“¹²”And behold, your eyes and the eyes of my brother Benjamin see that it is my mouth that speaks to you. ¹³So you shall tell my father of all my glory in Egypt, and of all that you have seen; and you shall hurry and bring my father down here.”

¹⁴Then he fell on his brother Benjamin’s neck and wept, and Benjamin wept on his neck. ¹⁵Moreover he kissed all his brothers and wept over them, and after that his brothers talked with him.”

– Genesis 45:12-15 (NKJV)

“And behold, your eyes and the eyes of my brother Benjamin see that it is my mouth that speaks to you. (This is quite a peculiar turn of phrase, first of all I believe it is primarily designed to quell as much doubt as Jacob might entertain, in the hopes of expediting his journey in any way possible. Let us also not forget rather pragmatically how long Jacob tarried in making a decisive decision when initially sending the brothers with Benjamin, almost to the point of starvation, even death; surely his doubts have proved to have much power to overwhelm him into inaction, frustrating and delaying the glorious plans of God – if that were indeed possible – which we from the outside looking in can of course clearly see need only be yielded to in Faith. Also: though not personally intimately acquainted with the degree of Jacob’s current fearful and doubting predispositions – however understandable in view of the trauma he had suffered in losing a beloved child previously – Joseph is inherently wise enough, or Spirit-led enough – probably both – to understand it to be a very probable threat to the immediacy required in these moments; he himself already frustrated with his own hand in delaying the process, as intimated previously.

But what I find especially peculiar in this statement is the basis upon which Joseph asserts his identity; for surely recognition and validation thereof cannot be presumed upon beyond a shadow of a doubt, seeing as a considerable amount of time has passed since the brothers last saw Joseph when they were children. Even more to the point, why single out the testimony of Benjamin as being especially trustworthy, in light of the fact that he has never laid eyes on Joseph before? Could there be a veiled spiritual intimation made here that Benjamin – being also an especially beloved and chosen son of Jacob’s most beloved Rachel, akin to Joseph himself – possesses the prophetic ability of physiognomical knowledge . . . for one cannot even assert upon the “Occam’s Razor” more simple explanation that Joseph keenly resembles his own mother Rachel, for, having died at his birth, Benjamin never knew her.

There is also another subtle inference that can be made here specific to the phrase ” see that it is my mouth “, that alludes to the fact that Joseph’s manner of speaking is so convicting, so truthful, so knowledgeable and so intimate as only one truly bonded to another by deep familial love can be; which in turn can also only be detected, deduced, understood or explained by the type of prophetically inclined mind joined to the Holy Spirit that perhaps Joseph, Benjamin and Jacob share [also see Genesis 44:30; 1 Samuel 18:1]. These are my best personal guesses but I would encourage you dear reader to meditate on this delicious little Scriptural conundrum at your own behest.) 

So you shall tell my father of all my glory in Egypt, (this phrase and others similar to it in this section of Scripture, has two distinct purposes: first, again to reassure Jacob and allay any doubts in giving him all the more reason and assurance to make the journey, whilst at the same time giving rise to much meditation on the Goodness of the Lord whilst making the journey, as he is then invited to ponder the Wonders of God: how all  things have not only worked out for Good, but for exceeding prosperity, blessing and abundance in the life of the child he was convinced he had lost forever. Then secondly, and perhaps more importantly for posterity’s sake: for all the True Children of God afflicted and persecuted as Joseph was, we recognise the confident and unashamed assertion of a man chosen and blessed by Almighty God, fully possessing his identity as one appointed for glory in a manner reminiscent of the literally “glor(y)-ious” promise found in Colossians 1:27. And this before the very eyes of the ones historically most inclined to persecute him for it, those who could hypothetically yet wield all manner of wicked spiritual schemes once more in their ignorance – having given evil forces legal access previously through their envy and self-seeking – of intimidation, manipulation and other means of control in an attempt to force him into silence, insecurity, self-doubt and submission to said forces, as opposed to revelling in what the Lord has undoubtedly done for him and boldly taking full ownership of it as we see our Joseph doing here) and of all that you have seen; (for truly, what we see here is not a man threatened or paranoid or meditating on such possibilities, seeking to overcome them with a self-fuelled attempt at boldness tinged with defensiveness, no, we behold a man so focused upon God and His Truth, his eyes so fixed upon what He is doing, that he is automatically aligned with God’s Perfect Will and Timing, whereby of course we know that the brothers have been so perfectly humbled, their repentance so perfectly sincere, every root of bitterness and envy so completely deracinated, the enemy so completely won, that Joseph can speak such otherwise seemingly “arrogant” words and know that he is understood by the brothers through the lens of Perfect Truth – even revelling in his glory with him with pure Joy. So perfectly aligned is Joseph with God’s will and so utterly convinced that it is the Lord’s Goodness, the Lord’s Purpose and the Lord’s Will that has rendered him glorified, that he can relay these Truths with the childlike innocence and Faith of one immovable by such foolish things as arrogance. Joseph needn’t even consciously comprehend all these machinations but can simply speak the simple facts as they are for he has been glorified [Romans 8:30] and it can be seen by all, as manifest in the phrase: “all that you have seen “) and you shall hurry and bring my father down here.” (As a matter of fact, so wholly unperturbed is Joseph in these moments by anything other than the physical wellbeing of- and opportunity simply to hold his beloved father Jacob against his bosom in a tender embrace and expression of deep Love, that from his point of view every phrase that escapes his lips is wholly fixed only upon achieving this end.) Then he fell on his brother Benjamin’s neck and wept, and Benjamin wept on his neck. Moreover he kissed all his brothers and wept over them, and after that his brothers talked with him.” (Here we see manifest the full evidence of Joseph’s perfect alignment with the Will of God; so complete is his forgiveness, so certain his assurance of the brothers’ humility and earnestness before him – their sincere repentance, total deliverance and their no longer being against him but actively for him – that he effortlessly, innocently and wholeheartedly throws himself into these unrestrained expressions of deep love and gratitude for true reconciliation. Also, in perfect accordance with the plans and purposes wrought upon the earth by Almighty God, he is unashamed, unapologetic and resolute in his singling out and revering his especial Love for Benjamin specifically and it requires no defence, for even the Inspired Writer of the Scripture makes repeated deliberate efforts to enforce it grammatically both in terms of style and priority: Joseph favours Benjamin as Jacob once favoured Joseph and it is right and fitting and proper and incontestable for it is the Will of God and it is in accordance with His choosing and good pleasure that some vessels are chosen for especial honour whilst others are not [also see Romans 9:14-15]. It is furthermore manifest in the redeemed behaviour of the other brothers, for where they had once opposed such favour with great wickedness and in abject rebellion, they now humbly submit to such eternal and pre-ordained Truths with a yielded, reverential and God-fearing spirit. So complete is the brothers’ full “sózó” redemption in fact, that I believe that in otherwise unelaborated upon conversations inferred in phrases such as “after that his brothers talked with him “, they earnestly seek to enquire of Joseph details of the extent of his leadership, the favour he enjoys and glory that has become his own in the sincere spirit of “revelling in his glory with him with pure Joy” as mentioned earlier ☺.)