Genesis 45:2

_AND HE WEPT ALOUD: AND THE EGYPTIANS AND THE HOUSE OF PHARAOH HEARD._ He wept aloud - no doubt from the fullness of highly-excited feelings; but to indulge in vehement and long-continued transports of sobbing is the usual way in which the Orientals express their grief....

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 45:2. _THE EGYPTIANS AND THE HOUSE OF PHARAOH HEARD._] It seems strange that Joseph should have wept so loud that his _cries_ should be heard at some considerable distance, as we may suppose his dwelling was not very nigh to the palace! "But this," says Sir John Chardin, "is exactly the genius of the people of Asia - their sentiments of joy or grief are properly _transports_, and their transports are ungoverned, excessive, and truly outrageous. When any one returns from a long journey, or dies, his family burst _into cries that may be heard twenty doors off_; and this is renewed at different times, and continues many days, according to the vigour of the passion. Sometimes they cease all at once, and then begin as suddenly with a greater shrillness and loudness than one could easily imagine." This circumstance Sir John brings to illustrate the verse in ques...

- 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 WEPT ALOUD,....; Or "gave forth his voice in weeping" r; as he wept he cried aloud; for having put such a violent restraint on himself, as the flood of tears was the greater, so his voice was the stronger and louder for it: AND THE EGYPTIANS AND THE HOUSE OF PHARAOH HEARD; the Egyptians, that were in the room or rooms adjoining to that where Joseph was, heard his cry, and perhaps a great deal of what was said; which they soon reported to others, and it quickly reached Pharaoh's court, which might not be at any great distance. r ויתן את קלו בבכי "et dedit vocem suam in fletu", Montanus; so Junius Tremellius, Piscator, Schmidt....

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. And he wept aloud:_ Emotion long pent up grows violent; and when at last it does burst forth, it cannot be restrained: «He wept aloud.» Genesis 45:2. _And the Egyptians and the house of Pharaoh heard. 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._ What a rush of thoughts must have passed through their minds when they remembered all their unkind behavior toward him! There is no wonder that «they were troubled at his presence.»...

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 WEPT ALOUD. Now at length all the love, which during twenty-two long years had been pent up in Joseph's heart, breaks forth with irrepressible might. It must have been startling to the Hebrew brethren to see the august governor suddenly burst forth in loud weeping. THE HOUSE OF PHARAOH HEARD. The personal attendants of Pharaoh. The report would go at once to the king. The loud weeping of Joseph is exactly the character of the people of Asia. Their sentiments of joy or grief are properly _transports,_ and their transports are unrestrained. When any one returns from. long journey, or dies, his family burst. into cries that may be heard many rods away, and this is often renewed at intervals for many days....

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....