Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Genesis 45:5
Now therefore be not grieved, nor angry with yourselves, that ye sold me hither: for God did send me before you to preserve life.
5. 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 Ezr 9:8-9. LXX ; Lat. pro salute vestra. Joseph, with warm-hearted impetuosity, urges them not to take to heart their share in the past. God had overruled it all for good. Cf. Psa 105:17, “he sent a man before them.”
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Gen 45:5
Be not grieved, nor angry with yourselves
The duty of self-forgiveness
Is it allowable, in any case, to forgive ourselves?
Some of those who have a proper sense of mans responsibility to his Maker would be inclined at first to say, No. Most of those whose views of mans responsibility are inadequate would at once reply, Yes. It is only too evident, in fact, that they do forgive themselves where they ought not. But does it follow that their reply can never, in any case, be correct? The text implies, on the one hand, that we ought to grieve for our sins; and, on the other, that there is a proper limit to grief.
I. LET US CONSIDER OUR SINS IN THEIR ASPECT TOWARDS GOD, the most serious aspect of all. Acts of enmity and rebellion, treating Gods law with dishonour and scorn. Cause enough here for being grieved and angry with ourselves. Yet, if these sins are repented of, and if we have true faith in the Redeemers blood, there is an appointed balm for this wound.
II. THE EFFECTS OF OUR SINS UPON MAN. One sinner destroyeth much good–like an infectious disease introduced into a community. There is not a greater murderer in existence than the man who, through neglect or obstinacy, should introduce a fever into a city. Is the man very much better who sins against other mens souls? Yet we have done this, all of us, in our time; we have sinned against many a soul, and we have occasioned many a pang and many a sin by our sins. On this account, therefore, it well becomes us to be grieved; and yet, as before, not to grieve in the way of despair. For if our sins have been repented of and forgiven, they are not the things that they were, either in Gods sight or in their effects upon men. (Homilist.)
Divine Providence in things evil
It were a mockery to tell us that we should have safety by the hand of Omnipotence, in regard to the powers of irrational nature; but that in all that concerns the free or the wicked actions of men, we must rely on ourselves or on chance. It were a crippled and insufficient Providence which should guard us against the serpent or the tornado, but which should leave us to ourselves the moment a moral and responsible agent came upon the stage. Yet this is the strange uncomfortable doctrine which prompts the language heard in many a Christian circle. Which of us has not listened to such words as these: I could bear this trial if it were ordered of God, but it proceeds from man. It is not Providential, but from wicked human beings. There is in this a sad confusion. Such a government as is here assumed would be no Providence at all; and would render all rule impossible, as excluding the very agencies which are most important. And we venture to say that the Bible teaches no such doctrine. While it abhors the thought of making God the author of sin, it does not exclude sinful acts from His wise and holy plan. While it evermore denies Gods participation in the evil of wicked deeds, it still asserts that, in the directing and governing of such deeds, there is a sovereign Providence, working out its own wise and holy ends: Mans goings are of the Lord; how then can a man understand his own way? A mans heart deviseth his way, but the Lord directeth his steps. The wrath of man shall praise Him, and the remainder of wrath He will restrain. Let it be clearly fixed in our minds, as the only true philosophy of this subject, that an act may be wicked as to the intent of its agent, and yet its result may be really intended by God. Were it not so we could have no relief under our worst sufferings, namely, those which we endure from depraved and malignant human creatures. But these also are Providential. Josephs brethren committed a great sin. This none can deny, so far as they were concerned. Yet was it strictly and particularly Providential: So now it was not you that sent me hither, but God. (Christian Age.)
A comforting thought for the penitent
To say to a hardened, reckless man that God will ever rule his sin for some good end, will only make him more regardless than ever. But when a man is truly penitent, and seems almost paralyzed by the perception of his guilt, to show him that God has brought good out of his evil will exalt Gods grace and wisdom in his eyes, and lead him more implicitly to cling to Him. It is a comforting thought, that while we cannot undo the sin, God has kept it from undoing us, and has over-ruled it for greater good to ourselves and greater blessing to others than perhaps might otherwise have been attained. We can never be as we were before we committed it. Always there will be some sadness in our hearts and lives connected with it and springing out of it. But still, if we really repent of it and return to God, there may come to us meat out of the eater, and sweet out of the bitter. It may give us sympathy with others, and fit us for being helpful to others; so that, though we may be sadly conscious of the evil of our course, we may yet see that through it all God was preparing us for the saving of those who, humanly speaking, but for our instrumentality would have gone down to perdition. But mark the condition–if we truly repent. There is no comfort otherwise; but that being secured, then the penitent may take the consolation, that out of his worst sin God can and may bring good both to himself and others, and he ought to look for the means of bringing that about. (W. M. Taylor, D. D.)
