“Genesis 45:16-23”

Sunday, April 19, 2020

“Now when the news was heard in Pharaoh’s house that Joseph’s brothers had come, it pleased Pharaoh and his servants. Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, ‘Say to your brothers, “Do this: load your beasts and go to the land of Canaan, and take your father and your households and come to me, and I will give you the best of the land of Egypt and you will eat the fat of the land.” Now you are ordered, “Do this: take wagons from the land of Egypt for your little ones and for your wives, and bring your father and come. Do not concern yourselves with your goods, for the best of all the land of Egypt is yours.”’ Then the sons of Israel did so; and Joseph gave them wagons according to the command of Pharaoh, and gave them provisions for the journey. To each of them he gave changes of garments, but to Benjamin he gave three hundred pieces of silver and five changes of garments. To his father he sent as follows: ten donkeys loaded with the best things of Egypt, and ten female donkeys loaded with grain and bread and sustenance for his father on the journey.”

---End of Scripture verses---

“Now when the news was heard in Pharaoh’s house that Joseph’s brothers had come, it pleased Pharaoh and his servants.” (verse 16) In verse 2 we read that Joseph “wept so loudly that the Egyptians heard it, and the household of Pharaoh heard of it.” When the Egyptians brought word back to Pharaoh about Joseph’s emotion-packed reunion with his brothers, it filled the king with great delight that his top man had a large family with which to share and enjoy his prosperity. Pharaoh felt such high regard and fondness toward Joseph that he bent over backwards accommodating the transport of the entirety of his kinfolk from Canaan to a permanent dwelling in “the best of the land of Egypt” (verse 18). Of course it was all a part of God’s foreordained plan that the people of Israel would locate elsewhere and not displace the natives of the Promised Land until “the iniquity of the Amorite” was “complete” (Genesis 15:16).

“Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, ‘Say to your brothers, “Do this…”’” (verse 17) Pharaoh officially endorsed Joseph’s plan to bring his father and his whole family to live in Goshen in the land of Egypt (verse 10). “And I will give you the best of the land of Egypt and you will eat the fat of the land” (verse 18). “The choicest products of the soil. The phrase may imply recognition that seminomads often engaged in agriculture (cf. 26:12).” (Nahum Sarna) “Now you are ordered…” (verse 19) “The order is given to Joseph to relay to his brothers. The previous instructions could be carried out with no outside assistance. This one, however, requires official authorization, the effect of which is to accord Jacob’s clan the special status of ward of the king.” (Nahum Sarna)

“Then the sons of Israel did so; and Joseph gave them wagons according to the command of Pharaoh, and gave them provisions for the journey.” (verse 21) “These were two-wheeled carts ‘suitable for a flat country like Egypt, and for traversing deserts and other areas where roads would not be available. Herodotus mentions a four-wheeled cart which was used for transporting a shrine or the image of a deity.’ ‘This is the first mention of `wagons' in the Bible.’” (James Burton Coffman) “To each of them he gave changes of garments, but to Benjamin he gave three hundred pieces of silver and five changes of garments.” (verse 22) Once again Joseph lavished his youngest brother with the most luxuriant gifts. “Since an article of apparel had featured prominently in the tale of hostility between Joseph and his brothers, it is only fitting that their reconciliation should be marked by a gift of apparel.” (Nahum Sarna)

“To his father he sent as follows: ten donkeys loaded with the best things of Egypt, and ten female donkeys loaded with grain and bread and sustenance for his father on the journey.” (verse 23) As a foretaste of “the best of all of the land” (verse 20) that was just waiting for him to come down and partake of, Pharaoh sent Joseph’s beloved father ten donkeys loaded with the finest delicacies and delights that the kingdom of Egypt had to offer. Israel was given the royal treatment as, unbeknownst to him until the moment that imperial caravan arrived to transport him to his new home, he was a member of royalty by right of his son’s illustrious position.

Please read Genesis 45:24-28 for tomorrow.

Have a blessed Lord’s Day!

-Louie Taylor

Share