Bird's-eye view
In this brief but potent section of Genesis, the private, emotional reunion of Joseph and his brothers becomes a matter of state policy. The news of their arrival is not met with suspicion or contempt, but with gladness in the court of the most powerful man on earth. This passage reveals the sheer scope of God's providential maneuvering. Joseph's exaltation was not merely for his own benefit, or even just for the preservation of his family, but was a key instrument in God's plan that would shape nations. Pharaoh, a pagan king, becomes an enthusiastic and generous agent of God's will, offering the very best of his kingdom to the family of his trusted vizier. This is a stunning display of God's sovereignty, showing how He moves the hearts of kings to fulfill His covenant promises. The lavish provision offered, wagons, the best of the land, the fat of the land, is a tangible picture of God's unmerited grace, a foretaste of the greater abundance found in the gospel.
What we are seeing is the machinery of God's grand narrative in motion. The brothers, who once acted out of wicked envy, are now the recipients of a grace so extravagant it comes with royal chariots. Pharaoh's response is a crucial hinge in the story, facilitating the relocation of the entire covenant family to Egypt, setting the stage for the fulfillment of God's promises to Abraham, and simultaneously preparing the conditions for the great Exodus generations later. God is always telling death and resurrection stories, and here we see the family of Israel, left for dead in a famine, being brought into a place of life and abundance through the very brother they had sold into death.
Outline
- 1. The King's Favorable Response (Gen 45:16-20)
- a. The News Spreads and Pleases (Gen 45:16)
- b. The Royal Invitation is Issued (Gen 45:17-18)
- c. The Lavish Provision is Commanded (Gen 45:19-20)
Context In Genesis
This passage immediately follows the dramatic climax of Joseph's self-revelation to his brothers (Gen 45:1-15). After years of deception and testing, the truth is out. Joseph is alive, he is the lord of Egypt, and he has explained to his terrified brothers that their evil act was sovereignly repurposed by God for the saving of many lives. The weeping has been done, the initial shock has passed, and the brothers have begun to talk with him. Now, the story moves from the private chambers of Joseph to the public court of Pharaoh. The family drama becomes an international affair. This section serves as the bridge that moves the entire clan of Jacob from Canaan to Egypt, a migration that is central to the entire Pentateuch. It fulfills God's prophecy to Abraham that his descendants would be sojourners in a land that was not theirs (Gen 15:13), and it establishes the setting for the next four hundred years of redemptive history, culminating in the Exodus.
Key Issues
- The Providence of God Over Pagan Rulers
- The Nature of Common Grace
- The "Fat of the Land" as a Type of Gospel Blessing
- The Relationship Between Human Action and Divine Sovereignty
- Setting the Stage for Israel's Sojourn and Exodus
The Gladness of a Pagan King
One of the most remarkable features of this text is the attitude of Pharaoh. He is not just tolerant of this development; he is pleased by it. Why? From a purely human standpoint, he is happy because his most valuable servant, Joseph, is happy. The man who saved Egypt from starvation has had a great personal burden lifted, and a wise ruler knows that a happy advisor is a good advisor. But we must look deeper. The Bible teaches that "the king's heart is a stream of water in the hand of the LORD; he turns it wherever he will" (Prov 21:1). Pharaoh's gladness is not an accident of his good nature. It is the direct result of God's sovereign hand.
God is not just the God of the covenant community; He is the King of all the earth. He uses pagan kings, empires, and political structures as the scaffolding for His redemptive building project. Pharaoh thinks he is simply being a benevolent monarch and a good employer. In reality, he is an instrument, a tool, being used to provide for God's chosen people and to advance the promise made to Abraham centuries before. This is a profound encouragement. God's plans are never thwarted by the political landscape. He does not have to work around the kings of the earth; He works through them, turning their hearts and directing their decrees to serve His ultimate purposes.
Verse by Verse Commentary
16 Now the news was heard in Pharaoh’s house, saying, “Joseph’s brothers have come.” And it was good in the sight of Pharaoh and in the sight of his servants.
