Genesis 50:18

And his brethren also went and fell down before his face; and they said, Behold, we be thy servants.

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Word by word — the Hebrew

Word	Hebrew	Strong’s	Meaning
brethren	אֶחָ֔יו 'e.Chav	H251	a brother (used in the widest sense of literal relation… · noun, common masculine plural construct + pronominal suffix, 3rd person masculine singular
went	יָלַךְ yâlak	H3212	to walk (literally or figuratively)
down	וַֽיִּפְּל֖וּ vai.yi.pe.Lu	H5307	to fall · conjunction + verb, qal sequential imperfect, 3rd person masculine plural
face	לְפָנָ֑יו le.fa.Nav	H6440	the face (as the part that turns) · preposition + noun, common masculine plural construct + pronominal suffix, 3rd person masculine singular
said	וַיֹּ֣אמְר֔וּ vai.Yo.me.Ru	H559	to say (used with great latitude) · conjunction + verb, qal sequential imperfect, 3rd person masculine plural
servants	לַעֲבָדִֽים la.'a.va.Dim	H5650	a servant · preposition + noun, common masculine plural absolute

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance (James Strong, 1890/1894), public domain; digitized by Open Scriptures (CC BY-SA). KJV word tagging: eBible.org (public domain). Original-language text, parsing and brief lexicon: STEPBible.org data from Tyndale House, Cambridge (CC BY 4.0).

Cross-references

Genesis 37:7-11 For, behold, we were binding sheaves in the field, and, lo, my sheaf arose, and also stood upright; and, behold, your sheaves stood round ab…
Genesis 27:29 Let people serve thee, and nations bow down to thee: be lord over thy brethren, and let thy mother’s sons bow down to thee: cursed be every…
Genesis 42:6 And Joseph was the governor over the land, and he it was that sold to all the people of the land: and Joseph’s brethren came, and bowed down…
Genesis 44:14 And Judah and his brethren came to Joseph’s house; for he was yet there: and they fell before him on the ground.
Genesis 45:3 And Joseph said unto his brethren, I am Joseph; doth my father yet live? And his brethren could not answer him; for they were troubled at hi…

Cross-references from OpenBible.info (CC BY), in the lineage of the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (public domain).

Commentary

Matthew Henry on Genesis 50:15-21

We have here the settling of a good correspondence between Joseph and his brethren, now that their father was dead. Joseph was at court, in the royal city; his brethren were in Goshen, remote in the country; yet the keeping up of a good understanding, and a good affection, between them, would be both his honour and their interest. Note, When Providence has removed the parents by death, the best methods ought to be taken, not only for the preventing of quarrels among the children (which often happen about the dividing of the estate), but for the preserving of acquaintance and love, that unity may continue even when that centre of unity is taken away. I. Joseph's brethren humbly make their cou…

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Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Genesis 50:15

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.

Adam Clarke on Genesis 50:17

The 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.

John Gill on Genesis 50:18

And his brethren also went,.... The messengers being returned to them, and acquainting them with what Joseph had said, they took courage and went from Goshen to Joseph's house or palace, be it where it may: and fell down before his face; in an humble suppliant manner: and they said, behold, we be thy servants; they were content to be so, would he but forgive their sin, and not resent their ill behaviour to him; thus they further fulfilled his dream of the eleven stars making obeisance to him, Genesis 37:9.

John Calvin

The Church Fathers

See how great a thing virtue is, how powerful and invincible, and how profound the weakness of evil. I mean, look, the one who endured such suffering reigns as king whereas those who submitted their brother to such indignities beg to be slaves of the one given by them into servitude.
— John Chrysostom, HOMILIES ON GENESIS 67.19

The Church Fathers: public-domain translations (Ante-Nicene and Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers), verse-indexed by SermonIndex (CC BY 4.0).

Dictionary and topics

Alliances — On the first establishment of the Hebrews in Palestine no connections were formed between them and the surrounding nations. But with the extension of their power under the kings alliances became…
Conviction · .Joseph’s brother, on account of their cruelty to Joseph — .Joseph’s brother, on account of their cruelty to Joseph
Families · Should: Live in mutual forbearance — Should: Live in mutual forbearance
Family · .Live in mutual forbearance — .Live in mutual forbearance

Dictionary: Easton's (1897) and Smith's (1863), public domain. Topics: Nave's Topical Bible (1896) and Torrey's Topical Textbook (1897), public domain. Both as parsed by NEUU (CC BY 4.0).

Genesis 50:18

Word by word — the Hebrew

Cross-references

Commentary

Matthew Henry on Genesis 50:15-21

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Genesis 50:15

Adam Clarke on Genesis 50:17

John Gill on Genesis 50:18

John Calvin

The Church Fathers

Dictionary and topics

Genesis 50:18

Word by word — the Hebrew

Cross-references

Commentary

Matthew Henry on Genesis 50:15-21

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Genesis 50:15

Adam Clarke on Genesis 50:17

John Gill on Genesis 50:18

John Calvin

The Church Fathers

Dictionary and topics

Keil & Delitzsch on Genesis 50:15-21

Tyndale Open Study Notes on Genesis 50:15-18

Rashi on Genesis 50:18