Genesis 45:15
in Genesis 45Joseph kissed each of his brothers as he wept over them. And afterward his brothers talked with him.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And he kissed all his brethren, and wept upon them: and after that his brethren talked with him.
KJV
Moreover he kissed all his brethren, and wept upon them: and after that his brethren talked with him.
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This verse in Genesis 45
Commentary
5 notes on this verseThis site's exposition
Joseph threw his arms around his brother Benjamin and wept
on Genesis 45:14-15
The book that opened with a man killing his brother now has a man weeping on the neck of the brother who sold him. Benjamin wept as they embraced, and Joseph kissed each of the others as he wept over them. At verse three they could not answer him. Afterward his brothers talked with him.
This site's exposition
his brothers talked with him
At 37:4 the brothers hated Joseph and could not speak a kind word to him. The same Hebrew verb for speaking returns here, and a silence of twenty-two years ends. The kiss comes first, from the brother who was wronged.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
You have admired the chastity of Joseph; now behold his generosity. He repays hatred with charity. When he saw his brothers, or rather enemies in his brothers, he gave evidence of the affection of his love by his pious grief when he wanted to be …
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
After the tokens of true reconciliation follow the instances of a sweet communion. Pharaoh's Kindness to Joseph. 16 And the fame thereof was heard in Pharaoh's house, saying, Joseph's brethren are come: and it pleased Pharaoh well, and his servants.
quarantine:scripture (2026-07-29) — verbatim-run:24w-of-42
Moreover, he kissed all his brethren,....
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
On the verses either side of this one
NECK. Scripture employs both the plural and singular forms for the neck. 10 The singular of neck is tzavvar. Cf.
This section is reception history: how the passage was read and kept in the Jewish tradition. Where a reading parts from an essential of the Christian faith, the section says so at that point.
Texts and citation data: Sefaria; each excerpt follows its version’s licence. 2 further sources are cited on this chapter that carry no English text this site may quote or only restate the verse.
The words behind it
10 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַיְנַשֵּׁ֥ק | vaynashek | and he kissed | H5401 → | 35 times |
| לְכָל־ | lekhol | <to> all | H3605 → | 5413 times |
| אֶחָ֖יו | ʾechav | brothers his | H251 → | 630 times |
| וַיֵּ֣בְךְּ | vaiyevek | and he wept | H1058 → | 114 times |
| עֲלֵיהֶ֑ם | ʾaleihem | over them | H5921 → | 5755 times |
| וְאַ֣חֲרֵי | veacharei | and after | H310 → | 715 times |
| כֵ֔ן | khen | thus | H3651 → | 771 times |
| דִּבְּר֥וּ | diberu | they spoke | H1696 → | 1141 times |
| אֶחָ֖יו | ʾechav | brothers his | H251 → | 630 times |
| אִתּֽוֹ׃ | ʾito | with him | H854 → | 929 times |
וַיְנַשֵּׁ֥קand he kissed
vaynashekH5401 →35 times
לְכָל־<to> all
lekholH3605 →5413 times
אֶחָ֖יוbrothers his
ʾechavH251 →630 times
וַיֵּ֣בְךְּand he wept
vaiyevekH1058 →114 times
עֲלֵיהֶ֑םover them
ʾaleihemH5921 →5755 times
וְאַ֣חֲרֵיand after
veachareiH310 →715 times
כֵ֔ןthus
khenH3651 →771 times
דִּבְּר֥וּthey spoke
diberuH1696 →1141 times
אֶחָ֖יוbrothers his
ʾechavH251 →630 times
אִתּֽוֹ׃with him
ʾitoH854 →929 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Luke 15:20So he got up and went to his father. But while he was still in the distance, his father saw him and was filled with compassion. He ran to his son, embraced him, and…
it leads to
- Psalms 103:10–13
He has not dealt with us according to our sins or repaid us according to our iniquities.
- Psalms 86:5
For You, O Lord, are kind and forgiving, rich in loving devotion to all who call on You.
- Psalms 86:15
But You, O Lord, are a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in loving devotion and faithfulness.
- Ephesians 2:13
But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near through the blood of Christ.
- Genesis 46:29
Joseph prepared his chariot and went there to meet his father Israel. Joseph presented himself to him, embraced him, and wept profusely.
- Psalms 103:10–13
Through
Genesis 33:4Esau, however, ran to him and embraced him, threw his arms around his neck, and kissed him. And they both wept.
it leads to
- Genesis 45:14–15
Then Joseph threw his arms around his brother Benjamin and wept, and Benjamin wept as they embraced.
- Psalms 34:4
I sought the LORD, and He answered me; He delivered me from all my fears.
- Genesis 45:14–15
Through
Ruth 1:14Again they wept aloud, and Orpah kissed her mother-in-law goodbye, but Ruth clung to her.
it leads to
- Proverbs 18:24
A man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend who stays closer than a brother.
- Proverbs 18:24
About Genesis
Who and where
1 name in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on Caesarius of Arles, SERMON 90.4; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.