Gênesis 45

ARC · Chapter 45/50

1Então José não se podia conter diante de todos os que estavam com elle; e clamou: Fazei sair de mim a todo o varão; e ninguem ficou com elle, quando José se deu a conhecer a seus irmãos.

2E levantou a sua voz com chôro, de maneira que os egypcios o ouviam, e a casa de Pharaó o ouviu.

3E disse José a seus irmãos: Eu sou José: vive ainda meu pae? E seus irmãos não lhe poderam responder, porque estavam pasmados diante da sua face

4E disse José a seus irmãos: Peço-vos, chegae-vos a mim. E chegaram-se; então disse elle: Eu sou José, vosso irmão, a quem vendestes para o Egypto.

5Agora, pois, não vos entristeçaes, nem vos peze aos vossos olhos por me haverdes vendido para cá; porque para conservação da vida, Deus me enviou diante da vossa face

6Porque já houve dois annos de fome no meio da terra, e ainda restam cinco annos em que não haverá lavoura nem sega.

7Pelo que Deus me enviou diante da vossa face, para que ficasseis um resto na terra, e para guardar-vos em vida por uma grande livração.

8Assim não fostes vós que me enviastes para cá, senão Deus, que me tem posto por pae de Pharaó, e por senhor de toda a sua casa, e como regente em toda a terra do Egypto.

9Apressae-vos, e subi a meu pae, e dizei-lhe: Assim tem dito o teu filho José: Deus me tem posto por senhor em toda a terra do Egypto; desce a mim, e não te demores;

10E habitarás na terra de Gosen, e estarás perto de mim, tu e os teus filhos, e os filhos dos teus filhos, e as tuas ovelhas, e as tuas vaccas, e tudo o que tens.

11E ali te sustentarei, porque ainda haverá cinco annos de fome, para que não pereças de pobreza, tu e tua casa, e tudo o que tens.

12E eis que vossos olhos o vêem, e os olhos de meu irmão Benjamin, que é minha bocca que vos falla.

13E fazei saber a meu pae toda a minha gloria no Egypto, e tudo o que tendes visto, e apressae-vos a fazer descer meu pae para cá.

14E lançou-se ao pescoço de Benjamin seu irmão, e chorou; e Benjamin chorou tambem ao seu pescoço.

15E beijou a todos os seus irmãos, e chorou sobre elles; e depois seus irmãos fallaram com elle.

16E a fama ouviu-se na casa de Pharaó, dizendo: Os irmãos de José são vindos; e pareceu bem aos olhos de Pharaó, e aos olhos de seus servos.

17E disse Pharaó a José: Dize a teus irmãos: Fazei isto, carregae as vossas bestas e parti, tornae á terra de Canaan,

18E tornae a vosso pae, e a vossas familias, e vinde a mim; e eu vos farei o melhor da terra do Egypto, e comereis a gordura da terra.

19A ti pois é ordenado; fazei isto, tomae vós da terra do Egypto carros para vossos meninos, para vossas mulheres, e para vosso pae, e vinde.

20E não vos peze coisa alguma das vossas alfaias; porque o melhor de toda a terra do Egypto será vosso.

21E os filhos de Israel fizeram assim. E José deu-lhes carros, conforme o mandado de Pharaó; tambem lhes deu comida para o caminho.

22A todos lhes deu, a cada um, mudas de vestidos; mas a Benjamin deu trezentas peças de prata, e cinco mudas de vestidos.

23E a seu pae enviou similhantemente dez jumentos carregados do melhor do Egypto, e dez jumentos carregados de trigo, e pão, e comida para seu pae, para o caminho.

24E despediu os seus irmãos, e partiram; e disse-lhes: Não contendaes pelo caminho.

25E subiram do Egypto, e vieram á terra de Canaan, a Jacob seu pae.

26Então lhe annunciaram, dizendo: José ainda vive, e elle tambem é regente em toda a terra do Egypto. E o seu coração desmaiou-se, porque não os acreditava.

27Porém, havendo-lhe elles contado todas as palavras de José, que elle lhes fallára, e vendo elle os carros que José enviara para leval-o, reviveu o espirito de Jacob seu pae

28E disse Israel: Basta; ainda vive meu filho José; eu irei, e o verei antes que morra.

📖 Chapter study

Summary

Overcome with emotion, Joseph finally reveals himself to his brothers, reassures them that God allowed everything for good, and sends them back to bring their father Jacob and the whole family to live in Egypt.

Explanation

This is one of the most moving moments in all of Scripture: after carefully testing his brothers, Joseph can no longer hold back and reveals himself, weeping so loudly that 'the Egyptians heard him.' His reaction is not one of revenge but of a remarkably mature perspective of faith: he recognizes that, despite his brothers' evil intent, God used that entire chain of suffering to strategically position him and save many lives during the famine, including his own family. This recognition foreshadows the even fuller declaration he will make at the end of the book (Genesis 50:20). The joy of the reunion, with embraces, tears, and the generous invitation for the whole family to come live in the best part of the land of Egypt, marks the beginning of the complete reunification of Jacob's family, ending decades of separation and grief.

