, [who] was sold for a servant: Whose feet they hurt with fetters: he was laid in iron: Until the time that his word came: the word of the LORD tried him.

§        In order to ensure the birth of THE Messiah

f.       Genesis 45:6 – For these two years [hath] the famine [been] in the land: and yet [there are] five years, in the which [there shall] neither [be] earing nor harvest.

§        Reference point given, 2 years of famine is 9 years after he was appointed governor at age 30, Joseph is 39 years old.

§        Another reference to the number 5 the number of grace, Israel receives the grace of Joseph and Pharaoh with their invitation to come into Egypt

§        Earing – plowing

§        2 years…2 trips to Egypt

g.      Genesis 45:7 – And God sent me before you to preserve you a posterity in the earth, and to save your lives by a great deliverance.

§        Joseph understands that God’s plan for him was not so much tailored to save the Egyptians, but to preserve Israel.

§        Joseph a type of deliverer

o       Deliverance - escape, deliverance

§        Psalm 18:2 - The LORD [is] my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, [and] my high tower.

§        Romans 11:26 - And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob:

h.      Genesis 45:8 – 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.

§        What a mature understanding…if we could only have the wisdom of Joseph when we encounter tribulation that it is God that allows it and may be bringing you through it for a reason.  Always ask “Why?”

i.       Genesis 45:9 – Haste ye, and go up to my father, and say unto him, Thus saith thy son Joseph, God hath made me lord of all Egypt: come down unto me, tarry not:

§        Inform my father Jacob of my intentions

j.       Genesis 45:10 – 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:

§        Goshen - גשן Goshen, "drawing near", a region in northern Egypt, east of the lower Nile, where the children of Israel lived from the time of Joseph to the time of Moses.

§        Is Goshen the promised land? Goshen is not even in Canaan

§        As mentioned before, in this story Egypt is representative as a “type” of heaven where Joseph (Jesus) sits at the right hand of Pharaoh (God the Father).  Though the brothers do not physically live in Egypt (heaven) they are given a fruitful land to live until the time that they are to return to the promised land of Canaan (the New Earth), led there by Joshua (יהושוע Yĕhowshuwa`) another type of Jesus (יהושוע Yĕhowshuwa) who will reign with his people.

k.      Genesis 45:11 – 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.

§        Another reference to the number 5

l.       Genesis 45:12 – And, behold, your eyes see, and the eyes of my brother Benjamin, that [it is] my mouth that speaketh unto you.

§        “I am speaking to you in your native tongue”

m.    Genesis 45:13 – And ye shall tell my father of all my glory in Egypt, and of all that ye have seen; and ye shall haste and bring down my father hither.

§        Benjamin is to tell of all the glory of Joseph, for he will not speak it of himself.

§        The Bride will tell of all the glory of Christ, for He will not speak of Himself

§        Glory - כבוד kabowd, glory, honour, glorious, abundance

§        Not a statement of vanity,but a statement to ensure his father Jacob that he has been given the power to accomplish everything that he says he will accomplish from v.9-11

o       Matthew 28:18 - And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.

n.      Genesis 45:14 – And he fell upon his brother Benjamin's neck, and wept; and Benjamin wept upon his neck.

o.      Genesis 45:15 – Moreover he kissed all his brethren, and wept upon them: and after that his brethren talked with him.

II.               Pharaoh Orders Joseph’s Family Brought to Egypt (Genesis 45:16-28 )

a.      Genesis 45:16 – And the fame thereof was heard in Pharaoh's house, saying, Joseph's brethren are come: and it pleased Pharaoh well, and his servants.

§        Why would it have pleased Pharaoh?

§        Up until this point Joseph’s origin was likely unknown to Pharaoh, but now he is probably made aware of his ancestry and that he is the great-grandson of Abraham who came through Egypt with Sarah about 200 years earlier.

b.      Genesis 45:17 – And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, Say unto thy brethren, This do ye; lade your beasts, and go, get you unto the land of Canaan;

§        Pharaoh actually orders Joseph “This do ye”

§        Pharaoh gives great liberty to Joseph for matters concerning the execution of his governmental duties, but here Pharaoh shows that he is accustomed to and more than capable of giving orders to his number 2 regarding his personal family matters.

c.      Genesis 45:18 – 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.

d.      Genesis 45:19 – Now thou art commanded, this do ye; take you wagons out of the land of Egypt for your little ones, and for your wives, and bring your father, and come.

§        “Now thou art commanded” à “Now therefore, command them…”

§        wagons - עגלה `agalah, cart, wagon

e.      Genesis 45:20 – Also regard not your stuff; for the good of all the land of Egypt [is] yours.

f.       Genesis 45:21 – And the children of Israel did so: and Joseph gave them wagons, according to the commandment of Pharaoh, and gave them provision for the way.

g.      Genesis 45:22 – 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.

