Note: When doing a study on a book in the Bible you use a lot of resources. The major influence for me on this study of Genesis is The Genesis Record by Henry Morris.
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 finally had broken down. Let us reminiss on what he has done to tempt his brothers. 1. He called them spies. 2. He kept Simeon while they went and got their other brother. 3. He put the money in the sack. 4. He treated Benjamin so differently after the brought him. 5. He put the cup and money in the sack of Benjamin and sent after him. 6. He gave them an opportunity to leave and keep Benjamin.
Finally after all of this he broke down. He could not take the separation any longer. You know it had to be hard. It had to be tough. What to do?
2 And he wept aloud: and the Egyptians and the house of Pharaoh heard. 3 And Joseph said unto his brethren, I [am] Joseph; doth my father yet live?
Here is his confession. He had no where to go. It was time to put all the marbles on the table.
And his brethren could not answer him; for they were troubled at his presence.
0926 bahal {baw-hal'}
AV - trouble 17, haste 4, afraid 3, vexed 3, amazed 2, hasty 2, affrighted 1, dismayed 1, hastily 1, thrust him out 1, rash 1, speedily 1, speedy 1, vex 1; 39
1) to disturb, alarm, terrify, hurry, be disturbed, be anxious,
be afraid, be hurried, be nervous
1a) (Niphal)
1a1) to be disturbed, dismayed, terrified, anxious
1a2) to be in haste, be hasty
Troubled may not be the best word used here in our understanding. It was probably used as a strong word but I think more like terrified and nervous would be better. They were scared to death.
This is the brother they had not seen in 25 yrs. What was he going to do?
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.
What would you do or say if you were in the place of ther brothers?
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.
Here is one of my favorite verses in the whole chapter. God did this. Not you he just allowed you to be used. But it was all in his plan. Why? To preserve life. To preserve life.
I have heard a phrase many of times,"God works in mysterious ways." This is so true. Now think about what we would like God to do. Maybe witness for us. Maybe give us. But no.
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. 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 and a ruler throughout all the land of Egypt.
22 years away.
It is my goal to convince me and others that God works in the lives of people. He is working. If we could sit down and map out our past and see what God has done then we would be amazed and gracious. Think where you are at and how you got there and the many of times that you made wrong decisions.
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: 10 And thou shalt dwell in the land of Goshen, and thou shaltbe 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.
Go get my father bring him into Egypt. Out of the famine and into the good land of Goshen.
12 And, behold, your eyes see, and the eyes of my brother Benjamin, that [it is] my mouth that speaketh unto you.
They were still in dismay. They were probably just starring in misbelief.
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. 14 And he fell upon his brother Benjamin's neck, and wept; and Benjamin wept upon his neck.
Benjamin a brother he had not seen in 22 years truly amazing. What a moment of compassion and love. You know there is nothing like a brother. Nothing like those kin to you. So good to show emotions.
15 Moreover he kissed all his brethren, and wept upon them:and after that his brethren talked with him.
I wonder what they talked about?
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. 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; 18 And take your father and your households, and come untome: and I will give you the good of the land of Egypt, and ye shall eat the fat of the land.
Shows his love for Joseph and his trust in him. What a job Joseph must have done.
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.
20 Also regard not your stuff; for the good of all the land of Egypt [is] yours.
I will furnish it all.
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.
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 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.
24 So he sent his brethren away, and they departed: and he said unto them, See that ye fall not out by the way.
25. And they went up out of Egypt, and came into the land of Canaan unto Jacob their father,
Now here comes the hardest part of all. Telling Jacob. What would you say?
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 wagons which Joseph had sent to carry him, the spirit of Jacob their father revived:
He believed when he saw the evidence.
28 And Israel said, [It is] enough; Joseph my son [is] yetalive: I will go and see him before I die.
Did Jacob ever leave the land of Egypt? Only as we will see to be buried. He came to visit but God had other plans.
