They sent a message to Joseph, saying, “Your father commanded before he died, saying,
Parallel translations
- KJV And they sent a messenger unto Joseph, saying, Thy father did command before he died, saying,
- BSB So they sent word to Joseph, saying, “Before he died, your father commanded,
- NKJV So they sent messengers to Joseph, saying, “Before your father died he commanded, saying,
- NASB So they sent instructions to Joseph, saying, “Your father commanded us before he died, saying,
- NLT So they sent this message to Joseph: “Before your father died, he instructed us
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
The brothers send Joseph a message claiming their father commanded that he forgive them.
Overview
Out of fear, the brothers appeal, perhaps with some embellishment, to Jacob's wishes to secure Joseph's mercy. Their indirect approach shows how hard it is for the guilty to rest in grace already shown. Yet their plea opens the way for Joseph to display a deeper, freely given forgiveness.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 1
- Prov 29:25The fear of man proves to be a snare, but whoever puts his trust in Yahweh is kept safe.
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Christ at the center
From the first promise that the seed of the woman would crush the serpent (3:15), through Abraham's blessing to all nations and Judah's coming ruler, Genesis sows every seed that flowers in Christ — the true offspring, the better Adam, the ram caught for Isaac.
How Genesis 50:16 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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