Genesis 45:12

Gen 45:12 And, behold, your eyes see, and the eyes of my brother Benjamin, that [it is] my mouth that speaketh unto you.

Ver. 12. That it is my mouth.] I speak not now, as before I did, by an interpreter: I speak Hebrew also. God seems to say the same to us concerning the whole word; those "ten words" especially.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Gen 45:12-13. Your eyes see that it is my mouth — If they could recollect themselves, they might remember something of his features and speech, and be satisfied: or rather he means, You see, I speak to you not by an interpreter, as hitherto I have done, but immediately, and in the Hebrew language. Ye shall tell my father of all my glory — He enjoins this not out of pride and ostentation, but from love to his aged father, knowing what pleasure it would give him. And ye shall haste, and bring down my father hither — He is very earnest that his father and all his family (Gen 45:18) should come to him without delay, promising to provide for them: I will nourish thee, Gen 45:11. Thus our Lord Jesus being, like Joseph, exalted to the highest honours and powers of the upper world, it is his will that all that are his should be with him where he is. This is his commandment, that we be with him now in faith and hope, and a heavenly conversation; and this is his promise, that we shall be for ever with him.

Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

That is, that I speak in your own language, and have none interpreter.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

Verse 12. That it is my mouth that speaketh unto you.] The Targum of Jonathan ben Uzziel renders the place thus: - "Your eyes see, and the eyes of my brother Benjamin, that it is my own mouth that speaketh with you, in the language of the house of the sanctuary." Undoubtedly Joseph laid considerable stress on his speaking with them in the Hebrew tongue, without the assistance of an interpreter, as in the case mentioned Ge 42:23.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

And, behold, your eyes see, and the eyes of my brother Benjamin,.... They were eyewitnesses of his being alive, having themselves seen him, and even Benjamin, who could not be suspected by his father of a fraud in imposing on him; and some of them could doubtless remember his features, and had an ocular proof of his being the very person, which they could with great evidence relate unto Jacob; as also his voice in speaking:

that it is my mouth that speaketh unto you; without an interpreter, as Aben Ezra, and in the Hebrew language, as the Targum and Jarchi; which might confirm them, and likewise their father upon their report, that the governor was not an Egyptian, but an Hebrew; and by that and other concurrent testimonies that he must be Joseph.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

My mouth. You now recognize my features and my speech; particularly you, my dear Benjamin. (Haydock) --- I speak no longer by an interpreter. (Menochius)

George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).

Because I speak to you not by an interpreter, as hitherto I have done, but immediately, and in the Hebrew language.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

12. My mouth that speaketh unto you — That is, Ye see that my “mouth is speaking to you in our native language. Before this he had spoken to them in the Egyptian tongue, through an interpreter, but now, when he had ‘caused all men to go out from’ him, that he might open all his heart to his brethren, he cried to them in Hebrew, ‘I am Joseph!’ It was the sound of their native tongue in this land of strangers, from the lips of the grand vizier of Egypt, that rolled back the years in the memory of the brethren more than any thing that he said.” — Newhall.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Your eyes see that it is my mouth - If they could recollect themselves, they might remember something of his features and speech, and be satisfied. See note at "ver. 1" for (2.) He is very earnest that his father and all his family should come to him to Egypt. Come down unto me, tarry not - He allots his dwelling in Goshen, that part of Egypt which lay towards Canaan, that they might be mindful of the country from which they were to come out. He promiseth to provide for him, I will nourish - Our Lord Jesus being, like Joseph, exalted to the highest honours and powers of the upper world, it is his will that all that are his should be with him where he is. This is his commandment, that we be with him now in faith and hope, and a heavenly conversation; and this is his promise, that we shall be forever with him.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

your eyes see, and the eyes of my brother Benjamin

The word "eyes" stands for the entire person. AT: "All of you and Benjamin can see" (See: Synecdoche)

that it is my mouth that speaks to you

The word "mouth" stands for the entire person. AT: "that I, Joseph, am speaking to you" (See: Synecdoche)

about all my honor in Egypt

"how the people in Egypt greatly honor me"

my father down here

It was common to use the word "down" when speaking of traveling from Canaan to Egypt. AT: "my father here to me"

translationWords

Benjamin

Egypt

unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.

