(E (J).) Joseph reveals himself 1 15. Joseph makes himself known to his brethren. 16 28. Joseph's brethren bring the news to Jacob. The chapter, except for harmonizing insertions, e.g. in Genesis 45:4, is from E.... [ Continue Reading ]
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.... [ Continue Reading ]
_wept aloud_ Heb. _gave forth his voice in weeping_. _heard_ We must make allowance for an Oriental hyperbole of speech, by which it is intended to convey the rapidity with which the sound of Joseph's broken exclamations, and the news of the recognition of his brethren, were heard and reported.... [ Continue Reading ]
_doth my father yet live?_ This question has seemed to some a strange one after the interviews which Joseph has already had (Genesis 43:27-28). But the thought of his father is uppermost in his mind, and in the agitation of the moment the turn which he gives to this first question seems to imply a d... [ Continue Reading ]
_whom ye sold_ The narrative of J is here, as in Genesis 45:5, followed, according to which Joseph was sold by his brethren.... [ Continue Reading ]
_nor angry with yourselves_ The Heb. is "let there not be burning in your eyes," "do not look angry, or vexed," i.e. with yourselves. _to preserve life_ i.e. to preserve the life both of his brethren and father, and also of the people of Egypt. The word is rendered "reviving" in Ezra 9:8-9. LXX εἰς... [ Continue Reading ]
_yet five years_ Cf. Genesis 41:30. _neither plowing nor harvest_ A general phrase for agricultural operations, as in Exodus 34:21; Deuteronomy 21:4; 1 Samuel 8:12. There was not even corn enough for sowing purposes. The drought made the ground too hard for ploughing. A.V. has the Old English "eari... [ Continue Reading ]
_to preserve you a remnant_ Lit. "to set for you a remnant," i.e. descendants; cf. Jeremiah 44:7. _by a great deliverance_ R.V. marg. _to be a great company that escape_. The two clauses are very nearly identical. In the first the emphasis is on the fact of survival; in the second, on the act of pr... [ Continue Reading ]
_not you … but God_ Notice how Joseph here for the third time ascribes his presence in Egypt to the act of God; cf. Genesis 45:5_; Genesis 45:7_. _a father to Pharaoh_ According to some scholars, the word "father" was in use among Egyptians as a technical title of honour and position; cf. the use o... [ Continue Reading ]
_the land of Goshen_ Goshen mentioned only in J, Genesis 46:28-29; Genesis 46:34; Genesis 47:1; Genesis 47:4; Genesis 47:6; Genesis 47:27; Genesis 50:8; Exodus 8:22; Exodus 9:26. By this term seems to be understood a distr [ Continue Reading ]
_kissed_ See note on Genesis 45:2. _after that_ Joseph's brethren were evidently slow to believe that they might rely upon his sincerity.... [ Continue Reading ]
Joseph's Brethren bring the News to Jacob 16. _the fame_ Lit. "the voice." It is not the sound of Joseph's weeping, but the news of the discovery of his brethren.... [ Continue Reading ]
_the good of the land_ Cf. Genesis 45:20_; Gen 45:23_; 2 Kings 8:9, with the meaning of "the best produce." The second clause repeats the same thought, in different imagery. Joseph promises the best that Egypt can give. Cf. Numbers 18:12; Numbers 18:30; Numbers 18:32, "best," Heb. "fat.... [ Continue Reading ]
_thou art commanded_ The versions render "Command thou them"; and this rendering avoids the awkwardness of the sudden transition from sing. to plural, "Thou art commanded, this do ye." As it stands, Pharaoh turns from Joseph to Joseph's brethren; but they would hardly be present at such an interview... [ Continue Reading ]
_regard not_ Lit. "let not your eye be sparing," i.e. have no compunction at leaving things behind _your stuff_ Lit. "your vessels." LXX σκεύη; Lat. _supellex_. For the word "stuff," cf. 1 Samuel 10:22. It is Old English for "baggage"; cf. Shakespeare, _Com. of Errors_, iv. 4: "Therefore away, to g... [ Continue Reading ]
_changes of raiment_ i.e. costly robes which would be worn instead of workday apparel on special occasions. Cf. Genesis 27:15; Judges 14:12-13; Judges 14:19; 2 Kings 5:5; 2 Kings 5:22-23. The versions LXX δισσὰς στολάς = "double robes," and Lat. _binas stolas_, have misunderstood the meaning. _three... [ Continue Reading ]
_See that ye fall not out_ The precise meaning of Joseph's parting words has sometimes been misunderstood. The Heb. word which he uses is not common. It occurs in Psalms 4:4, "Stand in awe" (R.V. marg. _be ye angry_). So here LXX μὴ ὀργίζεσθε; Lat. _ne irascamini_. The meaning then will be, "do not... [ Continue Reading ]
_his heart fainted_ Lit. "became numb or cold"; as we should say, "his heart stood still" at the news. It was too good to be true.... [ Continue Reading ]
_and when he saw the wagons_ He did not believe, until he had some ocular proof of the truth of the statement. _the spirit of Jacob … revived_ "The spirit" (_ruaḥ_) here, as in Isaiah 57:15, "to revive the spirit of the humble," simply denotes the vital powers. Cf. 1 Kings 10:5, "there was no more... [ Continue Reading ]
_It is enough_ Lat. _sufficit mihi_. Jacob's conviction is expressed in brief simple words. It is left to our imagination to consider how his sons succeeded in satisfactorily explaining to Jacob Joseph's return to life. Did they confess all? or did they keep back part of the truth?... [ Continue Reading ]