His brothers also went and fell down before his face; and they said, “Behold, we are your servants.”
Parallel Translations
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His brothers also went and fell down before his face; and they said, “Behold, we are your servants.”
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And his brethren also went and fell down before his face; and they said, Behold, we be thy servants.
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And his brethren also went and fell down before his face; and they said: 'Behold, we are thy bondmen.'
Cross-references (5)
Passages linked to Genesis 50:18 in the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge, ordered by reader-vote popularity; verse text shown in World English Bible.
- Genesis 37:7-11 for behold, we were binding sheaves in the field, and behold, my sheaf arose and also stood upright; and behold, your sheaves came around, and bowed down to my sheaf.” His brothers asked him, “Will you indeed reign over us? Will you indeed have dominion over us?” They hated him all the more for his dreams and for his words. He dreamed yet another dream, and told it to his brothers, and said, “Behold, I have dreamed yet another dream: and behold, the sun and the moon and eleven stars bowed down to me.” He told it to his father and to his brothers. His father rebuked him, and said to him, “What is this dream that you have dreamed? Will I and your mother and your brothers indeed come to bow ourselves down to you to the earth?” His brothers envied him, but his father kept this saying in mind.
- Genesis 27:29 Let peoples serve you, and nations bow down to you. Be lord over your brothers. Let your mother’s sons bow down to you. Cursed be everyone who curses you. Blessed be everyone who blesses you.”
- Genesis 42:6 Joseph was the governor over the land. It was he who sold to all the people of the land. Joseph’s brothers came, and bowed themselves down to him with their faces to the earth.
- Genesis 44:14 Judah and his brothers came to Joseph’s house, and he was still there. They fell on the ground before him.
- Genesis 45:3 Joseph said to his brothers, “I am Joseph! Does my father still live?” His brothers couldn’t answer him; for they were terrified at his presence.
Cross-references from openbible.info (CC BY 4.0)
Explain this verse (6 sources)
Historical commentary, presented as a primary source — not an endorsement.
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John Trapp 1656 · Public Domain Gen 50:18 And his brethren also went and fell…
Gen 50:18 And his brethren also went and fell down before his face; and they said, Behold, we [be] thy servants.
Ver. 18. Behold, we be thy servants.] Oh that God might hear such words fall from us, prostrate at his feet! How soon would he take us up and embrace us! Deus redire nos sibi, non perire, desiderat, saith Chrysologus; φοβειθαι βουλεται ου φονευσαι, saith Basil; suffundere sanguinem quam effundere, saith Tertullian. I agnized my sin, and the amends was soon made, saith David. {Psa 32:5}
John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Matthew Poole 1685 · Public Domain Ready and willing to undergo that servitude into which…
Ready and willing to undergo that servitude into which we so wickedly sold thee.
Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
John Gill 1763 · Public Domain And Joseph said unto them, fear not,.... That any…
And Joseph said unto them, fear not,.... That any hurt would be done by him to them, or that he would use them ill for their treatment of him:
for am I in the place of God? to receive such homage from you, that you should be my servants, as Saadiah Gaon gives the sense; or rather to take vengeance for injury done, which belongs to God alone: or, "am I not under God" (u)? subject to him, a servant of his, and why should you be mine? nor is it in my power, if I had a will to it, to change his purposes, to alter his providences, or contradict his will, and do hurt to those whom God hath blessed; and so may have regard to the late patriarchal benediction of his father, under the direction of the Holy Spirit: or, "am I in the place of God?" and under him a father of them, as he had been a provider for them, and a supporter of them, and still would be.
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(u) "annon enim sub Deo sum?" Vatablus.
John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges 1878 · Public Domain 18. his brethren also went] These words agree with…
18. his brethren also went] These words agree with the sending of a message (Gen_50:16), but hardly with the words of Gen_50:17, “when they spake unto him.”
fell down] A final reminiscence of Joseph’s dreams, Gen_37:7; Gen_37:10.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Pulpit Commentary 1880 · Public Domain And his brethren also went and fell down before…
And his brethren also went and fell down before his face; and they said, Behold, we be thy servants. Both the attitudes assumed and the words spoken were designed to express the intensity of their contrition and the fervor of their supplication.
The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
unfoldingWord translationNotes 2017 · CC BY-SA 4.0 lay facedown before him
lay facedown before him
They lay down with their faces toward the ground. This is a sign of humility and respect for Joseph. (See: Symbolic Action)
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Am I in the place of God?
Joseph uses a question to comfort his brothers. AT: "I am not in the place of God." or "I am not God." (See: Rhetorical Question)
you meant to harm me
"you intended to do evil against me"
God meant it for good
"God intended it for good"
So now do not be afraid
"So do not fear me"
I will provide for you and your little children
"I will always make sure you and your children have enough to eat"
He comforted them in this way and spoke kindly to their hearts
Here "hearts" refers to the brothers. AT: "He comforted them by speaking kindly to them" (See: Synecdoche)
translationWords
servant
fear
good
comfort
unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.