1.Joseph could not restrain himself before all those who stood by him, and he cried out, “Make everyone go out from me!” So no one stood with him while Joseph made himself known to his brothers. And he wept aloud, and the Egyptians and the house of Pharaoh heard it. 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. a. Joseph could not restrain himself before all those who stood by him: Joseph ordered all the Egyptians out of the room and was then alone with his brothers. His great emotion showed that Joseph did not cruelly manipulate his brothers. He was directed by God to make these arrangements and it hurt him to do it. b. Joseph made himself known to his brothers: This perhaps means that Joseph told them he was Joseph and showed his brothers that he was circumcised. Jewish legend says the brothers could never believe this high Egyptian official was Joseph unless he showed he was circumcised. c. But his brothers could not answer him, for they were dismayed in his presence: Because of the punishment they anticipated, the great emotion of Joseph, his manner of revelation, and the total shock of learning Joseph was not only alive but right in front of them, the brothers were dismayed. Pharaoh and Joseph send the brothers home with many gifts. Joseph gave them carts, according to the command of Pharaoh, and he gave them provisions for the journey: The sons of Israel received transportation, provision, garments, and riches because of who their favored brother was. Pharaoh blessed the sons of Jacob for Joseph’s sake. i. “To return to Canaan with ‘carts from Egypt’ was the cultural equivalent of landing a jumbo jet among a tribe of isolated savages. It would be the stuff legends are made of.” (Boice) b. See that you do not become troubled along the way: The idea behind the words “become troubled” is literally become angry or quarrel. Joseph knew as soon as these men left his presence they would be tempted to act in selfish, unspiritual ways. They had to anticipate and guard against this. Jacob hears the good news – that Joseph lives. Then they went up out of Egypt, and came to the land of Canaan to Jacob their father. And they told him, saying, “Joseph is still alive, and he is governor over all the land of Egypt.” And Jacob’s heart stood still, because he did not believe them. But when they told him all the words which Joseph had said to them, and when he saw the carts which Joseph had sent to carry him, the spirit of Jacob their father revived. Then Israel said, “It is enough. Joseph my son is still alive. I will go and see him before I die.” a. He did not believe them: Jacob was told Joseph was dead and believed it. Then he was told Joseph was alive, and he did not believe it until his sons told him the words of Joseph and showed him the blessings that came to them through Joseph. Then he believed Joseph was alive, though he had not yet seen.

1. 1.Joseph could not restrain himself before all those who stood by him, and he cried out, “Make
everyone go out from me!” So no one stood with him while Joseph made himself known to his
brothers. And he wept aloud, and the Egyptians and the house of Pharaoh heard it. 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.
a. Joseph could not restrain himself before all those who stood by him: Joseph ordered all the
Egyptians out of the room and was then alone with his brothers. His great emotion showed that
Joseph did not cruelly manipulate his brothers. He was directed by God to make these
arrangements and it hurt him to do it.
b. Joseph made himself known to his brothers: This perhaps means that Joseph told them he was
Joseph and showed his brothers that he was circumcised. Jewish legend says the brothers could
never believe this high Egyptian official was Joseph unless he showed he was circumcised.
c. But his brothers could not answer him, for they were dismayed in his presence: Because of the
punishment they anticipated, the great emotion of Joseph, his manner of revelation, and the total
shock of learning Joseph was not only alive but right in front of them, the brothers were
dismayed.
Pharaoh and Joseph send the brothers home with many gifts.
Joseph gave them carts, according to the command of Pharaoh, and he gave them provisions for
the journey: The sons of Israel received transportation, provision, garments, and riches because
of who their favored brother was. Pharaoh blessed the sons of Jacob for Joseph’s sake.
i. “To return to Canaan with ‘carts from Egypt’ was the cultural equivalent of landing a jumbo jet
among a tribe of isolated savages. It would be the stuff legends are made of.” (Boice)
b. See that you do not become troubled along the way: The idea behind the words “become
troubled” is literally become angry or quarrel. Joseph knew as soon as these men left his
presence they would be tempted to act in selfish, unspiritual ways. They had to anticipate and
guard against this.
Jacob hears the good news – that Joseph lives.
Then they went up out of Egypt, and came to the land of Canaan to Jacob their father. And they
told him, saying, “Joseph is still alive, and he is governor over all the land of Egypt.” And
Jacob’s heart stood still, because he did not believe them. But when they told him all the words
which Joseph had said to them, and when he saw the carts which Joseph had sent to carry him,
the spirit of Jacob their father revived. Then Israel said, “It is enough. Joseph my son is still
alive. I will go and see him before I die.”
a. He did not believe them: Jacob was told Joseph was dead and believed it. Then he was told

