God’s Word Translation
Genesis 45:3
3Joseph said to his brothers, “I am Joseph! Is my father still alive?” His brothers could not answer him because they were afraid of him.
Genesis 45:3 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)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.
- New International Version (NIV)Joseph said to his brothers, “I am Joseph! Is my father still living?” But his brothers were not able to answer him, because they were terrified at his presence.
- English Standard Version (ESV)And Joseph said to his brothers, "I am Joseph! Is my father still alive?" But his brothers could not answer him, for they were dismayed at his presence.
- New King James Version (NKJV)Then Joseph said to his brothers, “I am Joseph; does my father still live?” But his brothers could not answer him, for they were dismayed in his presence.
Context of Genesis 45:3
1Joseph could no longer control his emotions in front of everyone who was standing around him, so he cried out, “Have everyone leave me!” No one else was there when Joseph told his brothers who he was. 2He cried so loudly that the Egyptians heard him, and Pharaoh’s household heard about it. Joseph said to his brothers, “I am Joseph! Is my father still alive?” His brothers could not answer him because they were afraid of him. 4“Please come closer to me,” Joseph said to his brothers. When they did so, he said, “I am Joseph, the brother you sold into slavery in Egypt! 5Now, don’t be sad or angry with yourselves that you sold me. God sent me ahead of you to save lives.
Read all of Genesis 45Genesis 45:3 word by word
וַיֹּ֨אמֶר יוֹסֵ֤ף אֶל־אֶחָיו֙ אֲנִ֣י יוֹסֵ֔ף הַע֥וֹד אָבִ֖י חָ֑י וְלֹֽא־יָכְל֤וּ אֶחָיו֙ לַעֲנ֣וֹת אֹת֔וֹ כִּ֥י נִבְהֲל֖וּ מִפָּנָֽיו׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And Josephיוֹסֵףyôsêph · JosephH3130
- saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- unto his brethrenאָח'âch · brother: male-siblingH251
- doth my fatherאָב'âb · fatherH1
- yet liveחַיchay · aliveH2416
- couldיָכֹלyâkôl yâkôl · be ableH3201
- not answerעָנָה‛ânâh · to answerH6030
- him; for they were troubledבָּהַלbâhal · to dismayH926
- at his presenceפָּנֶהpânîym · faceH6440
Cross-references for Genesis 45:3
- Matthew 14:27Immediately, Jesus said, “Calm down! It’s me. Don’t be afraid!”
- Acts 7:13On the second trip, Joseph told his brothers who he was, and Pharaoh learned about Joseph’s family.
- Acts 9:5Saul asked, “Who are you, sir?” The person replied, “I’m Jesus, the one you’re persecuting.
- Job 4:5But trouble comes to you, and you’re impatient. It touches you, and you panic.
- Job 23:15That is why I’m terrified of him. When I think of it, I’m afraid of him.
- Zechariah 12:10“I will pour out the Spirit of blessing and mercy on David’s family and on those who live in Jerusalem. They will look at me, whom they have stabbed. Then they will mourn for him as one mourns for an only son, and they will cry bitterly for him as one cries for a firstborn son.
- Matthew 14:26When the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were terrified. They said, “It’s a ghost!” and began to scream because they were afraid.
- Mark 6:50All of them saw him and were terrified. Immediately, he said, “Calm down! It’s me. Don’t be afraid!”
- Luke 5:8When Simon Peter saw this, he knelt in front of Jesus and said, “Leave me, Lord! I’m a sinful person!”
- Luke 24:37They were terrified, and thought they were seeing a ghost.
- Revelation 1:7Look! He is coming in the clouds. Every eye will see him, even those who pierced him. Every tribe on earth will mourn because of him. This is true. Amen.
Commentaries on Genesis 45:3
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 3I am Joseph - Mr. Pope supposed that the discovery of Ulysses to his son Telemachus bears some resemblance to Joseph's discovery of himself to his brethren. The passage may be seen in Homer, Odyss. l. xvi., ver. 186-218. A few lines from Cowper's translation will show much of the spirit of the original, and also a considerable analogy between the two scenes: - "I am thy father, for whose sake thou lead'st A life of wo by violence oppress'd. So saying, he…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 1-28Verses 1-28 - Joseph Made Himself Known to His Brethren 10. גשׁן gôshen Goshen, Gesem (Arabias related perhaps to גשׁם geshem “rain, shower”), a region on the borders of Egypt and Arabia, near the gulf of Suez. The appeal of Judah is to Joseph irresistible. The repentance of his brothers, and their attachment to Benjamin, have been demonstrated in the most satisfactory manner. This is all that Joseph sought. It is evident, throughout the whole narrative…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 3The news shocked the brothers. They were unable to speak because of amazement and fear (45:5; compare 50:15).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 33. I am Joseph--or, "terrified at his presence." The emotions that now rose in his breast as well as that of his brethren--and chased each other in rapid succession--were many and violent. He was agitated by sympathy and joy; they were astonished, confounded, terrified; and betrayed their terror, by shrinking as far as they could from his presence. So "troubled" were they, that he had to repeat his announcement of himself; and what kind, affectionate…Read the comment
Topics related to Genesis 45:3
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Genesis 45
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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