Genesis 50 · Verse 15

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.
Genesis 50:15, King James Version

Genesis 50:15 in other translations

BSBWhen Joseph’s brothers saw that their father was dead, they said, “What if Joseph bears a grudge? Then he will surely repay us for all the evil that we did to him.”
WEBWhen Joseph’s brothers saw that their father was dead, they said, “It may be that Joseph will hate us, and will fully pay us back for all the evil which we did to him.”
ASVAnd when Joseph’s brethren saw that their father was dead, they said, It may be that Joseph will hate us, and will fully requite us all the evil which we did unto him.
YLTAnd the brethren of Joseph see that their father is dead, and say, ‘Peradventure Joseph doth hate us, and doth certainly return to us all the evil which we did with him.'
DARBYAnd when Joseph's brethren saw that their father was dead, they said, If now Joseph should be hostile to us, and should indeed requite us all the evil that we did to him!
BBENow after the death of their father, Joseph's brothers said to themselves, It may be that Joseph's heart will be turned against us, and he will give us punishment for all the evil which we did to him.
WebsterAnd when Joseph's brethren saw that their father was dead, they said, Joseph will perhaps hate us, and will certainly requite us all the evil which we did to him.

What does Genesis 50:15 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Genesis 50:15-21
15-21. 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.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 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 Displicet auctori. Prima est haec ultio, quod se Judice nemo nocens absolvitur, improba quamvis Gratia fallaci Praetoris vicerit urna. Juv. Sat. xiii. 1, etc. Happily metaphrased by Mr. Dryden: - He that commits a fault shall quickly find The pressing guilt lie heavy on his mind. Though bribes, or favor shall assert his cause, Pronounce him guiltless, and elude the laws, None quits himself; his own impartial thought Will damn, and conscience will record the fault. This, first, the wicked feels. We have seen this in the preceding history often exemplified in the case of Joseph's brethren.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Genesis 50:15-21
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. Those we love and forgive, we must not only do well for, but speak kindly to.

Matthew Henry, 1706 · public domain

Genesis 50:15 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

וַיִּרְא֤וּvai.yir.'Uand they sawH7200
אֲחֵֽי\־'a.chei-[the] brothers ofH251
יוֹסֵף֙yo.SefJosephH3130
כִּי\־ki-thatH3588
מֵ֣תmethe had diedH4191
אֲבִיהֶ֔ם'a.vi.Hemfather theirH1
וַיֹּ֣אמְר֔וּvai.Yo.me.Ruand they saidH559
ל֥וּluifH3863
יִשְׂטְמֵ֖נוּyis.te.Me.nuhe will bear a grudge usH7852
יוֹסֵ֑ףyo.SefJosephH3130
וְהָשֵׁ֤בve.ha.Shevand certainly <to repay>H7725
יָשִׁיב֙ya.Shivhe will repayH7725
לָ֔נוּLa.nuto us
אֵ֚ת'et<obj.>H853
כָּל\־kol-allH3605
הָ֣רָעָ֔הha.ra.'Ahthe harmH7451
אֲשֶׁ֥ר'a.SherwhichH834
גָּמַ֖לְנוּga.Mal.nuwe dealt out toH1580
אֹתֽוֹ\׃'o.To<obj.> himH853

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Genesis 50:15

  • Proverbs 28:1

    The wicked flee when no man pursueth: but the righteous are bold as a lion.

  • Genesis 42:21-22

    And they said one to another, We are verily guilty concerning our brother, in that we saw the anguish of his soul, when he besought us, and we would not hear; therefore is this distress come upon us. And Reuben answered them, saying, Spake I not unto you, saying, Do not sin against the child; and ye would not hear? therefore, behold, also his blood is required.

  • Psalms 14:5

    There were they in great fear: for God is in the generation of the righteous.

  • Genesis 27:41-42

    And Esau hated Jacob because of the blessing wherewith his father blessed him: and Esau said in his heart, The days of mourning for my father are at hand; then will I slay my brother Jacob. And these words of Esau her elder son were told to Rebekah: and she sent and called Jacob her younger son, and said unto him, Behold, thy brother Esau, as touching thee, doth comfort himself, purposing to kill thee.

  • Job 15:21-22

    A dreadful sound is in his ears: in prosperity the destroyer shall come upon him. He believeth not that he shall return out of darkness, and he is waited for of the sword.

  • Leviticus 26:36

    And upon them that are left alive of you I will send a faintness into their hearts in the lands of their enemies; and the sound of a shaken leaf shall chase them; and they shall flee, as fleeing from a sword; and they shall fall when none pursueth.

  • Psalms 53:5

    There were they in great fear, where no fear was: for God hath scattered the bones of him that encampeth against thee: thou hast put them to shame, because God hath despised them.

  • Genesis 42:17

    And he put them all together into ward three days.

  • Genesis 37:28

    Then there passed by Midianites merchantmen; and they drew and lifted up Joseph out of the pit, and sold Joseph to the Ishmeelites for twenty pieces of silver: and they brought Joseph into Egypt.

  • Romans 2:15

    Which shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another;)

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
their father.
27:41,42
Joseph.
42:17; Le 26:36; Job 15:21,22; Ps 14:5; 53:5; Pr 28:1; Ro 2:15

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Genesis 50:14

    And Joseph returned into Egypt, he, and his brethren, and all that went up with him to bury his father, after he had buried his father.

  • 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.

  • Genesis 50:16

    And they sent a messenger unto Joseph, saying, Thy father did command before he died, saying,

Read all of Genesis 50

Genesis 50:15 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Y viendo los hermanos de José que su padre era muerto, dijeron: Quizá nos aborrecerá José, y nos dará el pago de todo el mal que le hicimos.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et les frères de Joseph virent que leur père était mort, et ils dirent: Peut-être Joseph nous haïra-t-il, et ne manquera-t-il pas de nous rendre tout le mal que nous lui avons fait.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Und als die Brüder Josephs sahen, daß ihr Vater gestorben war, da sprachen sie: Wenn nun Joseph uns anfeindete und uns gar all das Böse vergelten würde, das wir ihm angetan haben!
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Quo mortuo, timentes fratres ejus, et mutuo colloquentes: Ne forte memor sit injuriæ quam passus est, et reddat nobis omne malum quod fecimus,