Genesis 50:15

Genesis 50:15 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And when Joseph’s brethren saw that their father was dead, they said, Joseph will peradventure hate us, and will certainly requite us all the evil which we did unto him.
• New International Version (NIV)When Joseph’s brothers saw that their father was dead, they said, “What if Joseph holds a grudge against us and pays us back for all the wrongs we did to him?”
• English Standard Version (ESV)When Joseph's brothers saw that their father was dead, they said, "It may be that Joseph will hate us and pay us back for all the evil that we did to him."
• New King James Version (NKJV)When Joseph’s brothers saw that their father was dead, they said, “Perhaps Joseph will hate us, and may actually repay us for all the evil which we did to him.”

Context of Genesis 50:15

13They carried his body to Canaan. They buried him there in the cave, in the field at Machpelah, near Mamre. That is the cave that Abraham had bought from Ephron the Hittite. He had bought it as a grave for him and for his family. 14When Joseph had buried his father, he returned to Egypt together with his brothers. Everyone who had gone to Canaan with him also returned to Egypt. Now Jacob was dead and Joseph's brothers became frightened. They said to each other, ‘We did a bad thing to Joseph. Now he will be angry and he will punish us for what we did.’ 16So they sent a message to Joseph. They said, ‘Your father said this to us before he died. 17He told us to say to you, “Please forgive your brothers for the very bad thing that they did against you. They did a very cruel thing to you.” So please forgive our sin. We are servants of your father's God.’ When Joseph received their message, he was very upset and he wept.

Genesis 50:15 word by word

וַיִּרְא֤וּ אֲחֵֽי־יוֹסֵף֙ כִּי־מֵ֣ת אֲבִיהֶ֔ם וַיֹּ֣אמְר֔וּ ל֥וּ יִשְׂטְמֵ֖נוּ יוֹסֵ֑ף וְהָשֵׁ֤ב יָשִׁיב֙ לָ֔נוּ אֵ֚ת כָּל־הָ֣רָעָ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר גָּמַ֖לְנוּ אֹתֽוֹ׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And when Joseph’sיוֹסֵףyôsêph · JosephH3130
• brethrenאָח'âch · brother: male-siblingH251
• sawרָאָהrâ'âh · to see: seeH7200
• that their fatherאָב'âb · fatherH1
• was deadמוּתmûth · to dieH4191
• they saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• will peradventureלוּlû' lû' lû · ifH3863
• hate usשָׂטַםώâţam · to hateH7852
• and will certainlyשׁוּבshûb · to return: payH7725
• us all the evilרָעָהra‛ râ‛âh · distress: evilH7451
• which we didגָּמַלgâmal · to weanH1580

Cross-references for Genesis 50:15

• Genesis 27:41Because Isaac had blessed Jacob, Esau hated his younger brother Jacob. Esau said quietly, ‘My father will die soon. When we have buried his body, I will kill my brother.’
• Genesis 42:17Then Joseph put his brothers in prison for three days.
• Leviticus 26:36Some of Israel's people will remain in other countries. They will be frightened. A leaf that is blowing in the wind will cause them to run away. It will be like when an enemy is running after them. They will fall even if no enemy is running after them.
• Job 15:21He will hear things that frighten him. He may think that he is safe, but robbers will attack him.
• Psalms 14:5Look at them! Now they are very afraid! They see that God is with the people who obey him.
• Psalms 53:5But now they are very afraid when there is nothing to be afraid of! God has completely won against his enemies, the people that attack you, his people. God has turned against them, so you are able to make them ashamed!
• Proverbs 28:1A wicked person runs away even when nobody is chasing him. But a righteous person is as brave as a lion.
• Romans 2:15Those people show that they know what is right. It is as if God has written his Law deep inside them. Their thoughts tell them the difference between what is right and what is wrong. Sometimes their thoughts say: ‘You did something that is wrong.’ And sometimes their thoughts say: ‘You did what is right.’

Commentaries on Genesis 50:15

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 15Saw that their father was dead - This at once argues both a sense of guilt in their own consciences, and a want of confidence in their brother. They might have supposed that hitherto he had forborne to punish them merely on their father's account; but now that he was dead, and Joseph having them completely in his power, they imagined that he would take vengeance on them for their former conduct towards him. Thus conscience records criminality; and, by…Read the comment
• 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 50:15

• Conviction

In the dictionaries

• Genesis

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