Cranmer and the traitors; or, forgiveness of great injury
Archbishop Cranmer appeared almost alone in the higher classes as the friend of truth in evil times, and a plot was formed to take away his life. The providence of God, however, so ordered it that the papers which would have completed the plan were intercepted and traced to their authors, one of whom lived in the archbishops family, and the other he had greatly served. He took these men apart in his palace, and told them that some persons in his confidence had disclosed his secrets, and even accused him of heresy. They loudly censured such villainy, and declared the traitors to be worthy of death; one of them adding, that if an executioner was wanted he would perform the office himself. Struck with their perfidy, after lifting up his voice to heaven, lamenting the depravity of man, and thanking God for his preservation, he produced their letters, and inquired if they knew them. They now fell on their knees, confessed their crimes, and implored forgiveness. Cranmer mildly expostulated with them on the evil of their conduct, forgave them, and never again alluded to their treachery. His forgiveness of injuries was so well known, that it became a byword, Do my lord of Canterbury an ill-turn, and you make him your friend for ever. (Moral and Religious Anecdotes.)
Providence difficult to interpret
The book of Providence is not so easily read as that of nature; its wisdom in design and perfection in execution are by no means as plain. Here Gods way is often in the sea, His path in the mighty waters, and His footsteps are not known. But that is because the scheme of Providence is not, like creation, a finished work. Take a man to a house when the architect is in the middle of his plan, and with walls half-built and arches half-sprung, rooms without doors, and pillars without capitals–what appears perfect order to the architect, who has the plan all in his eye, to the other will seem a scene of perfect confusion. And so stands man amid that vast scheme of Providence which God began six thousand years ago, and may not finish for as many thousand years to come. (T. Guthrie.)
God did send me before you
Josephs recognition of Gods hand in his life
The words of Joseph in the text contrast somewhat strangely with the words spoken by his brethren of themselves. It is clear that the view he took of their conduct was the one most likely to give them ease. He assured them that after all they were but instruments in Gods hands, that God had sent him, that Gods providence was at work for good when they sold him as a slave.
Both views are true and both important. The brethren had done what they did as wickedly and maliciously as possible; nevertheless it was true that it was not they, but God, who had sent Joseph into Egypt.
I. That God governs the world we do not–we dare not–doubt; but it is equally true that He governs in a way which we should not have expected, and that much of His handiwork appears strange. So strange, indeed, that we know that it has been in all times, and is in our time, easy to say, God cares not, God sees not; or even to adopt the bolder language of the fool, and say There is no God. Scriptural illustrations of the same kind of contradiction as we have in the text are to be found–
(1) in the case of Esau and Jacob;
(2) in the manner in which the hardheartedness and folly of Pharaoh were made to contribute to the carrying out of Gods designs concerning the Israelites;
(3) in the circumstances of our Lords sorrowful life on earth, and especially the circumstances connected with His shameful and yet life-giving death.
II. Our own lives supply us with illustrations of the same truth. Who cannot call to mind cases in which Gods providence has brought about results in the strangest way, educing good from evil, turning that which seemed to be ruin into blessing, making even the sins and follies of men to declare His glory and to forward the spiritual interests of their brethren? We see human causes producing effects, but we may also see Gods hand everywhere; all things living and moving in Him; no sparrow falling without His leave; no hair of one of His saints perishing. (Bishop Harvey Goodwin.)
Providence in life
I. The story of Joseph is to all men for ever the best proof of the working of the hand of Providence.
II. As through the life of Joseph, so through our life, there are threads which connect the different scenes and bind together the destinies of the different actors.
III. This history and the inspired commentary on it in Psa 105:1-45. teach us the wonderful continuity of Gods plan and the oneness of the thread that binds together the histories of Israel and of Egypt. (Dean Butcher.)
Josephs statement
The principles illustrated in Josephs statement are these:
1. Gods absolute control over all creatures and events.
2. That while sinners are encouraged to hope in His mercy, they are left without excuse for their sin.
3. That God orders all human affairs with a view to the preservation of His sacred and gifted family–the Church.
Human and Divine agency inseparably connected
That the Scripture ascribes the actions of men both to themselves and to God. I shall endeavour to illustrate the truth, the propriety, and the importance of this doctrine.
