New International Version
Genesis 50:17
17‘This is what you are to say to Joseph: I ask you to forgive your brothers the sins and the wrongs they committed in treating you so badly.’ Now please forgive the sins of the servants of the God of your father.” When their message came to him, Joseph wept.
Genesis 50:17 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)So shall ye say unto Joseph, Forgive, I pray thee now, the trespass of thy brethren, and their sin; for they did unto thee evil: and now, we pray thee, forgive the trespass of the servants of the God of thy father. And Joseph wept when they spake unto him.
- English Standard Version (ESV)'Say to Joseph, "Please forgive the transgression of your brothers and their sin, because they did evil to you."' And now, please forgive the transgression of the servants of the God of your father." Joseph wept when they spoke to him.
- New King James Version (NKJV)‘Thus you shall say to Joseph: “I beg you, please forgive the trespass of your brothers and their sin; for they did evil to you.” ’ Now, please, forgive the trespass of the servants of the God of your father.” And Joseph wept when they spoke to him.
- New Living Translation (NLT)to say to you: ‘Please forgive your brothers for the great wrong they did to you—for their sin in treating you so cruelly.’ So we, the servants of the God of your father, beg you to forgive our sin.” When Joseph received the message, he broke down and wept.
Context of Genesis 50:17
15When 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?” 16So they sent word to Joseph, saying, “Your father left these instructions before he died: ‘This is what you are to say to Joseph: I ask you to forgive your brothers the sins and the wrongs they committed in treating you so badly.’ Now please forgive the sins of the servants of the God of your father.” When their message came to him, Joseph wept. 18His brothers then came and threw themselves down before him. “We are your slaves,” they said. 19But Joseph said to them, “Don’t be afraid. Am I in the place of God?
Read all of Genesis 50Genesis 50:17 word by word
כֹּֽה־תֹאמְר֣וּ לְיוֹסֵ֗ף אָ֣נָּ֡א שָׂ֣א נָ֠א פֶּ֣שַׁע אַחֶ֤יךָ וְחַטָּאתָם֙ כִּי־רָעָ֣ה גְמָל֔וּךָ וְעַתָּה֙ שָׂ֣א נָ֔א לְפֶ֥שַׁע עַבְדֵ֖י אֱלֹהֵ֣י אָבִ֑יךָ וַיֵּ֥בְךְּ יוֹסֵ֖ף בְּדַבְּרָ֥ם אֵלָֽיו׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- So shall ye sayאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- unto Josephיוֹסֵףyôsêph · JosephH3130
- Forgiveנָשָׂאnâώâ' nâsâh · to lift: forgiveH5375
- I pray theeאָֽנָּ֫א'ân'â 'ânnâh · Please!H577
- now, the trespassפֶּ֫שַׁעpesha‛ · transgressionH6588
- of thy brethrenאָח'âch · brother: male-siblingH251
- and their sinחַטָּאתchaţţâ'âh chaţţâ'th · sinH2403
- for they didגָּמַלgâmal · to weanH1580
- unto thee evilרָעָהra‛ râ‛âh · distress: evilH7451
- of the servantsעֶ֫בֶד‛ebed · servant/slaveH5650
- of the Godאֱלֹהִים'ĕlôhîym · GodH430
- of thy fatherאָב'âb · fatherH1
- weptבָּכָהbâkâh · to weepH1058
- when they spakeדָבַרdâbar · to speak: speakH1696
Cross-references for Genesis 50:17
- Matthew 6:12And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.
- Matthew 18:35“This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother or sister from your heart.”
- Luke 17:3So watch yourselves. “If your brother or sister sins against you, rebuke them; and if they repent, forgive them.
- Ephesians 4:32Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.
- Colossians 3:12Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.
- Genesis 50:20You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.
- Job 33:27And they will go to others and say, ‘I have sinned, I have perverted what is right, but I did not get what I deserved.
- Psalms 21:11Though they plot evil against you and devise wicked schemes, they cannot succeed.
- Proverbs 28:13Whoever conceals their sins does not prosper, but the one who confesses and renounces them finds mercy.
- James 5:16Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.
- Genesis 31:42If the God of my father, the God of Abraham and the Fear of Isaac, had not been with me, you would surely have sent me away empty-handed. But God has seen my hardship and the toil of my hands, and last night he rebuked you.”
- Genesis 49:25because of your father’s God, who helps you, because of the Almighty, who blesses you with blessings of the skies above, blessings of the deep springs below, blessings of the breast and womb.
- Matthew 10:42And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones who is my disciple, truly I tell you, that person will certainly not lose their reward.”
- Matthew 25:40“The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’
- Mark 10:41When the ten heard about this, they became indignant with James and John.
- Galatians 6:10Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.
Commentaries on Genesis 50:17
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 17The servants of the God of thy father - These words were wonderfully well chosen, and spoken in the most forcible manner to Joseph's piety and filial affection. No wonder then that he wept when they spake to him.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 50:17
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
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