Verse

Genesis 45:2

ESV And he wept aloud, so that the Egyptians heard it, and the household of Pharaoh heard it.
NIV And he wept so loudly that the Egyptians heard him, and Pharaoh’s household heard about it.
NASB Then he wept so loudly that the Egyptians heard it, and the household of Pharaoh heard about it.
CSB But he wept so loudly that the Egyptians heard it, and also Pharaoh’s household heard it.
NLT Then he broke down and wept. He wept so loudly the Egyptians could hear him, and word of it quickly carried to Pharaoh’s palace.
KJV And he wept aloud: and the Egyptians and the house of Pharaoh heard.
NKJV And he wept aloud, and the Egyptians and the house of Pharaoh heard it.

What does Genesis 45:2 mean?

The time has come for Joseph to reveal himself to his estranged brothers (Genesis 42:7–8). This moment is a release of decades of emotion. He has experienced betrayal (Genesis 37:24–28), setbacks (Genesis 39:20), wild success (Genesis 41:44), reunion (Genesis 43:29–30), and now a confirmation that his once-jealous older brothers have grown and matured (Genesis 44:33–34). As the second-in-command over the entire nation, Joseph wants to maintain some level of public dignity (Genesis 41:40). He dismissed all but his brothers from the room (Genesis 45:1).

However, the power of this moment is immense. Joseph cannot stop crying—and crying so loudly that his sobs are heard outside the room. Many people in the home, it seems, can hear him. News of what is happening rapidly spreads through Pharaoh's household.

Joseph's stoicism through these events has been impressive. Once the dam of his emotions bursts, however, it breaks hard. It takes a while before he can control his tears.
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