Genesis 50:17
in Genesis 50‘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.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
So shall ye say unto Joseph, Forgive, I pray thee now, the transgression of thy brethren, and their sin, for that they did unto thee evil. And now, we pray thee, forgive the transgression of the servants of the God of thy father. And Joseph wept when they spake unto him.
KJV
So shall ye say unto Joseph, Forgive, I pray thee now, the trespass of thy brethren, and their sin; for they did unto thee evil: and now, we pray thee, forgive the trespass of the servants of the God of thy father. And Joseph wept when they spake unto him.
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This verse in Genesis 50
Commentary
6 notes on this verseThe servants of the God of thy father - These words were wonderfully well chosen, and spoken in the most forcible manner to Joseph’s piety and filial affection. No wonder then that he wept when they spake to him.
This site's exposition
When Joseph's brothers saw that their father was dead
on Genesis 50:15-17
The brothers still believe Joseph was waiting for their father to die. They send word ahead instead of coming themselves, and Adam Clarke takes the charge they report as one Jacob did give. The word forgive stands here for the first time in Scripture, in a brother's mouth asking a brother. Joseph weeps when the message reaches him.
This site's exposition
the transgression and sin of your brothers
The brothers name their wrong with two words, transgression and sin, the pair David uses at Psalm 32:1 and 5. They call themselves servants of their father's God, sheltering under the faith they share with Joseph. Joseph hears his own God named in the plea.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
So shall ye say unto Joseph, forgive, I pray thee now, the trespass of thy brethren, and their sin,....
Note, Though we must be ready to forgive all that are any way injurious to us, yet we must especially take heed of bearing malice towards any that are the servants of the God of our father: such we should always treat with a peculiar tenderness; for we and they have the same Master.
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
When Joseph's brethren saw that their father was dead, they said, Joseph will peradventure hate us, &c.--Joseph was deeply affected by this communication. He gave them the strongest assurances of his forgiveness and thereby gave both a beautiful trait of his own pious character, as well as appeared an eminent type of the Saviour.
The words behind it
23 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| כֹּֽה־ | koh- | thus | H3541 → | 577 times |
| תֹאמְר֣וּ | tomeru | you will say | H559 → | 5305 times |
| לְיוֹסֵ֗ף | leyosef | to Joseph | H3130 → | 213 times |
| אָ֣נָּ֡א | ʾana' | we beg you | H577 → | |
| שָׂ֣א | sa' | forgive | H5375 → | 656 times |
| נָ֠א | na' | please | H4994 → | 404 times |
| פֶּ֣שַׁע | pesha' | [the] transgression of | H6588 → | 93 times |
| אַחֶ֤יךָ | ʾacheikha | brothers your | H251 → | 630 times |
| וְחַטָּאתָם֙ | vechatatam | and sin their | H2403 → | 295 times |
| כִּי־ | ki- | for | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| רָעָ֣ה | raah | evil | H7451 → | 662 times |
| גְמָל֔וּךָ | gemalukha | they dealt out to you | H1580 → | 37 times |
| וְעַתָּה֙ | veatah | and now | H6258 → | 433 times |
| שָׂ֣א | sa' | forgive | H5375 → | 656 times |
| נָ֔א | na' | please | H4994 → | 404 times |
| לְפֶ֥שַׁע | lefesha' | to [the] transgression of | H6588 → | 93 times |
| עַבְדֵ֖י | ʾavdei | [the] servants of | H5650 → | 799 times |
| אֱלֹהֵ֣י | ʾelohei | [the] God of | H430 → | 2601 times |
| אָבִ֑יךָ | ʾavikha | father your | H1 → | 1212 times |
| וַיֵּ֥בְךְּ | vaiyevek | and he wept | H1058 → | 114 times |
| יוֹסֵ֖ף | yosef | Joseph | H3130 → | 213 times |
| בְּדַבְּרָ֥ם | bedaberam | when spoke they | H1696 → | 1141 times |
| אֵלָֽיו׃ | ʾelav | to him | H413 → | 5510 times |
כֹּֽה־thus
koh-H3541 →577 times
תֹאמְר֣וּyou will say
tomeruH559 →5305 times
לְיוֹסֵ֗ףto Joseph
leyosefH3130 →213 times
אָ֣נָּ֡אwe beg you
ʾana'H577 →
שָׂ֣אforgive
sa'H5375 →656 times
נָ֠אplease
na'H4994 →404 times
פֶּ֣שַׁע[the] transgression of
pesha'H6588 →93 times
אַחֶ֤יךָbrothers your
ʾacheikhaH251 →630 times
וְחַטָּאתָם֙and sin their
vechatatamH2403 →295 times
כִּי־for
ki-H3588 →4482 times
רָעָ֣הevil
raahH7451 →662 times
גְמָל֔וּךָthey dealt out to you
gemalukhaH1580 →37 times
וְעַתָּה֙and now
veatahH6258 →433 times
שָׂ֣אforgive
sa'H5375 →656 times
נָ֔אplease
na'H4994 →404 times
לְפֶ֥שַׁעto [the] transgression of
lefesha'H6588 →93 times
עַבְדֵ֖י[the] servants of
ʾavdeiH5650 →799 times
אֱלֹהֵ֣י[the] God of
ʾeloheiH430 →2601 times
אָבִ֑יךָfather your
ʾavikhaH1 →1212 times
וַיֵּ֥בְךְּand he wept
vaiyevekH1058 →114 times
יוֹסֵ֖ףJoseph
yosefH3130 →213 times
בְּדַבְּרָ֥םwhen spoke they
bedaberamH1696 →1141 times
אֵלָֽיו׃to him
ʾelavH413 →5510 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
Ephesians 4:32Be kind and tenderhearted to one another, forgiving each other just as in Christ God forgave you.
it leads to
- Colossians 3:12–13
Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, clothe yourselves with hearts of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.
- Matthew 6:14–15
For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.
- Mark 11:25
And when you stand to pray, if you hold anything against another, forgive it, so that your Father in heaven will forgive your trespasses as well.”
- 1 Peter 3:8–9
Finally, all of you, be like-minded and sympathetic, love as brothers, be tenderhearted and humble.
- 2 Corinthians 2:10
If you forgive anyone, I also forgive him. And if I have forgiven anything, I have forgiven it in the presence of Christ for your sake,
- Colossians 3:12–13
Through
Proverbs 28:13He who conceals his sins will not prosper, but whoever confesses and renounces them will find mercy.
it leads to
- 1 John 1:8–10
If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
- Psalms 32:3–5
When I kept silent, my bones became brittle from my groaning all day long.
- Job 31:33
if I have covered my transgressions like Adam by hiding my guilt in my heart,
- 1 John 1:8–10
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies2
On this verse
On this chapter
About Genesis

Who and where
1 name in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.
