Genesis 50:18
in Genesis 50His brothers also came to him, bowed down before him, and said, “We are your slaves!”
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And his brethren also went and fell down before his face; and they said, Behold, we are thy servants.
KJV
And his brethren also went and fell down before his face; and they said, Behold, we be thy servants.
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This verse in Genesis 50
Commentary
5 notes on this verseAnd his brethren also went,.... The messengers being returned to them, and acquainting them with what Joseph had said, they took courage and went from Goshen to Joseph's house or palace, be it where it may: and fell down before his face; in an humble suppliant manner: and they said, behold, we be thy servants; they were content to be so, would he but forgive their sin, and not resent their ill behaviour to him; thus they further fulfilled his dream of the eleven stars making obeisance to him, Gen 37:9.
This site's exposition
bowed down before him
The brothers come themselves, bow down before Joseph, and call themselves his slaves. John Gill marks this as the finish of Joseph's dream at Genesis 37:9. What they hated him for telling is what they now do. They bow before their brother and ask for their lives, afraid of what he will do.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
See how great a thing virtue is, how powerful and invincible, and how profound the weakness of evil. I mean, look, the one who endured such suffering reigns as king whereas those who submitted their brother to such indignities beg to be slaves of the one given by them into servitude.
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
They speak of their former offence with fresh regret: Forgive the trespass. They throw themselves at Joseph's feet, and refer themselves to his mercy: We are thy servants. Thus we must bewail the sins we committed long ago, even those which we hope through grace are forgiven; and, when we pray to God for pardon, we must promise to be his servants.
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
9 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַיֵּלְכוּ֙ | vaiyelekhu | and they went | H1980 → | 1546 times |
| גַּם־ | gam- | also | H1571 → | 769 times |
| אֶחָ֔יו | ʾechav | brothers his | H251 → | 630 times |
| וַֽיִּפְּל֖וּ | vaiyipelu | and they fell | H5307 → | 435 times |
| לְפָנָ֑יו | lefanav | <to> before him | H6440 → | 2123 times |
| וַיֹּ֣אמְר֔וּ | vaiyomeru | and they said | H559 → | 5305 times |
| הִנֶּ֥נּֽוּ | hinenu | here we | H2009 → | 843 times |
| לְךָ֖ | lekha | [belong] to you | ||
| לַעֲבָדִֽים׃ | laavadim | to slaves | H5650 → | 799 times |
וַיֵּלְכוּ֙and they went
vaiyelekhuH1980 →1546 times
גַּם־also
gam-H1571 →769 times
אֶחָ֔יוbrothers his
ʾechavH251 →630 times
וַֽיִּפְּל֖וּand they fell
vaiyipeluH5307 →435 times
לְפָנָ֑יו<to> before him
lefanavH6440 →2123 times
וַיֹּ֣אמְר֔וּand they said
vaiyomeruH559 →5305 times
הִנֶּ֥נּֽוּhere we
hinenuH2009 →843 times
לְךָ֖[belong] to you
lekha
לַעֲבָדִֽים׃to slaves
laavadimH5650 →799 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
Genesis 27:29May peoples serve you and nations bow down to you. May you be the master of your brothers, and may the sons of your mother bow down to you. May those who curse you…
it leads to
- Numbers 24:9
He crouches, he lies down like a lion; like a lioness, who dares to rouse him? Blessed are those who bless you and cursed are those who curse you.”
- Genesis 12:3
I will bless those who bless you and curse those who curse you; and all the families of the earth will be blessed through you.”
- Isaiah 49:23
Kings will be your foster fathers, and their queens your nursing mothers. They will bow to you facedown and lick the dust at your feet. Then you will know that I am the LORD;…
- Genesis 9:25–26
he said, “Cursed be Canaan! A servant of servants shall he be to his brothers.”
- Romans 9:12
not by works but by Him who calls, she was told, “The older will serve the younger.”
- Numbers 24:9
Through
Genesis 45:3Joseph said to his brothers, “I am Joseph! Is my father still alive?” But they were unable to answer him, because they were terrified in his presence.
it leads to
- Acts 7:13
On their second visit, Joseph revealed his identity to his brothers, and his family became known to Pharaoh.
- Acts 9:5
“Who are You, Lord?” Saul asked. “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,” He replied.
- Zechariah 12:10
Then I will pour out on the house of David and on the people of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and prayer, and they will look on Me, the One they have pierced. They…
- Acts 7:13
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies2
On this verse
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About Genesis
This page draws on Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Chrysostom, HOMILIES ON GENESIS 67.19; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.