The news travels fast. What began as a private, tearful reunion in Joseph's quarters quickly becomes public knowledge in the royal court. The report is simple and factual: "Joseph's brothers have come." The reaction is what is significant. It was good in the sight of Pharaoh and his officials. This is common grace in action. God has given Joseph such favor with the Egyptians that what touches him, touches them. His joy becomes their joy. There is no hint of xenophobia, no suspicion about these foreign shepherds arriving. Instead, there is pleasure. This pleasure is divinely orchestrated. God is ensuring that the welcome mat is laid out for His people. He is preparing a safe harbor for the family of the promise during the storm of the famine.
17-18 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.’
Pharaoh does not wait for a formal request. He takes the initiative, turning his pleasure into a royal decree. He speaks to Joseph, but his words are a command for the brothers. The plan is decisive and generous. First, go back to Canaan. Second, gather your father and all your households, which means everyone and everything connected to them. Third, come to me. Pharaoh's invitation is personal and authoritative. And what is the promise? "I will give you the best of the land of Egypt." This is not just any patch of ground; it is the choicest real estate. And they will "eat the fat of the land." This is a Hebrew idiom for the richest, most luxurious produce. It signifies abundance, prosperity, and feasting. A pagan king, prompted by God, is offering the covenant family a life of ease and plenty. This is a picture, a type, of the gospel. God does not just invite us out of the famine of our sin; He invites us into the fatness of His grace, a richness we did nothing to earn, provided entirely by the work of our exalted brother, Jesus.
19 Now you are commanded, ‘Do this: take wagons from the land of Egypt for your little ones and for your wives, and bring your father and come.
Pharaoh reinforces the command, making it clear this is not a mere suggestion. The authority of the throne is behind this. And he adds a practical, lavish provision: wagons. Canaan was a land of donkeys and foot travel. Egypt was a land of wheels and chariots. These wagons were high technology, a symbol of the wealth and power of Egypt. They were not just for goods, but specifically for the "little ones and for your wives." This is an act of tender consideration. The journey is to be made as easy as possible for the most vulnerable. Pharaoh is not just giving them a destination; he is providing the means to get there. In the same way, God in His grace does not just command us to come to Him, but provides everything we need for the journey. He provides the transportation, so to speak, out of our old life and into the new.
20 Now do not concern yourselves with your goods, for the best of all the land of Egypt is yours.’ ”
This is the pinnacle of Pharaoh's generosity. "Do not concern yourselves with your goods." Literally, the Hebrew says "let not your eye pity your stuff." Don't waste a moment's thought or a backward glance on the meager possessions you have in famine-stricken Canaan. Why? Because what awaits you is infinitely better. "The best of all the land of Egypt is yours." Leave the old behind. Leave the sticks of furniture, the worn-out tools. It is all rubbish compared to the wealth I am giving you. This is a powerful illustration of the call to Christian discipleship. What must we do to inherit the kingdom? We must be willing to count all our own righteousness, our own accomplishments, our own possessions, as loss for the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus our Lord (Phil 3:8). The gospel says, "Don't worry about the junk you are leaving behind; the fat of the land is yours in Christ." Pharaoh's offer is a magnificent display of worldly grace, but it is just a shadow of the divine grace offered to all who will come to Jesus.
Application
This passage puts the staggering sovereignty of God on full display, and that is where our application must be rooted. We often fret and worry about the political climate, the cultural decay, and the hostility of the world's rulers. But our God holds the hearts of Pharaohs in His hand. He can make a pagan king the glad benefactor of His people. He can turn the machinery of a godless empire into a transportation service for the saints. Our task is not to despair over the headlines, but to trust the one who writes the story behind the headlines. God's purposes of grace will not be frustrated by kings or presidents.
Secondly, we must see the heart of the gospel in Pharaoh's offer. We are the brothers, stuck in a land of famine, with nothing to offer. Jesus is our exalted brother, who has gone before us and secured our salvation. And the Father, the great King, says to us, "Come. I will give you the fat of the land. Don't worry about the worthless goods of your old life. Leave your sin, your self-righteousness, your petty treasures behind. Everything you need, I will provide. The best of my kingdom is yours." The offer is one of pure, unadulterated grace. We contribute nothing but the sin that made the rescue necessary. The response required of us is to believe the good news, to get in the wagons God has provided, and to come. We are to leave the land of famine and travel to the land of Goshen, a picture of the abundant life God gives to His people in the green pastures of His grace.