I. We are to consider, THAT THE SCRIPTURE DOES ASCRIBE THE ACTIONS OF MEN BOTH TO THEMSELVES AND TO GOD. It will be universally allowed that the Scripture ascribes the actions of men to themselves. It ascribes to Abel his faith, to Cain his unbelief, to Job his patience, to Moses his meekness. Having just premised this, I proceed to adduce instances in which the Scripture ascribes the actions of men to God as well as to themselves. The first instance that occurs is in the history of Joseph.
II. THY PROPRIETY OF ASCRIBING HUMAN ACTIONS TO BOTH HUMAN AND DIVINE AGENCY. Human agency is always inseparably connected with Divine agency. And though it may be proper in some cases to speak of mans agency alone, and of Gods agency alone, yet it is always proper to ascribe the actions of men not only to themselves, but to God. The propriety of the Scripture phraseology on this subject is so plain and obvious, that it is strange so many have objected against it, and endeavoured to explain it away. But since this is the case, it seems very necessary to show–
III. THE IMPORTANCE OF ASCRIBING THE ACTIONS OF MEN TO GOD, AS WELL AS TO THEMSELVES. We have no reason to suppose that the sacred writers would have used such a mode of speaking, unless it were necessary and important. It is the design of God, in all His works, to set His own character, and the character of all His rational and accountable creatures, in the truest and strongest light. This leads me to observe–
1. It is a matter of importance that the actions of men should be ascribed to themselves. They are real and proper agents in all their voluntary exercises and exertions.
2. The importance of ascribing mens actions to God as well as to themselves. He is really concerned in all their actions; and it is as important that His agency should be brought into view as that theirs should be brought into view; for His character can no more be known without ascribing His agency to Himself, than their characters can be known without ascribing their agency to themselves.
Improvement:
1. In view of this subject, we learn when it is proper to ascribe the actions of men to themselves, and when it is proper to ascribe them to God. Whenever men are required or forbidden to act, and whenever they are approved or condemned for acting, there is a propriety in ascribing their actions to themselves, without any reference to the Divine efficiency. It is their own free, voluntary agency, which alone constitutes their virtue or vice, and which renders them worthy of either praise or blame. Though they always act under a Divine influence, yet that influence neither increases their virtue nor diminishes their guilt, and of consequence ought never to be brought into view when they are to be praised or blamed for their conduct. But when the power, wisdom, goodness, or sovereignty of God in governing their views and actions are to be displayed, then it is proper to mention His, and only His, agency in the case.
2. Since the Scripture ascribes all the actions of men to God as well as to themselves, we may justly conclude that the Divine agency is as much concerned in their bad as in their good actions.
3. If the actions of men may be ascribed to God as well as to themselves, then it is easy to form a just and full view of Divine Providence. If God is actually concerned in all human actions, it necessarily follows that He constantly and absolutely governs the moral as well as the natural world.
4. If it be true that all the actions of men may be ascribed to God as well as to themselves, then it is proper to submit to God under all the evils which He brings upon us by the agency of created beings.
5. If the actions of men may be ascribed to God as well as to themselves, then God will be glorified by all their conduct. Whether they have a good or bad intention in acting, God has always a good design in causing them to act in the manner they do.
6. If the actions of men may be ascribed both to God and to themselves, then we may see the duty and nature of true repentance.
7. Finally, if it be true that the actions of men may be properly ascribed both to God and to themselves, then it is of great importance for mankind to believe and acknowledge this truth. (N. Emmons, D. D.)
Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell
Verse 5. Be not grieved, nor angry with yourselves] This discovers a truly noble mind: he not only forgives and forgets, but he wishes even those who had wronged him to forget the injury they had done, that they might not suffer distress on the account; and with deep piety he attributes the whole to the providence of God; for, says he, God did send me before you to preserve life. On every word here a strong emphasis may be laid. It is not you, but God; it is not you that sold me, but God who sent me; Egypt and Canaan must both have perished, had not a merciful provision been made; you were to come down hither, and God sent me before you; death must have been the consequence of this famine, had not God sent me here to preserve life.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
1706
Be not grieved, to wit, immoderately, and for the injury which you did to me, or for the danger which you have brought upon yourselves. Otherwise he doth not dissuade them from a godly sorrow for their offence against God, for the procurement of which he dcsigned and used that strange and rough carriage towards them.