2. Joseph was alive, and he did not believe it until his sons told him the words of Joseph and
showed him the blessings that came to them through Joseph. Then he believed Joseph was alive,
though he had not yet seen him.
i. By analogy, we can say that the only way people will know Jesus is alive is if we tell them His
words and show them His blessings in our lives.
b. It is enough. Joseph my son is still alive: Knowing that the favored son was alive – back from
the dead, as it were – changed Israel’s testimony from all these things are against me to it is
enough.When Jacob was forced to leave home many years earlier, the prospects for his future did
not look all that bright. He had been forced to leave his home under a cloud of shame, after
having deceived his father. He set out for his uncle’s house to find a wife, which he did. But, he
would spend the next twenty years there being deceived by his uncle Laban. Jacob’s family
began to grow and his wealth began to increase. Still there was trouble in his home and family.
His children were out of control. There was discord between his wives. It must have seemed as
though life would always be hard, unsettled and difficult for Jacob and his family. God had a
plan! Jacob met God one night while he was on his way to his uncle’s house. He had another
encounter with God on the way back to Bethel. Those two encounters with Almighty God
changed Jacob’s life forever.God took a solitary man by the name of Jacob and brought through
him the nation of Israel. What appeared to be a family riddle and ruined by dysfunction and
tragedy was actually a picture of God’s grace in the making.
Who would have thought that a fugitive would lead a family of seventy into Egypt? It was the
work of God! Who would have guessed that 400 years later Moses would lead two million or
more out of Egypt? It was the work of God! Who would have imagined that from this little band
that included Jacob, his twelve sons, one daughter, fifty-two grandchildren and four great-
grandsons would one day come the Messiah, the Lord Jesus Christ, Who would give His life a
ransom to redeem His people from the slavery of their sins? It was an incredible, amazing work
of Almighty God.
Joseph was a man who had his priorities in order. He loved his family and he loved his father. He
was also willing to protect his heritage.It may be that the Lord has spoken to you on some level
of your life. If He has, you should come to Him as He calls right now Maybe your relationship
with your family needs work. Maybe your relationship with your parents needs work. Maybe you
need to get with you children and let them know they are loved. There is work to do in our
homes today. We are way behind and this is a call to get busy dealing with the things that matter
1a.
These people might have been part of God’s eternal plan, but they were not perfect. In fact, they
were a long way from it! Still, there is a glimpse of the grace of God at work here. In this list of

3. names, there is a fact or two that we need to take note of today. In verse 10 we are given the
names of Simeon’s sons. The last phrase tells us that one of his sons was born to “a Canaanitish
woman.” The Canaanites were an accursed people and marriage to them was forbidden.
But, look at verse 12. This verse lists the offspring of Judah. His first three sons, Er, Onan and
Shelah were by his wife, who was also a Canaanite. There is no mention of this sin in Judah’s
life. Why?Judah had stood before Joseph and made a full confession. As a result, he was
pardoned and forgiven by God. Simeon had continued in his sin and had never repented and his
sin is remembered. God had put away the sin of Judah and remembered it no more.
It is hard when the people we love and admire pass from the scene. We need to consider the lives
they lived and the legacy they left behind. We need to honor the legacy of those who have gone
on before. If we were blessed to have had godly parents and a godly heritage, we should honor
their desire that we live a good and godly life. In this church we are privileged to walk in the
footsteps of some godly people who paved the road of holiness for us. They set a standard of
living that we would do well to honor and uphold.
Joseph honored the legacy of his father and carried his corpse home to Canaan. Many years later
when Joseph died, he made the same request. His was honored as well. Those bones were buried
in Canaan by Joshua.
It may just be that if we will honor the heritage that we have been given, others will honor the
heritage we pass down. If we treat the previous generations like they are worthless, others may
treat the things we have down the same way
Solution
1.Joseph could not restrain himself before all those who stood by him, and he cried out, “Make
everyone go out from me!” So no one stood with him while Joseph made himself known to his
brothers. And he wept aloud, and the Egyptians and the house of Pharaoh heard it. 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.
a. Joseph could not restrain himself before all those who stood by him: Joseph ordered all the
Egyptians out of the room and was then alone with his brothers. His great emotion showed that
Joseph did not cruelly manipulate his brothers. He was directed by God to make these
arrangements and it hurt him to do it.
b. Joseph made himself known to his brothers: This perhaps means that Joseph told them he was

