Gênesis 45

BLIVRE · Chapter 45/50

1Não podia já José se conter diante de todos os que estavam ao seu lado, e clamou: Fazei sair de minha presença a todos. E não ficou ninguém com ele, ao dar-se a conhecer José a seus irmãos.

2Então se deu a chorar por voz em grito; e ouviram os egípcios, e ouviu também a casa de Faraó.

3E disse José a seus irmãos: Eu sou José: vive ainda meu pai? E seus irmãos não puderam lhe responder, porque estavam perturbados diante dele.

4Então disse José a seus irmãos: Achegai-vos agora a mim. E eles se achegaram. E ele disse: Eu sou José vosso irmão o que vendestes para o Egito.

5Agora, pois, não vos entristeçais, nem vos pese de haver me vendido aqui; que para preservação de vida me enviou Deus diante de vós:

6Que já houve dois anos de fome em meio da terra, e ainda restam cinco anos em que nem haverá arada nem colheita.

7E Deus me enviou adiante de vós, para que vós restásseis na terra, e para vos dar vida por meio de grande salvamento.

8Assim, pois, não me enviastes vós aqui, mas sim Deus, que me pôs por pai de Faraó, e por senhor de toda sua casa, e por governador de toda a terra do Egito.

9Apressai-vos, ide a meu pai e dizei-lhe: Assim diz teu filho José: Deus me pôs por senhor de todo Egito; vem a mim, não te detenhas:

10E habitarás na terra de Gósen, e estarás perto de mim, tu e teus filhos, e os filhos de teus filhos, teus gados e tuas vacas, e tudo o que tens.

11E ali te alimentarei, pois ainda restam cinco anos de fome, para que não pereças de pobreza tu e tua casa, e tudo o que tens:

12E eis que, vossos olhos veem, e os olhos de meu irmão Benjamim, que meu boca vos fala.

13Fareis pois saber a meu pai toda minha glória no Egito, e tudo o que vistes: e apressai-vos, e trazei a meu pai aqui.

14E lançou-se sobre o pescoço de Benjamim seu irmão, e chorou; e também Benjamim chorou sobre seu pescoço.

15E beijou a todos os seus irmãos, e chorou sobre eles: e depois seus irmãos falaram com ele.

16E ouviu-se a notícia na casa de Faraó, dizendo: Os irmãos de José vieram. E pareceu bem aos olhos de Faraó e de seus servos.

17E disse Faraó a José: Dize a teus irmãos: Fazei isto: carregai vossos animais, e ide, voltai à terra de Canaã;

18E tomai a vosso pai e vossas famílias, e vinde a mim, que eu vos darei o bom da terra do Egito e comereis a gordura da terra.

19E tu manda: Fazei isto: tomai para vós da terra do Egito carros para vossos filhos e vossas mulheres; e tomai a vosso pai, e vinde.

20E não se vos dê nada de vossos pertences, porque o bem da terra do Egito será vosso.

21E fizeram-no assim os filhos de Israel: e deu-lhes José carros conforme a ordem de Faraó, e deu alimentos para o caminho.

22A cada um de todos eles deu mudas de roupas, e a Benjamim deu trezentas peças de prata, e cinco mudas de roupas.

23E a seu pai enviou isto: dez asnos carregados do melhor do Egito, e dez asnas carregadas de trigo, e pão e comida, para seu pai no caminho.

24E despediu a seus irmãos, e foram-se. E ele lhes disse: Não brigais pelo caminho.

25E subiram do Egito, e chegaram à terra de Canaã a Jacó seu pai.

26E deram-lhe as novas, dizendo: José vive ainda; e ele é senhor toda a terra do Egito. E seu coração se desmaiou; pois não cria neles.

27E eles lhe contaram todas as palavras de José, que ele lhes havia falado; e vendo ele os carros que José enviava para levá-lo, o espírito de Jacó seu pai reviveu.

28Então disse Israel: Basta; José meu filho vive ainda: irei, e lhe verei antes que eu 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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