John Calvin Commentary Genesis 45:4

"And Joseph said unto his brethren, Come near to me, I pray you. And they came near. And he said, I am Joseph your brother, whom ye sold into Egypt." — Genesis 45:4 (ASV)

Come near to me, I pray you (Genesis 45:4). This is more effective than any mere words, that he kindly invites them to his embrace. Yet he also tries to remove their worry and fear by the kindest language he can use. Indeed, he so moderates his speech that he mildly accuses, and again consoles them; nevertheless, the consolation greatly prevails, because he sees that they are on the verge of desperation, unless he provides them timely relief.

Moreover, in recounting that he had been sold, he does not renew the memory of their guilt with the intention of reasoning earnestly with them; but only because it is always beneficial that the sense of sin should remain, provided that excessive terror does not overwhelm the unhappy man after he has acknowledged his fault.

And since Joseph’s brothers were already terrified enough, he emphasizes more fully the second part of his purpose: namely, that he may heal the wound. This is the reason he repeats, that God had sent him for their preservation; that by the counsel of God himself he had been sent ahead into Egypt to preserve them alive; and that, in short, he had not been sent into Egypt by them, but had been led there by the hand of God.