GENESIS 44 & 45: JOSEPH REVEALS HIMSELF

ONE LAST TEST

In the previous chapter, we saw that Jacob’s sons presented themselves with Benjamin before Joseph. That was one of the conditions that the Egyptian governor had given them to have Simeon, who was in prison, set free.

When he saw his youngest brother, Joseph’s heart was moved. He was almost ready to reveal to them his true identity, but before that they had to go through one last test. Most likely he wanted to make sure that they really had changed and would not do to Benjamin what they had done to him.

(Genesis 44:1-13) Then he commanded the steward of his house, “Fill the men’s sacks with food, as much as they can carry, and put each man’s money in the mouth of his sack, (2) and put my cup, the silver cup, in the mouth of the sack of the youngest, with his money for the grain.” And he did as Joseph told him. (3) As soon as the morning was light, the men were sent away with their donkeys. (4) They had gone only a short distance from the city. Now Joseph said to his steward, “Up, follow after the men, and when you overtake them, say to them, ‘Why have you repaid evil for good? (5) Is it not from this that my lord drinks, and by this that he practices divination? You have done evil in doing this.’” (6) When he overtook them, he spoke to them these words. (7) They said to him, “Why does my lord speak such words as these? Far be it from your servants to do such a thing! (8) Behold, the money that we found in the mouths of our sacks we brought back to you from the land of Canaan. How then could we steal silver or gold from your lord’s house? (9) Whichever of your servants is found with it shall die, and we also will be my lord’s servants.” (10) He said, “Let it be as you say: he who is found with it shall be my servant, and the rest of you shall be innocent.” (11) Then each man quickly lowered his sack to the ground, and each man opened his sack. (12) And he searched, beginning with the eldest and ending with the youngest. And the cup was found in Benjamin’s sack. (13) Then they tore their clothes, and every man loaded his donkey, and they returned to the city.

They were absolutely innocent, but Joseph set up that situation to test his brothers’ hearts.

(Gen. 44:14-15) When Judah and his brothers came to Joseph’s house, he was still there. They fell before him to the ground. (15) Joseph said to them, “What deed is this that you have done? Do you not know that a man like me can indeed practice divination?”

One sign that they were mature was the fact that they did not defend themselves nor blame someone else, but they fully assumed the responsibility.

(Gen. 44:16) And Judah said, “What shall we say to my lord? What shall we speak? Or how can we clear ourselves? God has found out the guilt of your servants; behold, we are my lord’s servants, both we and he also in whose hand the cup has been found.”

If Joseph would’ve wanted to do so, he could have taken vengeance on his brothers right then and there. But he meant to test their hearts, not to punish them.

(Gen. 44:17) But he said, “Far be it from me that I should do so! Only the man in whose hand the cup was found shall be my servant. But as for you, go up in peace to your father.”

At that moment, Joseph still wondered if they would sacrifice their brother Benjamin and abandon him, just as they had done to him in the well.

But the brothers proved that they had changed…

Judah had made himself responsible for Benjamin before his father; so he took the leadership and spoke with total honesty…

(Gen. 44:18-31) Then Judah went up to him and said, “Oh, my lord, please let your servant speak a word in my lord’s ears, and let not your anger burn against your servant, for you are like Pharaoh himself. (19) My lord asked his servants, saying, ‘Have you a father, or a brother?’ (20) And we said to my lord, ‘We have a father, an old man, and a young brother, the child of his old age. His brother is dead, and he alone is left of his mother’s children, and his father loves him.’ (21) Then you said to your servants, ‘Bring him down to me, that I may set my eyes on him.’ (22) We said to my lord, ‘The boy cannot leave his father, for if he should leave his father, his father would die.’ (23) Then you said to your servants, ‘Unless your youngest brother comes down with you, you shall not see my face again.’ (24) “When we went back to your servant my father, we told him the words of my lord. (25) And when our father said, ‘Go again, buy us a little food,’ (26) we said, ‘We cannot go down. If our youngest brother goes with us, then we will go down. For we cannot see the man’s face unless our youngest brother is with us.’ (27) Then your servant my father said to us, ‘You know that my wife bore me two sons. (28) One left me, and I said, “Surely he has been torn to pieces,” and I have never seen him since. (29) If you take this one also from me, and harm happens to him, you will bring down my gray hairs in evil to Sheol.’ (30) “Now therefore, as soon as I come to your servant my father, and the boy is not with us, then, as his life is bound up in the boy’s life, (31) as soon as he sees that the boy is not with us, he will die, and your servants will bring down the gray hairs of your servant our father with sorrow to Sheol. 

That is when Joseph found out what they had told his father. He realized that his father had not abandoned him, but had him for dead, so he did not go out looking for him. That was a great revelation for Joseph.

Judah kept on talking, and what he said was enough proof that he had changed, because now he was willing to give up his own life for the sake of Benjamin’s life.

(Gen. 44:32-34) For your servant became a pledge of safety for the boy to my father, saying, ‘If I do not bring him back to you, then I shall bear the blame before my father all my life.’ (33) Now therefore, please let your servant remain instead of the boy as a servant to my lord, and let the boy go back with his brothers. (34) For how can I go back to my father if the boy is not with me? I fear to see the evil that would find my father.”

