Genesis 50:19
in Genesis 50But Joseph replied, “Do not be afraid. Am I in the place of God?
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And Joseph said unto them, Fear not: for am I in the place of God?
KJV
And Joseph said unto them, Fear not: for am I in the place of God?
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This verse in Genesis 50
Commentary
6 notes on this verseJoseph wept and said, "Do not be afraid of me, for although your father has died, the God of your father, on account of whom I will never strike you, is still alive.
This site's exposition
Am I in the place of God
Joseph tells them to stop being afraid. He refuses the place of God, which the brothers were offering him. Adam Clarke reads the line either as a question or as a statement that the matter now lies between them and God. Ephrem the Syrian puts it that their father has died and the God of their father is living.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
No, I will leave you to his mercy." Those that avenge themselves step into the place of God, Rom. xii. He extenuates their fault, from the consideration of the great good which God wonderfully brought out of it, which, though it should not make them the less sorry for their sin, yet might make him the more willing to forgive it (
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — unbalanced-parens+odd-straight-quotes
And Joseph said unto them, fear not,....
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
Am I in the place of God? - These words may be understood either as a question, or an affirmative proposition. How should I take any farther notice of your transgression? I have passed it by, the matter lies now between God and you.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַיֹּ֧אמֶר | vaiyomer | and he said | H559 → | 5305 times |
| אֲלֵהֶ֛ם | ʾalehem | to them | H413 → | 5510 times |
| יוֹסֵ֖ף | yosef | Joseph | H3130 → | 213 times |
| אַל־ | ʾal- | may not | H408 → | 724 times |
| תִּירָ֑אוּ | tirau | you fear | H3372 → | 315 times |
| כִּ֛י | ki | that | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| הֲתַ֥חַת | hatachat | ¿ in place of | H8478 → | 505 times |
| אֱלֹהִ֖ים | ʾelohim | God | H430 → | 2601 times |
| אָֽנִי׃ | ʾani | [am] I | H589 → | 874 times |
וַיֹּ֧אמֶרand he said
vaiyomerH559 →5305 times
אֲלֵהֶ֛םto them
ʾalehemH413 →5510 times
יוֹסֵ֖ףJoseph
yosefH3130 →213 times
אַל־may not
ʾal-H408 →724 times
תִּירָ֑אוּyou fear
tirauH3372 →315 times
כִּ֛יthat
kiH3588 →4482 times
הֲתַ֥חַת¿ in place of
hatachatH8478 →505 times
אֱלֹהִ֖יםGod
ʾelohimH430 →2601 times
אָֽנִי׃[am] I
ʾaniH589 →874 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
Romans 12:19Do not avenge yourselves, beloved, but leave room for God’s wrath. For it is written: “Vengeance is Mine; I will repay, says the Lord.”
it leads to
- Deuteronomy 32:35
Vengeance is Mine; I will repay. In due time their foot will slip; for their day of disaster is near, and their doom is coming quickly.”
- Hebrews 10:30
For we know Him who said, “Vengeance is Mine; I will repay,” and again, “The Lord will judge His people.”
- Proverbs 24:29
Do not say, “I will do to him as he has done to me; I will repay the man according to his work.”
- Proverbs 20:22
Do not say, “I will avenge this evil!” Wait on the LORD, and He will save you.
- Romans 12:17
Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Carefully consider what is right in the eyes of everybody.
- Deuteronomy 32:35
Through
Hebrews 10:30For we know Him who said, “Vengeance is Mine; I will repay,” and again, “The Lord will judge His people.”
it leads to
- Deuteronomy 32:35–36
Vengeance is Mine; I will repay. In due time their foot will slip; for their day of disaster is near, and their doom is coming quickly.”
- Romans 12:19
Do not avenge yourselves, beloved, but leave room for God’s wrath. For it is written: “Vengeance is Mine; I will repay, says the Lord.”
- Deuteronomy 32:35–36
Through
Genesis 45:5And now, do not be distressed or angry with yourselves that you sold me into this place, because it was to save lives that God sent me before you.
it leads to
- Genesis 50:20
As 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.
- Genesis 50:20
Where this verse is studied
On this page
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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; Ephrem the Syrian, COMMENTARY ON GENESIS 44:2; Ephrem the Syrian, Commentary on Genesis; 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.