Genesis 50:18 - Printer Friendly

ESV: His brothers also came and fell down before him and said, “Behold, we are your servants.”

NIV: His brothers then came and threw themselves down before him. 'We are your slaves,' they said.

NASB: Then his brothers also came and fell down before him and said, 'Behold, we are your servants.'

CSB: His brothers also came to him, bowed down before him, and said, "We are your slaves! "

NLT: Then his brothers came and threw themselves down before Joseph. 'Look, we are your slaves!' they said.

KJV: And his brethren also went and fell down before his face; and they said, Behold, we be thy servants.

NKJV: Then his brothers also went and fell down before his face, and they said, “Behold, we are your servants.”

Joseph's brothers sold him into slavery when he was a teenager (Genesis 37:26–28; 42:21–22). He unexpectedly became the second most powerful man in Egypt (Genesis 41:44). They reunited during a severe famine, as Joseph had the family resettled in comfort under his own protection (Genesis 47:11–13). Now that their father has died (Genesis 50:1–14), Joseph's brothers fear this has only been because of Jacob (Genesis 50:15). Using the same fawning approach their father often employed (Genesis 32:9–16; 43:11–14), they sent messengers with a message—supposedly from Jacob—asking for Joseph's forgiveness (Genesis 50:16–17).

With that preparation, the brothers arrive in person, throwing themselves down in submission. The same men who once sneered at Joseph for his prophetic dreams (Genesis 37:5–11) now declare exactly what his dreams predicted. They declare themselves his servants and hope he will be merciful. They've taken this posture with Joseph before, but only when they believed he was "only" a powerful Egyptian (Genesis 44:14–16). Now, they do so in fear of well-deserved vengeance.

It's worth noting that Genesis never describes these brothers asking for Joseph's forgiveness. He has offered it (Genesis 45:5–11), but if they ever said something like "we are sorry," the Bible makes no mention of it. If there had never been a moment of overt repentance, it might explain their combination of fear and unresolved guilt. The healing act of confessing wrongdoing and asking forgiveness is an essential step in healing any relationship broken by sin.

Joseph's response to this appeal for mercy is a powerful statement. It not only speaks to his incredible perspective, but it also clearly states that God can even use human wrongdoing to achieve His good purposes (Genesis 50:20).

Genesis 50:15–21 reveals that Joseph's brothers are consumed with guilt and fear after their father's death. They worry Joseph has been waiting for Jacob to die before taking revenge. This would not be unexpected, as they cruelly sold Joseph into slavery as a teenager (Genesis 37:26–28). The brothers attempt to appease Joseph with a message, supposedly from Jacob, but he tells them not to be afraid. In one of Scripture's most pivotal remarks, Joseph explains his conviction that, though their intent was evil, God's good purposes were behind everything that had happened. Despite their bad intentions, God used their acts to save many lives. Joseph assures them he will not harm them.

Genesis 50 begins with Joseph's weeping over his father's body, followed by the embalming of Jacob, a 70–day period of state mourning, and a trip to Canaan to bury Jacob with his fathers. Joseph's brothers, worried that he would take his revenge on them for selling him into slavery, seek Joseph's forgiveness. He assures them he will not harm them. The chapter skips to the end of Joseph's life. After assuring his people that God will return them to Canaan one day, Joseph dies and is embalmed.

After settling in Egypt, under his son's protection (Genesis 47—49), Jacob dies (Genesis 49:33). He is embalmed and all of Egypt mourns. Joseph buries his father in the family tomb in Canaan, then returns to Egypt. He asks that his body be taken back to Canaan someday. This sets up the events of the book of Exodus. Over centuries, Israel will grow into a prosperous people, only to be enslaved by a jealous Egyptian monarchy. This provides a context for God to rescue Israel and demonstrate His power.

The book of Genesis establishes fundamental truths about God. Among these are His role as the Creator, His holiness, His hatred of sin, His love for mankind, and His willingness to provide for our redemption. We learn not only where mankind has come from, but why the world is in its present form. The book also presents the establishment of Israel, God's chosen people. Many of the principles given in other parts of Scripture depend on the basic ideas presented here in the book of Genesis. Within the framework of the Bible, Genesis explains the bare-bones history of the universe leading up to the captivity of Israel in Egypt, setting the stage for the book of Exodus.