והנה עיניכם ראות AND, BEHOLD, YOUR EYES SEE my glory, and that I am your brother, and further כי פי המדבר אליכם THAT IT IS MY MOUTH THAT SPEAKETH TO YOU in the Holy Language) (Genesis Rabbah 93:10).

ועיני אחי בנימין [YOUR EYES] AND THE EYES OF MY BROTHER BENJAMIN — he mentions them separately and alike to imply: just as I harbour no hatred against Benjamin, my brother, for he was no party to selling me, so is my heart free from hatred against you (Megillah 16b).

Rashi on the Tanakh — English translations: “The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg” (CC BY 4.0); “Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934” (public domain); “The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J” (CC BY 4.0); and “The Book of Joshua, Metsudah Publications, 1997” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.

THAT IT IS MY MOUTH THAT SPEAKETH UNTO YOU. I.e., in the Holy Language. This is the opinion of the commentators, and it is also the translation of Onkelos. It is possible that Joseph said so to them for plausibility and in order to be conciliatory, for the fact that a person in Egypt speaks the Holy Language is not proof that he is Joseph. It is my opinion that the Holy Language was the language of Canaan for Abraham did not bring it there from Ur of the Chaldees or Haran, as they spoke Aramaic there, as is attested to by “the heap.” (the heap of witness). Thus it is clear that Aramaic was the spoken language in Abraham’s birthplace. Now it was not the language of one man alone; rather, it was the language of the entire land of Canaan, and many people in Egypt knew it, since Canaan was nearby. We would particularly expect knowledge of languages in the case of a ruler for it is usual for kings and rulers to be linguistic. It is just as you see in the case of Nebuchadnezzar who said in the Holy Language, I have dreamed a dream, and my spirit is troubled to know the dream, because there were the magicians, and the enchanters, and the sorcerers, and Chaldeans, Verse 2. people of many languages, as well as from Israel, and they all would understand him. They, however, answered him in Aramaic, as it says, Then spoke the Chaldeans to the king in Aramaic, Verse 4. as they were close to him, and sat first in the kingdom, and they had the permission to speak to the king. Moreover, just as Joseph came from Canaan to Egypt, many others also came. Besides, the brothers had greater proof that he was Joseph when he mentioned his name and the circumstance of the sale, saying, I am Joseph your brother, whom ye sold into Egypt. The correct interpretation in my opinion is that Joseph is saying: “And, behold, your eyes see, and the eyes of my brother Benjamin, that I, the ruler and lord of all Egypt, am the one telling you with my mouth that I am your brother, and command you to bring down my father to me in order to sustain him. This being so, you will tell my father of all the glory in Egypt, and of all that you have seen with your eyes, and you will hurry and bring him down to me for the words I have spoken are true, and I have the power to deliver him and to keep him alive in the famine.” This is analogous to saying, “for I have spoken my word.” In the Gemara of Tractate Megillah, the Rabbis have said: “As my mouth, so is my heart,” [meaning: “Just as I indicate no hatred against you in my speech, so is my heart free of hatred against you].”

Ramban (Nachmanides) on the Tanakh — English translation: “Commentary on the Torah by Ramban (Nachmanides). Translated and annotated by Charles B. Chavel. New York, Shilo Pub. House, 1971-1976” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.

והנה עיניכם, you can recognise my features with your own eyes. You can also identify me by my speaking Hebrew.

כי פי המדבר אליכם, for I am speaking to you without the services of an interpreter. I used his services only in order to conceal my true identity from you.

Radak on the Tanakh — English translations: “Sefaria Community Translation” (CC0 1.0 (public-domain dedication)); “Eliyahu Munk, HaChut Hameshulash” (CC BY 4.0); “Rabbi Mike Feuer, Jerusalem Anthology” (CC BY 4.0); and “R. David Kimhi on the first book of Psalms, Translated by R.G. Finch, London, 1919” (public domain). Text via Sefaria.