Focused Passage

Genesis 50:15-21

Jacob Is Buried in the Land of Promise, Joseph Reassures His Brothers, and God’s Sovereign Good Stands over Human Evil

Berean Standard Bible, Public Domain - Translation notes - Reference sources

15When Joseph’s brothers saw that their father was dead, they said, “What if Joseph bears a grudge? Then he will surely repay us for all the evil that we did to him.”

16So they sent word to Joseph, saying, “Before he died, your father commanded,

17‘This is what you are to say to Joseph: I beg you, please forgive the transgression and sin of your brothers, for they did you wrong.’ So now, Joseph, please forgive the transgression of the servants of the God of your father.” When their message came to him, Joseph wept.

18His brothers also came to him, bowed down before him, and said, “We are your slaves!”

19But Joseph replied, “Do not be afraid. Am I in the place of God?

20As for you, what you intended against me for evil, God intended for good, in order to accomplish a day like this—to preserve the lives of many people.

21Therefore do not be afraid. I will provide for you and your little ones.” So Joseph reassured his brothers and spoke kindly to them.

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 15

Cross-references

Acts 7:9Classic cross-references Proverbs 19:11Classic cross-references Proverbs 28:1Classic cross-references Genesis 27:41Classic cross-references Genesis 42:21Classic cross-references

Original words

When Joseph’sיוֹסֵף֙H3130Noun - proper - masculine singularbrothersאֲחֵֽי־H251Noun - masculine plural constructsawוַיִּרְא֤וּH7200Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine pluralthatכִּי־H3588Conjunctiontheir fatherאֲבִיהֶ֔םH1Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine pluralwas deadמֵ֣תH4191Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singularthey saidוַיֹּ֣אמְר֔וּH559Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine pluralWhat ifל֥וּH3863PrepositionJosephיוֹסֵ֑ףH3130Noun - proper - masculine singularbears a grudgeיִשְׂטְמֵ֖נוּH7852Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular | first person common pluralThen he will surely repayוְהָשֵׁ֤בH7725Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Infinitive absolute. . .יָשִׁיב֙H7725Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - third person masculine singularusלָ֔נוּPreposition | first person common plural-אֵ֚תH853Direct object markerfor allכָּל־H3605Noun - masculine singular constructthe evilהָ֣רָעָ֔הH7451Article | Adjective - feminine singularthatאֲשֶׁ֥רH834Pronoun - relativewe didגָּמַ֖לְנוּH1580Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common pluralto himאֹתֽוֹ׃H853Direct object marker | third person masculine singular

Verse 16

Cross-references

Proverbs 29:25Classic cross-references 1 Thessalonians 2:11Classic cross-references

Original words

So they sent wordוַיְצַוּ֕וּH6680Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine pluraltoאֶל־H413PrepositionJosephיוֹסֵ֖ףH3130Noun - proper - masculine singularsayingלֵאמֹ֑רH559Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive constructBeforeלִפְנֵ֥יH6440Preposition-l | Noun - common plural constructhe diedמוֹת֖וֹH4194Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular. . .לֵאמֹֽר׃H559Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive constructyour fatherאָבִ֣יךָH1Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singularcommandedצִוָּ֔הH6680Verb - Piel - Perfect - third person masculine singular

Verse 17

Cross-references

Luke 23:34Classic cross-references Ephesians 4:32Classic cross-references Genesis 31:5Classic cross-references Matthew 6:14Classic cross-references Genesis 45:4Classic cross-references

Original words

This is whatכֹּֽה־H3541Adverbyou are to sayתֹאמְר֣וּH559Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine pluralto Josephלְיוֹסֵ֗ףH3130Preposition-l | Noun - proper - masculine singularI beg youאָ֣נָּ֡אH577Interjectionpleaseנָ֠אH4994Interjectionforgiveשָׂ֣אH5375Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singularthe transgressionפֶּ֣שַׁעH6588Noun - masculine singular constructand sinוְחַטָּאתָם֙H2403Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine pluralof your brothersאַחֶ֤יךָH251Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine singularforכִּי־H3588Conjunctionthey didגְמָל֔וּךָH1580Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural | second person masculine singularyou wrongרָעָ֣הH7451Adjective - feminine singularSo now, [Joseph]וְעַתָּה֙H6258Conjunctive waw | Adverbpleaseנָ֔אH4994Interjectionforgiveשָׂ֣אH5375Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singularthe transgressionלְפֶ֥שַׁעH6588Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular constructof the servantsעַבְדֵ֖יH5650Noun - masculine plural constructof the Godאֱלֹהֵ֣יH430Noun - masculine plural constructof your fatherאָבִ֑יךָH1Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singularWhen their messageבְּדַבְּרָ֥םH1696Preposition-b | Verb - Piel - Infinitive construct | third person masculine pluralcame to himאֵלָֽיו׃H413Preposition | third person masculine singularJosephיוֹסֵ֖ףH3130Noun - proper - masculine singularweptוַיֵּ֥בְךְּH1058Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular

