Genesis

Genesis 50:15–20

¹⁵When 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.”

¹⁶So they sent word to Joseph, saying, “Before he died, your father commanded, ¹⁷‘This is what you are to say to Joseph: I beg you, please forgive the transgression and sin of your brothers, for they did you wrong.’ So now, Joseph, please forgive the transgression of the servants of the God of your father.”

When their message came to him, Joseph wept. ¹⁸His brothers also came to him, bowed down before him, and said, “We are your slaves!”

¹⁹But Joseph replied, “Do not be afraid. Am I in the place of God? ²⁰As for you, what you intended against me for evil, God intended for good, in order to accomplish a day like this— to preserve the lives of many people.

Read all of Genesis 50

Word by word

Each English word or phrase beside the Hebrew it translates, in the order of the English. Choose a number to open that word’s study.

Genesis 50:15

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
When Joseph’s	יוֹסֵף֙	yō·w·sêp̄	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3130 Joseph
brothers	אֲחֵֽי־	’ă·ḥê-	Noun - masculine plural construct	H251 brother
saw	וַיִּרְא֤וּ	way·yir·’ū	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural	H7200 see
that	כִּי־	kî-	Conjunction	H3588 burning, branding
their father	אֲבִיהֶ֔ם	’ă·ḇî·hem	Noun - masculine singular construct; third person masculine plural	H1 father
was dead	מֵ֣ת	mêṯ	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular	H4191 die
they said	וַיֹּ֣אמְר֔וּ	way·yō·mə·rū	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural	H559 utter, say
What if	ל֥וּ	lū	Preposition	H3863 if
Joseph	יוֹסֵ֑ף	yō·w·sêp̄	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3130 Joseph
bears a grudge	יִשְׂטְמֵ֖נוּ	yiś·ṭə·mê·nū	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular; first person common plural	H7852 bear a grudge, cherish animosity, against
Then he will surely repay	וְהָשֵׁ֤ב	wə·hā·šêḇ	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Hifil - Infinitive absolute	H7725 turn back, return
us	לָ֔נוּ	lā·nū	Preposition; first person common plural
for all	כָּל־	kāl-	Noun - masculine singular construct	H3605 the whole, all
the evil	הָ֣רָעָ֔ה	hā·rā·‘āh	Article; Adjective - feminine singular	H7451 bad, evil
that	אֲשֶׁ֥ר	’ă·šer	Pronoun - relative	H834 particle of relation
we did	גָּמַ֖לְנוּ	gā·mal·nū	Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common plural	H1580 deal fully or adequately with, deal out to
to him	אֹתֽוֹ׃	’ō·ṯōw	Direct object marker; third person masculine singular	H853 mark of the accusative

Genesis 50:16

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
So they sent word	וַיְצַוּ֕וּ	way·ṣaw·wū	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Piel - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural	H6680 lay charge (upon), give charge (to), charge, command, order
to	אֶל־	’el-	Preposition	H413 motion to
Joseph	יוֹסֵ֖ף	yō·w·sêp̄	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3130 Joseph
saying	לֵאמֹ֑ר	lê·mōr	Preposition-l; Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct	H559 utter, say
Before	לִפְנֵ֥י	lip̄·nê	Preposition-l; Noun - common plural construct	H6440 face, before
he died	מוֹת֖וֹ	mō·w·ṯōw	Noun - masculine singular construct; third person masculine singular	H4194 death
your father	אָבִ֣יךָ	’ā·ḇî·ḵā	Noun - masculine singular construct; second person masculine singular	H1 father
commanded	צִוָּ֔ה	ṣiw·wāh	Verb - Piel - Perfect - third person masculine singular	H6680 lay charge (upon), give charge (to), charge, command, order