§        Good thing Joseph gave them new garments for they tore their old ones

§        300 pieces of silver…3 is the number of divine fulness

§        5 changes of raiment…here’s the number 5 again, the number of grace. 

§        The number 5 is found 318 times in the bible, the number 318 is significant because that is the number of armed servants Abraham took to rescue his nephew Lot. Biblical Meaning of Numbers, E.W. Bullinger

h.      Genesis 45:23 – And to his father he sent after this [manner]; ten asses laden with the good things of Egypt, and ten she asses laden with corn and bread and meat for his father by the way.

§        10 asses, 10 is the number of divine order, law or instruction…here we have the brothers returning to Canaan with instructions, orders from Pharaoh to gather their father and belongings and return to Egypt. 

o       Note that 2 sets of ten are given likely because the orders were first given from Pharaoh then issued by Joseph

i.       Genesis 45:24 – So he sent his brethren away, and they departed: and he said unto them, See that ye fall not out by the way.

§        See that you don’t quarrel with each other on the way home

j.       Genesis 45:25 – And they went up out of Egypt, and came into the land of Canaan unto Jacob their father,

k.      Genesis 45:26 – 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.

§        Alive - חי chay, feminine adjective

§        Governor - משל mashal, “to rule, have dominion, reign”

l.       Genesis 45:27 – And they told him all the words of Joseph, which he had said unto them: and when he saw the wagons which Joseph had sent to carry him, the spirit of Jacob their father revived:

§        The brothers had to humble themselves before heir father Jacob and confess the truth of their dealings with Joseph.  Much easier to do so when they know there is a happy ending…When we tell others of our savior Jesus, we can do so with the confidence that there is a happy ending.

m.    Genesis 45:28 – And Israel said, [It is] enough; Joseph my son [is] yet alive: I will go and see him before I die.