Verse 18

Cross-references

Genesis 37:7Classic cross-references 2 Samuel 9:7Classic cross-references Genesis 27:29Classic cross-references Genesis 42:6Classic cross-references Genesis 44:14Classic cross-references

Original words

His brothersאֶחָ֔יוH251Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine singularalsoגַּם־H1571Conjunctioncame to himוַיֵּלְכוּ֙H1980Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine pluralbowed downוַֽיִּפְּל֖וּH5307Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine pluralbefore himלְפָנָ֑יוH6440Preposition-l | Noun - common plural construct | third person masculine singularand saidוַיֹּ֣אמְר֔וּH559Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural. . .הִנֶּ֥נּֽוּH2009Interjection | third person masculine singularWe are your slavesלַעֲבָדִֽים׃H5650Preposition-l | Noun - masculine plural

Verse 19

Cross-references

Romans 12:19Classic cross-references Genesis 30:2Classic cross-references Genesis 45:5Classic cross-references

Original words

But Josephיוֹסֵ֖ףH3130Noun - proper - masculine singularrepliedוַיֹּ֧אמֶרH559Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular. . .אֲלֵהֶ֛םH413Preposition | third person masculine pluralDo notאַל־H408Adverbbe afraidתִּירָ֑אוּH3372Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine plural. . .כִּ֛יH3588ConjunctionAm Iאָֽנִי׃H589Pronoun - first person common singularin the place ofהֲתַ֥חַתH8478PrepositionGodאֱלֹהִ֖יםH430Noun - masculine plural

Verse 20

Cross-references

Romans 8:28Classic cross-references Psalms 119:71Classic cross-references Genesis 45:5Classic cross-references Genesis 37:18Classic cross-references Acts 2:23Classic cross-references

Original words

As for youוְאַתֶּ֕םH859Conjunctive waw | Pronoun - second person masculine pluralwhat you intendedחֲשַׁבְתֶּ֥םH2803Verb - Qal - Perfect - second person masculine pluralagainst meעָלַ֖יH5921Preposition | first person common singularfor evilרָעָ֑הH7451Adjective - feminine singularGodאֱלֹהִים֙H430Noun - masculine pluralintendedחֲשָׁבָ֣הּH2803Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular | third person feminine singularfor goodלְטֹבָ֔הH2896Preposition-l | Noun - feminine singularin order toלְמַ֗עַןH4616Conjunctionaccomplishעֲשֹׂ֛הH6213Verb - Qal - Infinitive constructa dayכַּיּ֥וֹםH3117Preposition-k, Article | Noun - masculine singularlike thisהַזֶּ֖הH2088Article | Pronoun - masculine singularto preserve the livesלְהַחֲיֹ֥תH2421Preposition-l | Verb - Hifil - Infinitive constructof manyרָֽב׃H7227Adjective - masculine singularpeopleעַם־H5971Noun - masculine singular

Verse 21

Cross-references

Genesis 47:12Classic cross-references 1 Peter 3:9Classic cross-references Genesis 45:10Classic cross-references 1 Thessalonians 5:15Classic cross-references Isaiah 40:2Classic cross-references

Original words

Thereforeוְעַתָּה֙H6258Conjunctive waw | Adverbdo notאַל־H408Adverbbe afraidתִּירָ֔אוּH3372Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine pluralIאָנֹכִ֛יH595Pronoun - first person common singularwill provide forאֲכַלְכֵּ֥לH3557Verb - Piel - Imperfect - first person common singularyouאֶתְכֶ֖םH853Direct object marker | second person masculine plural-וְאֶֽת־H853Conjunctive waw | Direct object markerand your little onesטַפְּכֶ֑םH2945Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine pluralSo [Joseph] reassuredוַיְנַחֵ֣םH5162Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular[his brothers]אוֹתָ֔םH853Direct object marker | third person masculine pluraland spokeוַיְדַבֵּ֖רH1696Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularkindly to themעַל־H5921Preposition. . .לִבָּֽם׃H3820Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine plural

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