John Calvin Commentary Genesis 45:9

"Haste ye, and go up to my father, and say unto him, Thus saith thy son Joseph, God hath made me lord of all Egypt: come down unto me, tarry not;" — Genesis 45:9 (ASV)

Thus says your son Joseph. In giving this command, he shows that he spoke of his power to inspire his father with stronger confidence. We know how hesitant old men are; and, besides, it was difficult to tear holy Jacob away from the inheritance that was divinely promised to him.

Therefore Joseph, having pointed out the necessity for this step, declares what a desirable relief the Lord had offered. It may, however, be asked why the oracle, about which their fathers had instructed them, did not occur to their minds—namely, that they should be strangers and servants in a strange land (Genesis 15:13).

For it seems that Joseph here promises nothing but mere pleasures, as if no future adversity was to be feared. But though nothing is expressly stated on this point by Moses, I am led by a probable conjecture to believe that Jacob was not forgetful of the oracle.

Indeed, unless he had been held by some heavenly chain, he could never have remained in Egypt after the time of scarcity ended. By remaining there voluntarily, he would have appeared to abandon the hope of the inheritance God had promised him.

Therefore, seeing that he does not arrange for his return to the land of Canaan, but only commands his corpse to be carried there, and does not urge his sons to return quickly but allows them to settle in Egypt, he does this not from laziness, or because he is enticed by Egypt's attractions, or has grown weary of the land of Canaan. Instead, he is preparing himself and his descendants to endure the tyranny about which his father Isaac had forewarned him.

Consequently, he regards his hospitable reception upon first arriving as an advantage; but, in the meantime, he ponders what had been spoken to Abraham.