Genesis 50:17

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
This is what	כֹּֽה־	kōh-	Adverb	H3541 thus, here
you are to say	תֹאמְר֣וּ	ṯō·mə·rū	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine plural	H559 utter, say
to Joseph	לְיוֹסֵ֗ף	lə·yō·w·sêp̄	Preposition-l; Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3130 Joseph
I beg you	אָ֣נָּ֡א	’ān·nā	Interjection	H577 ah, now! I (or we) beseech thee!
please	נָ֠א	nā	Interjection	H4994 I (we) pray, now
forgive	שָׂ֣א	śā	Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular	H5375 lift, take, carry
the transgression	פֶּ֣שַׁע	pe·ša‘	Noun - masculine singular construct	H6588 transgression
and sin	וְחַטָּאתָם֙	wə·ḥaṭ·ṭā·ṯām	Conjunctive waw; Noun - feminine singular construct; third person masculine plural	H2403 offence, penalty, occasion
of your brothers	אַחֶ֤יךָ	’a·ḥe·ḵā	Noun - masculine plural construct; second person masculine singular	H251 brother
for	כִּי־	kî-	Conjunction	H3588 burning, branding
they did	גְמָל֔וּךָ	ḡə·mā·lū·ḵā	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural; second person masculine singular	H1580 deal fully or adequately with, deal out to
you wrong	רָעָ֣ה	rā·‘āh	Adjective - feminine singular	H7451 bad, evil
So now	וְעַתָּה֙	wə·‘at·tāh	Conjunctive waw; Adverb	H6258 now
please	נָ֔א	nā	Interjection	H4994 I (we) pray, now
forgive	שָׂ֣א	śā	Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular	H5375 lift, take, carry
the transgression	לְפֶ֥שַׁע	lə·p̄e·ša‘	Preposition-l; Noun - masculine singular construct	H6588 transgression
of the servants	עַבְדֵ֖י	‘aḇ·ḏê	Noun - masculine plural construct	H5650 slave, servant
of the God	אֱלֹהֵ֣י	’ĕ·lō·hê	Noun - masculine plural construct	H430 God
of your father	אָבִ֑יךָ	’ā·ḇî·ḵā	Noun - masculine singular construct; second person masculine singular	H1 father
When their message	בְּדַבְּרָ֥ם	bə·ḏab·bə·rām	Preposition-b; Verb - Piel - Infinitive construct; third person masculine plural	H1696 speak
came to him	אֵלָֽיו׃	’ê·lāw	Preposition; third person masculine singular	H413 motion to
Joseph	יוֹסֵ֖ף	yō·w·sêp̄	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3130 Joseph
wept	וַיֵּ֥בְךְּ	way·yê·ḇək	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H1058 weep, bewail

Genesis 50:18

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
His brothers	אֶחָ֔יו	’e·ḥāw	Noun - masculine plural construct; third person masculine singular	H251 brother
also	גַּם־	gam-	Conjunction	H1571 also, moreover, yea
came to him	וַיֵּלְכוּ֙	way·yê·lə·ḵū	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural	H1980 go, come, walk
bowed down	וַֽיִּפְּל֖וּ	way·yip·pə·lū	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural	H5307 fall, lie
before him	לְפָנָ֑יו	lə·p̄ā·nāw	Preposition-l; Noun - common plural construct; third person masculine singular	H6440 face, before
and said	וַיֹּ֣אמְר֔וּ	way·yō·mə·rū	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural	H559 utter, say
We are your slaves	לַעֲבָדִֽים׃	la·‘ă·ḇā·ḏîm	Preposition-l; Noun - masculine plural	H5650 slave, servant

Genesis 50:19

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
But Joseph	יוֹסֵ֖ף	yō·w·sêp̄	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3130 Joseph
replied	וַיֹּ֧אמֶר	way·yō·mer	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H559 utter, say
Do not	אַל־	’al-	Adverb	H408 prohibition, do not . . ., let not . . .
be afraid	תִּירָ֑אוּ	tî·rā·’ū	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine plural	H3372 fear
Am I	אָֽנִי׃	’ā·nî	Pronoun - first person common singular	H589 I
in the place of	הֲתַ֥חַת	hă·ṯa·ḥaṯ	Preposition	H8478 the under part
God	אֱלֹהִ֖ים	’ĕ·lō·hîm	Noun - masculine plural	H430 God

Genesis 50:20

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
As for you	וְאַתֶּ֕ם	wə·’at·tem	Conjunctive waw; Pronoun - second person masculine plural	H859 thou
what you intended	חֲשַׁבְתֶּ֥ם	ḥă·šaḇ·tem	Verb - Qal - Perfect - second person masculine plural	H2803 think, account
against me	עָלַ֖י	‘ā·lay	Preposition; first person common singular	H5921 height
for evil	רָעָ֑ה	rā·‘āh	Adjective - feminine singular	H7451 bad, evil
God	אֱלֹהִים֙	’ĕ·lō·hîm	Noun - masculine plural	H430 God
intended	חֲשָׁבָ֣הּ	ḥă·šā·ḇāh	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular; third person feminine singular	H2803 think, account
for good	לְטֹבָ֔ה	lə·ṭō·ḇāh	Preposition-l; Noun - feminine singular	H2896 pleasant, agreeable, good
in order to	לְמַ֗עַן	lə·ma·‘an	Conjunction	H4616 purpose, intent
accomplish	עֲשֹׂ֛ה	‘ă·śōh	Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct	H6213 do, make
a day	כַּיּ֥וֹם	kay·yō·wm	Preposition-k, Article; Noun - masculine singular	H3117 day
like this	הַזֶּ֖ה	haz·zeh	Article; Pronoun - masculine singular	H2088 this, that
to preserve the lives	לְהַחֲיֹ֥ת	lə·ha·ḥă·yōṯ	Preposition-l; Verb - Hifil - Infinitive construct	H2421 live
of many	רָֽב׃	rāḇ	Adjective - masculine singular	H7227 much, many, great
people	עַם־	‘am-	Noun - masculine singular	H5971 people