Genesis 45:14

_AND HE FELL UPON HIS BROTHER BENJAMIN'S NECK, AND WEPT; AND BENJAMIN WEPT UPON HIS NECK._ And he fell upon ... Benjamin's neck. The sudden transition from a condemned criminal to a fondled brother might have occasioned fainting, or even death, had not his tumultuous feelings been relieved by a torrent of tears. But Joseph's attentions were not confined to Benjamin. He affectionately embraced each one of his brothers in succession; and by those actions his forgiveness was demonstrated more fully than it could be by words....

1-15 Joseph let Judah go on, and heard all he had to say. He found his brethren humbled for their sins, mindful of himself, for Judah had mentioned him twice in his speech, respectful to their father, and very tender of their brother Benjamin. Now they were ripe for the comfort he designed, by making himself known. Joseph ordered all his attendants to withdraw. Thus Christ makes himself and his loving-kindness known to his people, out of the sight and hearing of the world. Joseph shed tears of tenderness and strong affection, and with these threw off that austerity with which he had hitherto behaved toward his brethren. This represents the Divine compassion toward returning penitents. "I am Joseph, your brother." This would humble them yet more for their sin in selling him, but would encourage them to hope for kind treatment. Thus, when Christ would convince Paul, he said, I am Jesus; a...

Verse Genesis 45:14. _HE FELL UPON HIS BROTHER BENJAMIN'S NECK_] Among the Asiatics _kissing_ the _beard_, the _neck_, and the _shoulders_, is in use to the present day; and probably _falling on the neck_ signifies no more than _kissing the neck_ or _shoulders_, with the arms around....

- Joseph Made Himself Known to His Brethren 10. גשׁן _gôshen_, Goshen, Gesem (Arabias related perhaps to גשׁם _geshem_ “rain, shower”), a region on the borders of Egypt and Arabia, near the gulf of Suez. The appeal of Judah is to Joseph irresistible. The repentance of his brothers, and their attachment to Benjamin, have been demonstrated in the most satisfactory manner. This is all that Joseph sought. It is evident, throughout the whole narrative, that he never aimed at exercising any supremacy over his brothers. As soon as he has obtained an affecting proof of the right disposition of his brothers, he conceals himself no longer. And the speech of Judah, in which, no doubt, his brothers concurred, does equal credit to his head and heart....

EXPOSITION GENESIS 45:1, GENESIS 45:2 THEN (literally, and) JOSEPH COULD NOT REFRAIN HIMSELF (_i.e._ keep himself from giving way to the impulses of love) BEFORE ALL THEM THAT STOOD BY HIM (_i.e._ the Egyptian officials of his household); and he cried (or made proclamation, issued an instruction), CAUSE EVERY MAN TO GO OUT FROM ME. And there stood no man with him, while Joseph made himself known unto his brethren. It was true delicacy on the part of Joseph which prompted the discovery of himself to his brethren in private; not simply because he did not wish to pain his brethren by a public reference to their past wickedness, ne facinus illud detestabile m

AND HE FELL UPON HIS BROTHER BENJAMIN'S NECK AND WEPT,.... On his neck first, because he was his own brother by father and mother's side; and he wept over him for joy that he had a sight of him once more: the word for "neck" is in the plural number, and being used, may signify that he fell first on one side of his neck, and then on the other, to show his great affection for him: AND BENJAMIN WEPT UPON HIS NECK; their love and the tokens of it were reciprocal....

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:_ Joseph, having made himself known to his brethren, bids them return to their father, and bring him down to Egypt to see his long-lost son. 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: 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._ It is just like Joseph to speak thus kindly, and to put the invitation so attractively to his father: «Thou shalt be near unto me.»

CHAPTER 45 JOSEPH REVEALS HIMSELF _ 1. He reveals himself (Genesis 45:1)_ 2. His address (Genesis 45:4) 3. He kissed his brethren (Genesis 45:14) 4. Pharaoh's command (Genesis 45:16) 5. His brethren sent away and their return to Jacob (Genesis 45:21) These three Chapter s belong together because they lead up to the great climax in the story of Joseph. The nobility of the character of Joseph is here fully brought out. Besides being a wise man, the great statesman of Egypt, he had a heart of tender

HE FELL UPON HIS BROTHER BENJAMIN'S NECK. Benjamin, the son of his own mother, the beloved Rachel, is the special object of his own affection, and he can no longer restrain his embrace. They embrace in Oriental fashion, their heads upon the neck of each other, and they weep tears of emotion, but of joy, upon each other's neck....

Joseph makes himself known to his Brethren 1. _refrain himself_ As in Genesis 43:31. The vehemence of Joseph's emotion forms a trait in his character and a feature in the narrative. Cf. Genesis 45:2_; Genesis 45:14_; Genesis 42:24; Genesis 43:30; Genesis 46:29....