Fun facts

  • Joseph's statement, 'it was not you that sent me hither, but God' (v. 8), is one of the clearest examples in all of Scripture of the theological concept that God can sovereignly work through wrong human decisions to fulfill his purposes, without that morally justifying the evil that was done.
  • The region of Goshen, offered to Jacob's family to settle in (mentioned here and detailed in the following chapter), was known for its fertile land in the eastern Nile Delta, ideal for herding — a geographical detail consistent with what is known of ancient Egyptian geography.

Verse-by-verse explanation

  1. Gênesis 45:1Joseph orders all the Egyptians to leave the room before revealing himself to his brothers. He wants this overwhelming moment to stay within the family alone, with no strangers watching the weeping and confusion that’s about to follow.
  2. Gênesis 45:2Joseph weeps so loudly that the Egyptians nearby, and even Pharaoh’s household, hear him — a moment of emotion he can no longer control.
  3. Gênesis 45:3Joseph finally reveals himself: “I am Joseph; doth my father yet live?” — the brothers are struck speechless, unable to answer.
  4. Gênesis 45:4Joseph asks them to come closer and repeats the revelation, now adding the heaviest detail: he is the brother they sold into Egypt.
  5. Gênesis 45:5Instead of accusing them, Joseph comforts his brothers, asking them not to blame themselves, because God used that very act to preserve lives.
  6. Gênesis 45:6Joseph explains the real severity of the situation: two years of famine have already passed, and five more remain without planting or harvest.
  7. Gênesis 45:7Joseph reinforces the purpose he sees behind it all: God sent him ahead to make sure the family would survive this great crisis.
  8. Gênesis 45:8“A father to Pharaoh” was a title of office in ancient Egypt, a kind of chief advisor or prime minister. It doesn’t mean Joseph was literally the king’s father, but that he held the position of greatest trust beside him.
  9. Gênesis 45:9Joseph urges haste: that they go back to their father and tell him he is alive and lord of all Egypt, inviting him to come down without delay.
  10. Gênesis 45:10Goshen was a fertile region in the eastern Nile delta, good for raising livestock. Joseph chooses this place for the family because it’s close to him, in the capital, yet still separate enough from the Egyptians, who, as the text shows elsewhere, avoided shepherds.
  11. Gênesis 45:11Joseph promises to provide for the whole family during the five years of famine still remaining, so they won’t fall into poverty.
  12. Gênesis 45:12Joseph points out that his brothers’ own eyes, and Benjamin’s too, are witnesses that it’s really him speaking.
  13. Gênesis 45:13He asks them to tell their father all about the prominent position he has reached in Egypt, and to bring Jacob as soon as possible.
  14. Gênesis 45:14Joseph embraces Benjamin weeping, and his younger brother weeps along with him — the first emotional reunion between Rachel’s two sons.
  15. Gênesis 45:15Joseph kisses and weeps over each of his brothers, and only after that are they finally able to talk with him without fear.
  16. Gênesis 45:16News of the arrival of Joseph’s brothers spreads all the way to Pharaoh’s household, which receives the news well.
  17. Gênesis 45:17Pharaoh personally instructs Joseph to have the brothers load their animals and go back to Canaan.
  18. Gênesis 45:18Pharaoh invites Jacob and the whole family to move to Egypt, promising them the best of the land.
  19. Gênesis 45:19Pharaoh even provides Egyptian wagons to make it easier to transport the children, the women, and Jacob himself on the long journey.
  20. Gênesis 45:20Pharaoh tells them not to worry about the belongings left in Canaan, since the best of all the land of Egypt would be theirs.
  21. Gênesis 45:21The sons of Israel follow the instructions; Joseph gives them the wagons as Pharaoh ordered and also provides food for the trip.
  22. Gênesis 45:22Giving Benjamin three hundred pieces of silver and five changes of clothing, far more than the other brothers, repeats the pattern from the earlier banquet. Joseph keeps showing Benjamin greater affection, perhaps still testing whether it bothers the others.
  23. Gênesis 45:23Joseph sends his father ten donkeys loaded with the best of Egypt and another ten with grain, bread, and provisions for the journey.
  24. Gênesis 45:24“Fall out by the way” means to quarrel on the way back. Joseph knows that once they tell Jacob the real story behind the trip, there will be plenty of ammunition for the brothers to blame each other and argue — and he asks them not to do that.
  25. Gênesis 45:25The brothers go up from Egypt and return to Canaan, back to Jacob’s household.
  26. Gênesis 45:26When they announce that Joseph is alive and rules all of Egypt, Jacob’s heart nearly faints — the news seems too good to be true.
  27. Gênesis 45:27Only when they hear everything Joseph said, and see the wagons he sent, does Jacob’s spirit truly revive.
  28. Gênesis 45:28Jacob decides, satisfied, that he will go see Joseph in person before he dies — the desire that will drive the whole family’s move to Egypt in the following chapters.

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