Nor angry with yourselves; neither excessively torment yourselves with the remembrance of the fact, neither break forth into contentions and wrath, and upbraidings of one another; for God by his wise, powerful, and gracious providence overruled your evil intentions to a happy end,
to preserve life; not only your lives, for the expression is here indefinite and general, but the lives of all the people in this and the neighbouring countries; which though it doth not lessen your sin, yet ought to qualify your sorrow.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
Now therefore be not grieved,…. To an excess, so as to be swallowed up with overmuch sorrow; otherwise it became them to be grieved for their sin, and to show a godly sorrow and true repentance for it:
nor angry with yourselves, that ye sold me hither; reflect upon themselves, and afflict themselves in an immoderate way; or break forth into anger and wrath with one another, upbraiding and blaming each other for their conduct in that affair, and so foment contentions and quarrels among themselves:
for God did send me before you to preserve life; the life of thousands of persons in Egypt, Canaan, and other countries; and particularly to preserve their lives was he sent before them into Egypt; where, by interpretation Pharaoh’s dreams, by which he understood and did foretell the seven years of plenty and seven years of famine, he was to great honour and trust, and laid up a sufficiency of corn in the time of plenty to answer the exigencies of various countries in the time of famine, and, among the rest, of his own family; and therefore would have this attributed by them to the wise disposing providence of God.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
5. God did send me Four times he repeats this thought, that God’s hand had directed in all this matter . He sees the wonderful Providence in it now, and wishes them all to see it .
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Gen 45:5. Now therefore be not grieved, &c. See Gen 45:8 and ch. Gen 50:20. These passages discover to us the very noble and just ideas which Joseph entertained concerning the Providence of God, whose peculiar prerogative it is to bring good out of evil: but, besides this, we may observe a singular generosity and tenderness of temper in this apology to his brethren; in which he endeavours to remove every uneasy apprehension from their minds. Gracious and benevolent hearts are always unwilling to give pain: the same kindness of disposition, which makes them zealous to diffuse happiness, makes them tender of inflicting even a momentary smart. Joseph was unwilling that his brethren should feel any allay to the satisfaction which the present event afforded them; and therefore he turned, as it were, from their view, the very thought and remembrance of their former unnatural and most wicked behaviour to him, and directed their attention to reflections, which were equally comfortable and important; be not, &c. It was the suffering Providence of God, “You indeed thought evil against me,” as he says in another place; but God, who can cause the worst intentions to produce the best consequences to the world in general, and to his church in particular, suffered it for good, to bring about, by that means, the preservation of many people’s lives.
To the same purpose Virgil:
“Nor beauteous Helena nor Paris blame, Her guilty charms, or his unhappy flame: The gods, my son, th’ immortal gods destroy This glorious empire, and the tow’rs of Troy.” AEN. ii. ver. 620.
But it must never be forgotten, that however the Supreme Ruler, of all events may bring good out of any evil, this will be neither excuse nor palliation for the transgressor himself.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Gen 50:20 ; Psa 105:16-17 .
Observe how piety and charity are blended. Reader! while we behold the LORD’S hand in all the appointments of life, we shall never be disposed to feel much anger at the instruments of his work. Read, on a much higher concern, that scripture: Act 2:23 .
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Gen 45:5 Now therefore be not grieved, nor angry with yourselves, that ye sold me hither: for God did send me before you to preserve life.
Ver. 5. Now therefore be not grieved, &c. ] See here a lively image of Christ’s love toward his enemies, for whom he prayed and died, “to give them repentance and remission.” Act 5:31 This Angel of the Covenant first troubles the waters, and then cures those cripples that step in. This Sun of Righteousness first draws up vapours of godly grief, and then dispels them. “A bruised reed shall he not break, and smoking flax shall he not quench, till he bring forth judgment to victory”; Mat 12:20 Isa 42:3 that is, weak grace to perfection.
To preserve life.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
be not grieved, &c. Compare Act 3:17.
nor angry, &c. Hebrew “let not anger kindle in your eyes”. Figure of speech Prosopopoeia.
God did send. So, Gen 45:7; Gen 50:20. Psa 105:17. Hebrew. Elohim. App-4.
preserve life. i.e. to preserve you a posterity in the earth (Gen 45:7), and hence, to ensure the birth of the true Joseph, and all who have life eternal in Him.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
be not grieved: Isa 40:1, Isa 40:2, Luk 23:34, 2Co 2:7, 2Co 2:11
nor angry with yourselves: Heb. neither let there be anger in your eyes
God: Gen 45:7, Gen 45:8, Gen 47:25, Gen 50:20, 1Sa 1:19, 2Sa 12:12, 2Sa 16:10-12, 2Sa 17:14, Job 1:21, Psa 105:16, Psa 105:17, Act 2:23, Act 2:24, Act 4:24-28, Act 7:9-15
Reciprocal: Gen 37:28 – sold Gen 49:24 – the shepherd Gen 50:17 – wept Gen 50:19 – fear not Jdg 11:7 – Did not ye hate 2Sa 24:1 – moved Pro 28:2 – but Act 7:11 – General Phm 1:15 – General
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
GOD IS HIS OWN INTERPRETER AND HE WILL MAKE IT PLAIN
God did send me before you to preserve life.