Joseph and Jesus Comparisons 

Yosef	Ye’shuah
Firstborn of Rachel under supernatural conditions (she was barren)	Firstborn of Mary under supernatural conditions (she was a virgin)
Joseph was a shepherd Genesis 37:2 - …Joseph, being seventeen years old, was feeding the flock with his brethren…	Jesus was the “Good Shepherd” John 10:11 - I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.
Sent by his father to find his brothers Genesis 37:14 - And he said to him, Go, I pray thee, see whether it be well with thy brethren, and well with the flocks; and bring me word again. So he sent him out of the vale of Hebron, and he came to Shechem.	Came for the “lost sheep” Matthew 15:24 – … I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
Brothers were envious of him. Genesis 37:11 - And his brethren envied him…	Pharisees envious of Him John 12:19 - The Pharisees therefore said among themselves, Perceive ye how ye prevail nothing? behold, the world is gone after him.
Joseph wandered the “field” Genesis 37:15 - …behold, he was wandering in the field…	The field is defined as the World Matthew 13:38 – The field is the world…
Was stripped and cast into a pit Genesis 37:23-24 - And it came to pass, when Joseph was come unto his brethren, that they stript Joseph out of his coat, [his] coat of [many] colours that [was] on him; And they took him, and cast him into a pit: and the pit [was] empty, [there was] no water in it.	Was stripped crucified and placed in the tomb Mark 15:24 - And when they had crucified him, they parted his garments, casting lots upon them, what every man should take. Zechariah 9:11 – As for thee also, by the blood of thy covenant I have sent forth thy prisoners out of the pit wherein [is] no water. Matthew 12:40 - For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale's belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.
Tempted 3 times and did not sin: Genesis 39:7 - And it came to pass after these things, that his master's wife cast her eyes upon Joseph; and she said, Lie with me. Genesis 39:10 – And it came to pass, as she spake to Joseph day by day, that he hearkened not unto her, to lie by her, [or] to be with her. Genesis 39:12 – And she caught him by his garment, saying, Lie with me: and he left his garment in her hand, and fled, and got him out.	Tempted by satan 3 times and did not sin: Matthew 4:3-10 – And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread.  But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.  Then the devil taketh him up into the holy city, and setteth him on a pinnacle of the temple, And saith unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down: for it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee: and in [their] hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone.  Jesus said unto him, It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.  Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them; And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me.  Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.
Sold by his brother Judah Genesis 37:26 - And Judah said unto his brethren, What profit [is it] if we slay our brother, and conceal his blood? Come, and let us sell him to the Ishmeelites, and let not our hand be upon him; for he [is] our brother [and] our flesh. And his brethren were content.	Sold by His disciple Judas Matthew 27:3 - Then Judas, which had betrayed him, when he saw that he was condemned, repented himself, and brought again the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders
Was brought out of the tomb and escorted to Egypt Genesis 37:28 - Then there passed by Midianites merchantmen; and they drew and lifted up Joseph out of the pit, and sold Joseph to the Ishmeelites for twenty [pieces] of silver: and they brought Joseph into Egypt.	Arose from the grave and escorted to heaven Acts 1:11 - Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.
Joseph became a servant Genesis 39:1 - And Joseph was brought down to Egypt; and Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh, captain of the guard, an Egyptian, bought him of the hands of the Ishmeelites, which had brought him down thither.	Jesus became a servant Matthew 20:27-28 - And whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant: Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.
Falsely accused Genesis 39:17 – And she spake unto him according to these words, saying, The Hebrew servant, which thou hast brought unto us, came in unto me to mock me	False witnesses Matthew 26:60 - But found none: yea, though many false witnesses came, yet found they none…
Joseph offered no defense Genesis 39:19	Attempted nodefense Isaiah 53:7 - He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth.
Joseph encounters 2 fellow prisoners Genesis 40:2 - And Pharaoh was wroth against two of his officers, against the chief of the butlers, and against the chief of the bakers.	Jesus encounters 2 fellow prisoners Luke 23:33 - And when they were come to the place, which is called Calvary, there they crucified him, and the malefactors, one on the right hand, and the other on the left.
One of the prisoners was saved and one was lost Genesis 40:21-22 - And he restored the chief butler unto his butlership again; and he gave the cup into Pharaoh's hand: But he hanged the chief baker: as Joseph had interpreted to them.	One of the prisoners saved and one lost Luke 23:40-43 - But the other answering rebuked him, saying, Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation? And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds: but this man hath done nothing amiss.  And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom.  And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise.
Joseph was respected by his jailor Genesis 39:21 - But the LORD was with Joseph, and shewed him mercy, and gave him favour in the sight of the keeper of the prison.	Jesus was respected by the Roman soldier Luke 23:47 - Now when the centurion saw what was done, he glorified God, saying, Certainly this was a righteous man.
Was elevated to 2nd in command under pharaoh Genesis 41:40 - Thou shalt be over my house, and according unto thy word shall all my people be ruled: only in the throne will I be greater than thou.	Was elevated to the right hand of the Father Acts 2:32-33 – This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses.  Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, he hath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear.
Joseph 30 years old when he received his office of - משל mashal Genesis 41:46 - And Joseph [was] thirty years old when he stood before Pharaoh king of Egypt…	Jesus 30 years old began his ministry Luke 3:23 - And Jesus himself began to be about thirty years of age, being (as was supposed) the son of Joseph, which was [the son] of Heli.
Joseph receives a new name Genesis 41:45 - And Pharaoh called Joseph's name Zaphnathpaaneah… (treasury of the glorious rest)	Jesus receives a new name Philippians 2:9 - Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:
Joseph given a wife Genesis 41:45 - …and he gave him to wife Asenath the daughter of Potipherah priest of On. And Joseph went out over [all] the land of Egypt.	The Lamb given a bride Revelation 19:7 - Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready.
Marriage arranged by Pharaoh Genesis 41:45 (see above)	Marriage arranged by the Father Matthew 22:2 - The kingdom of heaven is like unto a certain king, which made a marriage for his son
Joseph reveals himself to Judah and his brethren Genesis 45:3 - 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.	Jesus reveals himself to Judah Zechariah 12:7 - The LORD also shall save the tents of Judah first, that the glory of the house of David and the glory of the inhabitants of Jerusalem do not magnify themselves against Judah.
Joseph saved Israel through Egypt Genesis 45:5 - Now therefore be not grieved, nor angry with yourselves, that ye sold me hither: for God did send me before you to preserve life.	Jesus saved all mankind through Israel Acts 13:47 - For so hath the Lord commanded us, [saying], I have set thee to be a light of the Gentiles, that thou shouldest be for salvation unto the ends of the earth.
Joseph’s brothers proclaim his glory as instructed Genesis 45:13 - And ye shall tell my father of all my glory in Egypt, and of all that ye have seen; and ye shall haste and bring down my father hither.	The disciples go forth to proclaim the Gospel Mark 16:15 - And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.
All Israel is gathered in Egypt Genesis 46:5-6 - And Jacob rose up from Beersheba: and the sons of Israel carried Jacob their father, and their little ones, and their wives, in the wagons which Pharaoh had sent to carry him.  And they took their cattle, and their goods, which they had gotten in the land of Canaan, and came into Egypt, Jacob, and all his seed with him:	All Israel shall be brought to Jerusalem Isaiah 66:20 - And they shall bring all your brethren [for] an offering unto the LORD out of all nations upon horses, and in chariots, and in litters, and upon mules, and upon swift beasts, to my holy mountain Jerusalem, saith the LORD, as the children of Israel bring an offering in a clean vessel into the house of the LORD.