Joseph emotionally revealed his identity to his brothers. He assured them of God's sovereign control of his life and directed them to bring Jacob to Egypt. He then demonstrated his love for his brothers warmly.
This is one of the most dramatic recognition scenes in all literature.
Judah so impressed Joseph with the sincerity of his repentance and the tenderness of his affection that Joseph broke down completely. He wept tears of joy uncontrollably (vv. 1-2; cf. 2 Sam. 13:9).
Joseph then explained his perspective on his brothers' treatment of him. He had discerned God's providential control of the events of his life. Four times he stated that God, not his brothers, was behind what had happened (vv. 5, 7, 8, 9).
"It is divine sovereignty that undergirds the optimism of Genesis. God sent me to preserve life,' says Joseph."880
"Happy is the man whose eye is open to see the hand of God in every-day events, for to him life always possesses a wonderful and true joy and glory."881
Part of God's purpose was to use Joseph to preserve the house of Israel through the famine (v. 7).
"In using terms like remnantand survivors, Joseph is employing words that elsewhere in the OT are freighted with theological significance. It may well be that in the deliverance of his brothers and his father Joseph perceives that far more is at stake than the mere physical survival of twelve human beings. What really survives is the plan of redemption announced first to his great grandfather."882
Joseph called God "Ha Elohim,"the personal God, the God of their fathers (v. 8).
"The theme of divine providential care is put into words by Joseph himself (45:7-8; 50:20), summing up the whole patriarchal story."883
Joseph had evidently been planning for his father's family to move down to Egypt if or when his brothers would prove that their attitude had changed (v. 10). Goshen (a Semitic rather than an Egyptian name) was the most fertile part of Egypt (cf. v. 18). It lay in the delta region northeast of the Egyptian capital, Memphis.
Joseph then embraced Benjamin and all his brothers to express his love and to confirm his forgiveness (vv. 14-15).
After this three-fold expression of Joseph's goodwill toward them (weeping, explaining, and embracing), the shocked and fearful brothers gained the courage to speak. They now recognized Joseph as the one they had so cruelly abused and who was now able to crush them if he chose to do so.
Outstanding in this section is the way in which Joseph's perception of God's ways made him gracious, forgiving, and accepting rather than bitter and vindictive. He saw the love of his God behind the cruelty of his brothers. He had accepted all that had come to him as the will of God, and therefore he experienced the blessing of God.
Reconciliation is possible when there is forgiveness, and forgiveness is possible when there is recognition of God's sovereignty.