Joseph’s brothers passed the test. They defended their brother instead of abandoning him.

JOSEPH REVEALS HIS IDENTITY

In an instant, Joseph could not contain himself anymore and revealed who he was…

(Gen. 45:1-3) Then Joseph could not control himself before all those who stood by him. He cried, “Make everyone go out from me.” So no one stayed with him when Joseph made himself known to his brothers. (2) And he wept aloud, so that the Egyptians heard it, and the household of Pharaoh heard it. (3) And Joseph said to his brothers, “I am Joseph! Is my father still alive?” But his brothers could not answer him, for they were dismayed at his presence.

Right then, Joseph let go of all the pain he had kept in his heart over the years, but he was also excited to see that everything he went through had not been in vain.

(Gen. 45:4-5) So Joseph said to his brothers, “Come near to me, please.” And they came near. And he said, “I am your brother, Joseph, whom you sold into Egypt. (5) And now do not be distressed or angry with yourselves because you sold me here, for God sent me before you to preserve life.

Joseph could see the purpose God had for him because of everything that had happened.

(Gen. 45:6-15) For the famine has been in the land these two years, and there are yet five years in which there will be neither plowing nor harvest. (7) And God sent me before you to preserve for you a remnant on earth, and to keep alive for you many survivors. (8) So it was not you who sent me here, but God. He has made me a father to Pharaoh, and lord of all his house and ruler over all the land of 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) You shall dwell in the land of Goshen, and you shall be near me, you and your children and your children’s children, and your flocks, your herds, and all that you have. (11) There I will provide for you, for there are yet five years of famine to come, so that you and your household, and all that you have, do not come to poverty.’ (12) And now your eyes see, and the eyes of my brother Benjamin see, that it is my mouth that speaks to you. (13) You must tell my father of all my honor in Egypt, and of all that you have seen. Hurry and bring my father down here.” (14) Then he fell upon his brother Benjamin’s neck and wept, and Benjamin wept upon his neck. (15) And he kissed all his brothers and wept upon them. After that his brothers talked with him.

What was his brothers’ reaction? At first they were made dumb and stunned. It was hard for them to process not only that they were seeing their brother Joseph, but also to see what he had become.

But after the shock, fear came upon them. They feared that Joseph would take advantage of the situation to take vengeance on them for what they had done to him, even though Joseph had assured them that God had allowed everything for a good reason. The brothers had to learn to receive Joseph’s forgiveness, but they also had to forgive themselves for the wrong they had done.

THE KING’S FAVOR

The news about Joseph and his brothers was made known all throughout Egypt. It also reached Pharaoh’s ears.

(Gen. 45:16-20) When the report was heard in Pharaoh’s house, “Joseph’s brothers have come,” it pleased Pharaoh and his servants. (17) And Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Say to your brothers, ‘Do this: load your beasts and go back to the land of Canaan, (18) and take your father and your households, and come to me, and I will give you the best of the land of Egypt, and you shall eat the fat of the land.’ (19) And you, Joseph, are commanded to say, ‘Do this: take wagons from the land of Egypt for your little ones and for your wives, and bring your father, and come. (20) Have no concern for your goods, for the best of all the land of Egypt is yours.’”

The favor that Joseph had found in Pharaoh was also extended to his entire family. Joseph understood that everything that had happened to him was for good, and to preserve his family (Gen. 45:4-8).

(Gen. 45:21-24) The sons of Israel did so: and Joseph gave them wagons, according to the command of Pharaoh, and gave them provisions for the journey. (22) To each and all of them he gave a change of clothes, but to Benjamin he gave three hundred shekels of silver and five changes of clothes. (23) To his father he sent as follows: ten donkeys loaded with the good things of Egypt, and ten female donkeys loaded with grain, bread, and provision for his father on the journey. (24) Then he sent his brothers away, and as they departed, he said to them, “Do not quarrel on the way.”

Jacob had sent gifts to Egypt’s governor so that his sons might find grace in him. But when they came back, he received much more; and the best gift of all was the news that his son Joseph lived.

(Gen. 45:25-28) So they went up out of Egypt and came to the land of Canaan to their father Jacob. (26) And they told him, “Joseph is still alive, and he is ruler over all the land of Egypt.” And his heart became numb, for he did not believe them. (27) But when they told him all the words of Joseph, which he had said to them, and when he saw the wagons that Joseph had sent to carry him, the spirit of their father Jacob revived. (28) And Israel said, “It is enough; Joseph my son is still alive. I will go and see him before I die.”

It is not clear if his sons told him “the whole truth” of what had happened to Joseph. But what is obvious is that Jacob didn’t care much for those details. All he wanted to hear was that his beloved son still lived, and the trip to see him could not be delayed.

The biblical text says that Jacob “revived”. After believing that Joseph had died, Jacob became like a “living dead” (Gen. 37:34-35); but he had hope and high spirits again after hearing the good news that his son lived.