Moreover he kissed all his brethren, and wept upon them: and after that his brethren talked with him.
Joseph's kiss and tears came after he had proved his brothers and had seen in them the fruits of true repentance for selling him, when he could no longer conceal his deeply affected feelings but wept aloud and revealed himself to them. At that moment his brothers stood condemned, amazed, confused and embarrassed and unable to answer, held back by fear and troubled amazement and by long anxiety, remorse and great distress of mind since their cruelty toward him. They were troubled by remembrance of their envy, their desire to murder him, their sale of him as a slave, and their contempt for his dreams, which they had labored to prevent yet had themselves fulfilled by repeatedly making obeisance to him.
He sought to make the meeting as easy as possible for them, with no desire to increase their confusion and embarrassment by censuring them, feeling they had suffered enough for their cruelty. He endeavored to comfort them with the truth that God had sent him before them to preserve life. Having first fallen on Benjamin's neck and wept, his kissing all his brothers and weeping upon them was an affectionate, welcoming, comforting and pardoning embrace in which he gladly forgave them.
Only after that kindness and forgiveness eased their fear, distress and troubled amazement were the brothers able to talk with him. Their talking with him afterward was humble confession of their sins and wrongs against him and entreaty and plea for his forgiveness. Their talking also expressed great rejoicing, relief and joy to find that he was alive and that they were not guilty of his blood, after years of long anxiety, remorse and distress of mind.
Joseph's kiss and tears came after he had proved his brothers and had seen in them the fruits of true repentance for selling him, when he could no longer conceal his deeply affected feelings but wept aloud and revealed himself to them. At that moment his brothers stood condemned, amazed, confused and embarrassed and unable to answer, held back by fear and troubled amazement and by long anxiety, remorse and great distress of mind since their cruelty toward him. They were troubled by remembrance of their envy, their desire to murder him, their sale of him as a slave, and their contempt for his dreams, which they had labored to prevent yet had themselves fulfilled by repeatedly making obeisance to him.
He sought to make the meeting as easy as possible for them, with no desire to increase their confusion and embarrassment by censuring them, feeling they had suffered enough for their cruelty. He endeavored to comfort them with the truth that God had sent him before them to preserve life. Having first fallen on Benjamin's neck and wept, his kissing all his brothers and weeping upon them was an affectionate, welcoming, comforting and pardoning embrace in which he gladly forgave them.
Only after that kindness and forgiveness eased their fear, distress and troubled amazement were the brothers able to talk with him. Their talking with him afterward was humble confession of their sins and wrongs against him and entreaty and plea for his forgiveness. Their talking also expressed great rejoicing, relief and joy to find that he was alive and that they were not guilty of his blood, after years of long anxiety, remorse and distress of mind.