Genesis 50:21
in Genesis 50Therefore do not be afraid. I will provide for you and your little ones.” So Joseph reassured his brothers and spoke kindly to them.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Now therefore fear ye not: I will nourish you, and your little ones. And he comforted them, and spake kindly unto them.
KJV
Now therefore fear ye not: I will nourish you, and your little ones. And he comforted them, and spake kindly unto them.
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This verse in Genesis 50
Commentary
5 notes on this verseThis site's exposition
God intended for good
on Genesis 50:20-21
One Hebrew verb stands behind both intentions, chashab, to plan or reckon. The brothers planned evil against him, and God planned the same act for good, to keep many people alive. R. C. Sproul holds both true at once, the brothers answerable for their motive and God working His own end through it. Joseph then feeds them and their little ones.
This site's exposition
spoke kindly to them
Spoke kindly renders spoke to their heart. Isaiah 40:2 uses the phrase when God tells His messengers to comfort Jerusalem. Joseph's promise of food repeats his pledge at 45:11, and his tenderness answers their fear.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
25 And Joseph took an oath of the children of Israel, saying, God will surely visit you, and ye shall carry up my bones from hence. 26 So Joseph died, being an hundred and ten years old: and they embalmed him, and he was put in a coffin in Egypt.
quarantine:scripture (2026-07-29) — verbatim-scripture
Now therefore, fear ye not,....
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
13 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וְעַתָּה֙ | veatah | and therefore | H6258 → | 433 times |
| אַל־ | ʾal- | may not | H408 → | 724 times |
| תִּירָ֔אוּ | tirau | you fear | H3372 → | 315 times |
| אָנֹכִ֛י | ʾanokhi | I | H595 → | 359 times |
| אֲכַלְכֵּ֥ל | ʾakhalkel | I will provide for | H3557 → | 38 times |
| אֶתְכֶ֖ם | ʾetkhem | <obj.> you | H853 → | 10935 times |
| וְאֶֽת־ | veet | and <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| טַפְּכֶ֑ם | tapekhem | little one[s] your | H2945 → | 42 times |
| וַיְנַחֵ֣ם | vaynachem | and he comforted | H5162 → | 108 times |
| אוֹתָ֔ם | ʾotam | <obj.> them | H853 → | 10935 times |
| וַיְדַבֵּ֖ר | vaydaber | and he spoke | H1696 → | 1141 times |
| עַל־ | ʾal- | to | H5921 → | 5755 times |
| לִבָּֽם׃ | libam | heart their | H3820 → | 595 times |
וְעַתָּה֙and therefore
veatahH6258 →433 times
אַל־may not
ʾal-H408 →724 times
תִּירָ֔אוּyou fear
tirauH3372 →315 times
אָנֹכִ֛יI
ʾanokhiH595 →359 times
אֲכַלְכֵּ֥לI will provide for
ʾakhalkelH3557 →38 times
אֶתְכֶ֖ם<obj.> you
ʾetkhemH853 →10935 times
וְאֶֽת־and <obj.>
veetH853 →10935 times
טַפְּכֶ֑םlittle one[s] your
tapekhemH2945 →42 times
וַיְנַחֵ֣םand he comforted
vaynachemH5162 →108 times
אוֹתָ֔ם<obj.> them
ʾotamH853 →10935 times
וַיְדַבֵּ֖רand he spoke
vaydaberH1696 →1141 times
עַל־to
ʾal-H5921 →5755 times
לִבָּֽם׃heart their
libamH3820 →595 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
Matthew 5:44But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,
it leads to
- Romans 12:14
Bless those who persecute you. Bless and do not curse.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- 1 Peter 3:9
Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult, but with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Luke 6:27–28
But to those of you who will listen, I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you,
- Romans 12:20–21
On the contrary, “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him a drink. For in so doing, you will heap burning coals on his head.”
- Proverbs 25:21–22
If your enemy is hungry, give him food to eat, and if he is thirsty, give him water to drink.
- Romans 12:14
Through
1 Peter 3:9Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult, but with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing.
it leads to
- Romans 12:17
Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Carefully consider what is right in the eyes of everybody.
- Proverbs 20:22
Do not say, “I will avenge this evil!” Wait on the LORD, and He will save you.
- Romans 12:19–21
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.”
- Romans 12:17
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 Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Calvin, Commentary on Genesis; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible and R. C. Sproul, How Can God Bring Good Out of Evil?.