Genesis 50:15

_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._ When Joseph's brethren saw ... He was deeply affected by this communication. In endeavouring to dispel their fears, he gave them the strongest assurances of his forgiveness, and exhibited a beautiful trait of his own pious character, as well as appeared an eminent type of the Saviour....

15._And when, Joseph’s brethren saw that their father was dead_. Moses here relates, that the sons of Jacob, after the death of their father, were apprehensive lest Joseph should take vengeance for the injury they had done him. And whence this fear, but because they form their judgment of him according to their own disposition? That they had found him so placable they do not attribute to true piety towards God, nor do they account it a special gift of the Spirit: but rather, they imagine that, out of respect to his father alone, he had hitherto been so far restrained, as barely to postpone his revenge. But, by such perverse judgment, they do a great injury to one who, by the liberality of his treatment, had borne them witness that his mind was free from all hatred and malevolence. Part of the injurious surmise reflected even upon God, whose special grace had shone forth in the moderation...

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. Joseph was much affected at seeing this complete fulfilment of his dreams. He directs them not to fear him, but to fear God; to humble themselves before the Lord, and to seek the Divine forgiveness. He assures them of his own kindness to them. See what an excellent spirit Joseph was of, and learn of him to render good for evil. He comforted them, and, to banish all their fears, he spake kindly to them. Broken spirits must be bound up and encouraged....

Verse Genesis 50:15. _SAW 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 giving birth to continual fears and doubtfulness, destroys all peace of mind, security, and confidence. On this subject an elegant poet has spoken with his usual point and discernment: - _Exemplo quodcumque malo committitur_, ipsi...

- 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 After the natural outburst of sorrow for his deceased parent, Joseph gave orders to embalm the body, according to the custom of Egypt. “His servants, the physicians.” As the grand vizier of Egypt, he has physicians in his retinue. The classes and functions of the physicians in Egy

EXPOSITION GENESIS 50:15 AND WHEN (literally _and_)_ _JOSEPH'S BRETHREN SAW THAT THEIR FATHER WAS DEAD, THEY (literally, and they) SAID, JOSEPH WILL PERADVENTURE HATE US,—literally, _If Joseph _hated us, or pursued us hostilely (_sc_._ _what would become of us?), לוּ with the imperfect or future setting forth a possible but undesirable contingency—AND WILL CERTAINLY REQUITE US (literally, _if returning he caused to return upon us_) ALL THE EVIL WHICH WE DID UNTO HIM. "What then?" is the natural conclusion of the sentence. "We must be utterly undone." GENESIS 50:16,...

AND WHEN JOSEPH'S BRETHREN SAW THAT THEIR FATHER WAS DEAD,.... And buried; for this and what follows were after their return to Egypt, from the burial of their father; though some think it was before, and as soon as they saw their father was dead, when they thought it a proper time, while Joseph's heart was tender and affected with his father's death, to compromise matters with him: but there is no reason to invert the order of the narration, for this "seeing" is not to be understood of their bodily sight, but of the contemplation of their minds; they considered with themselves that their father was now dead and buried, they had lost an affectionate parent, who was concerned for the welfare and peace of all his family, but what a turn things would now take they knew not: THEY SAID, JOSEPH WILL PERADVENTURE HATE US, AND WILL CERTAINLY REQUITE US ALL THE EVIL WHICH WE DID UNTO HIM; their...

CHAPTER 50 THE BURIAL OF JACOB AND JOSEPH'S RETURN AND DEATH _ 1. The grief of Joseph (Genesis 50:1)_ 2. The burial (Genesis 50:4) 3. The return to Egypt (Genesis 50:14) 4. The death of Joseph (Genesis 50:24) This great book which begins with the perfect and good creation of God ends with a burial and the last words are “a coffin in Egypt.” What havoc sin has wrought. Jacob died 147 years old and after his body was embalmed was carried to Canaan. Read in connection with Joseph's death Exodus 13:19,...

DISCOURSE: 62 JOSEPH’S BRETHREN FULFILLING THE PROPHECY RESPECTING THEM Genesis 50:15. _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. And they sent a messenger unto Joseph, saying, Thy father did command before he died, saying, 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._ THE heart of man by nature is vindictive. It was a just observation of Saul to David, “If a man find his enemy, will he let him go well away [Note: 1 Samuel 24:19.] ?” Hence, when m

WHEN JOSEPH'S BRETHREN SAW— One cannot have a stronger proof of the restless anxiety of a guilty conscience, than in this message and address of Joseph's brethren to him; nor can any thing more finely describe the feelings of an ingenuous disposition, than the actions and words of Joseph on this occasion. Sensibly touched at the message, _he wept,_ Genesis 50:17 when it was delivered to him; while, with the utmost benignity and tenderness, he removed all their fears, when his brethren appeared before him. This single circumstance is sufficient to remove every imputation from the character of Joseph, who, it is certain, had he been a bad man, now enjoyed the fairest opportunity to wreak his revenge; whereas his whole conduct speaks nothing but tenderness, piety, (Genesis 50:20.) generosity, and affect