What Did Joseph Reveal to His Brothers in Genesis 45?

Joseph told his brothers that he was their living brother and said that God had sent him ahead to Egypt to preserve their family’s life. Genesis 45 shows Joseph explaining this fact before his stunned brothers and preparing to bring his father and the whole family there. So after revealing who he was, what did Joseph tell his brothers, and what did he have them do?

The brothers could not answer Joseph

After Joseph sent all the attendants out of the room, he made himself known to his brothers. He wept loudly, and the sound was heard by the Egyptians and in Pharaoh’s house.

Joseph first identified himself as Joseph and asked whether his father was still alive. The brothers were so startled that they could not answer. Then Joseph drew them close and made it clear again that he was the brother they had sold into Egypt.

The fact that the person standing before them was Joseph and the fact that they had sold him were revealed all at once. What Joseph said next explains how he understood this event.

Joseph said that God preserved life

Joseph did not hide the fact that his brothers had sold him into Egypt. But he told them not to be troubled or blame themselves because of it. He explained that God had sent him ahead of them to save lives.

By then the famine had already continued for two years, and there would be no plowing or harvesting for another five years. Joseph said that God had sent him ahead so that, through a great deliverance, the family’s life would be preserved and their descendants would remain in the world.

He made it clear again that it was God who had sent him to Egypt. He also told them that God had made him lord of Pharaoh’s entire house and ruler over all the land of Egypt. In Joseph’s explanation, the focus was not on his own status but on God, who preserved the family’s life in the midst of famine.

Joseph’s explanation led to preparations for the family

Joseph told his brothers to hurry back to their father and tell him that he was still alive. He also had them tell their father not to delay, because God had made him lord over all Egypt.

If they brought their father, their children, their grandchildren, their flocks, their herds, and everything they possessed, they could live near Joseph in the land of Goshen. Joseph said that he would provide for his father and the whole family so that they would not lack anything during the remaining five years of famine.

When Pharaoh heard that Joseph’s brothers had come, he was pleased. He gave them carts to bring the family to Egypt and said he would give them the best of the land of Egypt. Joseph gave his brothers carts, supplies for the journey, and clothes, and he also prepared gifts and provisions to send to his father. And he urged them not to quarrel on the way back.

Jacob saw the carts Joseph had sent

The brothers returned to Canaan and told Jacob that Joseph was alive and was ruler over the land of Egypt. At first Jacob could not believe them.

But when the brothers reported everything Joseph had said and showed Jacob the carts Joseph had sent, Jacob’s spirit revived. Jacob said that since his son Joseph was still alive, he would go and see him before he died. The fact that Joseph had revealed and the preparations he had made were passed on all the way to his father.

Today, let’s write Joseph’s explanation in one sentence

Today, from Genesis 45:5-8, let’s write down one sentence that explains how Joseph was sent to Egypt. From the wording of the passage, you can see how Joseph spoke of what his brothers had done and how God preserved life together.

Source Text

• Genesis 45:1-8
• Genesis 45:9-15
• Genesis 45:16-24
• Genesis 45:25-28