Berean Standard Bible
Genesis 50:18
18His brothers also came to him, bowed down before him, and said, “We are your slaves!”
Genesis 50:18 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And his brethren also went and fell down before his face; and they said, Behold, we be thy servants.
- New International Version (NIV)His brothers then came and threw themselves down before him. “We are your slaves,” they said.
- English Standard Version (ESV)His brothers also came and fell down before him and said, "Behold, we are your servants."
- New King James Version (NKJV)Then his brothers also went and fell down before his face, and they said, “Behold, we are your servants.”
Context of Genesis 50:18
16So they sent word to Joseph, saying, “Before he died, your father commanded, 17‘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. His brothers also came to him, bowed down before him, and said, “We are your slaves!” 19But Joseph replied, “Do not be afraid. Am I in the place of God? 20As 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.
Read all of Genesis 50Genesis 50:18 word by word
וַיֵּלְכוּ֙ גַּם־אֶחָ֔יו וַֽיִּפְּל֖וּ לְפָנָ֑יו וַיֹּ֣אמְר֔וּ הִנֶּ֥נּֽוּ לְךָ֖ לַעֲבָדִֽים׃Read the interlinear
- His brothersאָח'âch · brother: male-siblingH251
- alsoגַּםgam · alsoH1571
- came to himהָלַךְhâlak · to go: comeH1980
- bowed downנָפַלnâphal · to fall: fallH5307
- before himפָּנֶהpânîym · face: beforeH6440
- and saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- and saidהִנֵּהhinnêh · beholdH2009
- We are your slavesעֶ֫בֶד‛ebed · servant/slaveH5650
Cross-references for Genesis 50:18
- 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 be cursed, and those who bless you be blessed.”
- Genesis 37:7We were binding sheaves of grain in the field, and suddenly my sheaf rose and stood upright, while your sheaves gathered around and bowed down to mine.”
- Genesis 42:6Now Joseph was the ruler of the land; he was the one who sold grain to all its people. So when his brothers arrived, they bowed down before him with their faces to the ground.
- Genesis 44:14When Judah and his brothers arrived at Joseph’s house, he was still there, and they fell to the ground before him.
- 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.
Commentaries on Genesis 50:18
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 1-26Verses 1-26 - The Burial of Jacob 10. אטד 'āṭâd Atad, “the buck-thorn.” 11. מצרים אבל 'ābêl -mı̂tsrayı̂m Abel-Mitsraim, “mourning of Mizraim,” or meadow of Mizraim. This chapter records the burial of Jacob and the death of Joseph, and so completes the history of the chosen family, and the third bible for the instruction of man. Genesis 50:1-3 After the natural outburst of sorrow for his deceased parent, Joseph gave orders to embalm the body…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 15-21Verses 15-21 Various motives might cause the sons of Jacob to continue in Egypt, notwithstanding the prophetic vision Abraham had of their bondage there. Judging of Joseph from the general temper of human nature, they thought he would now avenge himself on those who hated and injured him without cause. Not being able to resist, or to flee away, they attempted to soften him by humbling themselves. They pleaded with him as the servants of Jacob's God…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 15-18The brothers begged Joseph to forgive them, referring to themselves as his slaves (compare 37:7; 44:16, 33). They worried that Joseph had only made peace with them earlier because he wanted to see his father again. Now that Jacob and Pharaoh were not there to restrain him, they feared he might seek revenge. But Joseph wept because they still feared he would punish them.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 15-2115-21. 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.Read the comment
Topics related to Genesis 50:18
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Genesis 50
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
Berean Standard Bible — © Berean Bible — CC0 / Public Domain
Commentaries