Gen 45:5
Joseph recognised his brethren at once, though they failed, as they bowed before the mighty vicegerent of Egypt, to recognise in him the child by them so pitilessly sold into bondage; and Joseph, we are told, remembered the dreams which he had dreamed of them: how their sheaves should stand round about and make obeisance to his sheaf; how sun and moon and eleven stars should all do homage to him. All at length was coming true.
I. Now, of course it would have been very easy for him at once to have made himself known to his brethren, to have fallen on their necks and assured them of his forgiveness. But he has counsels of love at once wiser and deeper than would have lain in such a ready and off-hand declaration of forgiveness. His purpose is to prove whether they are different men, or, if not, to make them different men from what they were when they practised that deed of cruelty against himself. He feels that he is carrying out, not his own purpose, but Gods, and this gives him confidence in hazarding all, as he does hazard it, in bringing this matter to a close.
II. Two things were necessary here: the first that he should have the opportunity of observing their conduct to their younger brother, who had now stepped into his place, and was the same favourite with his father as Joseph once had been; the second, that by some severe treatment, which should bear a more or less remote resemblance to their treatment of himself, he should prove whether he could call from them a lively remembrance and a penitent confession of their past guilt.
III. The dealings of Joseph with his brethren are, to a great extent, the very pattern of Gods dealings with men.God sees us careless, in easily forgiving ourselves our old sins; and then, by trial and adversity and pain, He brings these sins to our remembrance, causes them to find us out, and at length extracts from us a confession, We are verily guilty. And then, when tribulation has done its work, He is as ready to confirm His love to us as ever was Joseph to confirm his love to his brethren.
Abp. Trench.
Illustration
(1) Joseph referred the whole order and purpose of his existence, all that had been adverse to it, all that had been prosperous in it, to God. He knew that violence and disorder had been at work in his life. What temptation had he to think of them as Gods? Imputing to Him a distinct purpose of good and blessedness, what a strange perverseness it would have been to think that anything which had marred the goodness and blessedness, anything which had striven to defeat the purpose, was His! It was the great eternal distinction which a heart cultivated, purged, made simple by Gods discipline, confessednay, found it impossible to deny.
(2) It may be that we have here an exact representation of a revelation which Jesus is going to make of Himself to his brethren the Jews. Now He is passing them through awful sufferings to bring them to repentance, and to prepare them to receive the supreme revelation of Himself. Ere long He will drop the veil, and say, I am Jesus, your brother, whom ye sold unto Pilate. The bride of Christ may well rejoice as she hears the tidings of this blessed reconciliation, for His brethren must ever be dear to her.
(3) The great mechanism of life contains many wheels within wheels. All would seem a meaningless whirl or result in a disastrous tangle and derangement were it not for the divine Spirit that presides over all, adjusting one historic motion or process to another, and developing as a resultant of all a higher life for the race, and a broader arena for the sweep and sway of the gracious influences of the Cross.
Fuente: Church Pulpit Commentary
Gen 45:5. Be not grieved nor angry with yourselves Namely, immoderately, for the injury you did to me; or for the danger you have brought upon yourselves. Otherwise, he does not mean to dissuade them from a godly sorrow and displeasure at themselves for their offence against God, their father, and himself, to produce which sorrow and displeasure was the principal end he had in view in his strange and rough conduct toward them. Sinners must grieve and be angry with themselves for their sins; yea, though God, by his power, bring good out of them: for no thanks are due to them on that account. And true penitents should be greatly affected when they see God bring good out of evil. But, although we must not with this consideration extenuate our own sins, and so take off the edge of our repentance; yet it may be well thus to extenuate the sins of others, and so take off the edge of our angry resentments. Thus Joseph does here. God, says he, did send me before you to preserve life Not only your lives, but the lives of all the people in this and the neighbouring countries. And now, his brethren did not need to fear lest he should revenge upon them an injury which Gods providence had made to turn so much to his advantage and that of his family, as well as thousands and myriads of others.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
45:5 Now therefore be not {b} grieved, nor angry with yourselves, that ye sold me hither: for God did send me before you to preserve life.
(b) This example teaches that we must by all means comfort those who are truly ashamed and sorry for their sins.