JOSEPH FINALLY reveals himself to his brothers, unable to continue his deception any longer. His brothers had returned to Egypt to buy more grain, bringing Joseph’s only full brother, Benjamin, with them as he’d ordered.
But when Judah pleaded for Joseph to allow Benjamin to return to Jacob, Joseph was overcome with emotion and told them who he was. Jacob and the entire family entourage returned to Egypt and settled in the Nile delta, a land set apart from the native Egyptians who had a strong dislike of “Asiatics,” who they called “sand-dwellers.”
We discuss the significance of Joseph’s silver cup. Did he really practice divination, or did he just say so because that’s what his brothers expected from Egyptians? We also explain why the difference in the number of Jacob’s household—70 in English Bibles, 75 in the Septuagint—is significant; the translators of the Masoretic Hebrew text deemphasized the divine council worldview because it offers scriptural support for Jesus’ claims of divinity.
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45:1 Joseph sent the “gentiles” out, perhaps symbolic of the Rapture, before he reveals himself to his Jewish brethren.
45:3 and 5 “I am”… Jesus also is “I am”
45:7 …”God sent me before you to preserve you…to save your lives”… perhaps symbolic of “I am Jesus whom thou crucified.”
45:10 Goshen means “draw near”
It is interesting to note that Jacob lived an additional 17 years which is the same age Joseph was when he was sold into slavery. God allowed each patriarch to see his son and grandsons and watch God prepare that generation to fulfill his promise.
47:1-5 Rabbinical commentary teaches that Joseph chose five who were the least impressive physically so Pharaoh would not be tempted to take the strong men and make them work for him. n
Also notice that the five brothers do NOT lie when they tell Pharaoh they are shepherds; their lies about Joseph’s death have come back upon them so now they have learned to be truthful in all circumstances and they refuse to deny their occupation.