Charles Spurgeon Commentary Genesis 45

Then Joseph could not refrain himself before all them that stood by him: and he cried, Cause every man to go out from me.

And there stood no man with him, while Joseph made himself known unto his brethren. And he wept aloud:

Emotion long pent up grows violent; and when at last it does burst forth, it cannot be restrained: He wept aloud.

And the Egyptians and the house of Pharaoh heard. And Joseph said unto his brethren, I am Joseph; doth my father yet live?

And his brethren could not answer him; for they were troubled at his presence.

What a rush of thoughts must have passed through their minds when they remembered all their unkind behavior toward him! There is no wonder that they were troubled at his presence.

And Joseph said unto his brethren, Come near to me, I pray you.

He pleads with them, he who was far greater than they—a prince among peasants—now prays to them; and is it not wonderful that the Lord Jesus, our infinitely-greater Brother, at times pleads with us, even as he said to the woman at the well, Give me to drink?

Joseph said to his brothers, Come near to me, I pray you.

And they came near. And he said, I am Joseph your brother, whom you sold into Egypt. Now therefore be not grieved, not angry with yourselves, that you sold me here: for God did send me before you to preserve life.

"You did very wrong, but I say nothing about that, for I want you to notice how God has overruled your action, how your sin has been made to be the means of your preservation and the preservation of many besides: God did send me before you to preserve life."

There were to be five more dreary years of utter desolation and want.