4. Joseph and showed his brothers that he was circumcised. Jewish legend says the brothers could
never believe this high Egyptian official was Joseph unless he showed he was circumcised.
c. But his brothers could not answer him, for they were dismayed in his presence: Because of the
punishment they anticipated, the great emotion of Joseph, his manner of revelation, and the total
shock of learning Joseph was not only alive but right in front of them, the brothers were
dismayed.
Pharaoh and Joseph send the brothers home with many gifts.
Joseph gave them carts, according to the command of Pharaoh, and he gave them provisions for
the journey: The sons of Israel received transportation, provision, garments, and riches because
of who their favored brother was. Pharaoh blessed the sons of Jacob for Joseph’s sake.
i. “To return to Canaan with ‘carts from Egypt’ was the cultural equivalent of landing a jumbo jet
among a tribe of isolated savages. It would be the stuff legends are made of.” (Boice)
b. See that you do not become troubled along the way: The idea behind the words “become
troubled” is literally become angry or quarrel. Joseph knew as soon as these men left his
presence they would be tempted to act in selfish, unspiritual ways. They had to anticipate and
guard against this.
Jacob hears the good news – that Joseph lives.
Then they went up out of Egypt, and came to the land of Canaan to Jacob their father. And they
told him, saying, “Joseph is still alive, and he is governor over all the land of Egypt.” And
Jacob’s heart stood still, because he did not believe them. But when they told him all the words
which Joseph had said to them, and when he saw the carts which Joseph had sent to carry him,
the spirit of Jacob their father revived. Then Israel said, “It is enough. Joseph my son is still
alive. I will go and see him before I die.”
a. He did not believe them: Jacob was told Joseph was dead and believed it. Then he was told
Joseph was alive, and he did not believe it until his sons told him the words of Joseph and
showed him the blessings that came to them through Joseph. Then he believed Joseph was alive,
though he had not yet seen him.
i. By analogy, we can say that the only way people will know Jesus is alive is if we tell them His
words and show them His blessings in our lives.
b. It is enough. Joseph my son is still alive: Knowing that the favored son was alive – back from
the dead, as it were – changed Israel’s testimony from all these things are against me to it is
enough.When Jacob was forced to leave home many years earlier, the prospects for his future did
not look all that bright. He had been forced to leave his home under a cloud of shame, after
having deceived his father. He set out for his uncle’s house to find a wife, which he did. But, he
would spend the next twenty years there being deceived by his uncle Laban. Jacob’s family

5. began to grow and his wealth began to increase. Still there was trouble in his home and family.
His children were out of control. There was discord between his wives. It must have seemed as
though life would always be hard, unsettled and difficult for Jacob and his family. God had a
plan! Jacob met God one night while he was on his way to his uncle’s house. He had another
encounter with God on the way back to Bethel. Those two encounters with Almighty God
changed Jacob’s life forever.God took a solitary man by the name of Jacob and brought through
him the nation of Israel. What appeared to be a family riddle and ruined by dysfunction and
tragedy was actually a picture of God’s grace in the making.
Who would have thought that a fugitive would lead a family of seventy into Egypt? It was the
work of God! Who would have guessed that 400 years later Moses would lead two million or
more out of Egypt? It was the work of God! Who would have imagined that from this little band
that included Jacob, his twelve sons, one daughter, fifty-two grandchildren and four great-
grandsons would one day come the Messiah, the Lord Jesus Christ, Who would give His life a
ransom to redeem His people from the slavery of their sins? It was an incredible, amazing work
of Almighty God.
Joseph was a man who had his priorities in order. He loved his family and he loved his father. He
was also willing to protect his heritage.It may be that the Lord has spoken to you on some level
of your life. If He has, you should come to Him as He calls right now Maybe your relationship
with your family needs work. Maybe your relationship with your parents needs work. Maybe you
need to get with you children and let them know they are loved. There is work to do in our
homes today. We are way behind and this is a call to get busy dealing with the things that matter
1a.
These people might have been part of God’s eternal plan, but they were not perfect. In fact, they
were a long way from it! Still, there is a glimpse of the grace of God at work here. In this list of
names, there is a fact or two that we need to take note of today. In verse 10 we are given the
names of Simeon’s sons. The last phrase tells us that one of his sons was born to “a Canaanitish
woman.” The Canaanites were an accursed people and marriage to them was forbidden.
But, look at verse 12. This verse lists the offspring of Judah. His first three sons, Er, Onan and
Shelah were by his wife, who was also a Canaanite. There is no mention of this sin in Judah’s
life. Why?Judah had stood before Joseph and made a full confession. As a result, he was
pardoned and forgiven by God. Simeon had continued in his sin and had never repented and his
sin is remembered. God had put away the sin of Judah and remembered it no more.
It is hard when the people we love and admire pass from the scene. We need to consider the lives
they lived and the legacy they left behind. We need to honor the legacy of those who have gone
on before. If we were blessed to have had godly parents and a godly heritage, we should honor

6. their desire that we live a good and godly life. In this church we are privileged to walk in the
footsteps of some godly people who paved the road of holiness for us. They set a standard of
living that we would do well to honor and uphold.
Joseph honored the legacy of his father and carried his corpse home to Canaan. Many years later
when Joseph died, he made the same request. His was honored as well. Those bones were buried
in Canaan by Joshua.
It may just be that if we will honor the heritage that we have been given, others will honor the
heritage we pass down. If we treat the previous generations like they are worthless, others may
treat the things we have down the same way