King James Version

What Does Genesis 50:17 Mean?

Genesis 50:17 in the King James Version says “So shall ye say unto Joseph, Forgive, I pray thee now, the trespass of thy brethren, and their sin; for they did unto th...” — study this verse from Genesis chapter 50 with commentary, cross-references, and original Hebrew word analysis.

“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.”

Genesis 50:17 · KJV

ForgivenessPrayer

Context

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.

16

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

17

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.

18

And his brethren also went and fell down before his face; and they said, Behold, we be thy servants.

19

And Joseph said unto them, Fear not: for am I in the place of God?

Read Genesis 50 full chapter

Commentary

KJV Study Commentary
So shall ye say unto Joseph, Forgive, I pray thee now, the trespass of thy brethren, and their sin; ... This passage is part of the Joseph narrative, a masterfully crafted account demonstrating God's sovereign providence working through human choices and circumstances to accomplish His redemptive purposes. The Joseph cycle shows how God transforms evil intentions into instruments of salvation.

Central themes include divine providence orchestrating events toward redemptive ends, the testing and refinement of character through suffering and success, forgiveness overcoming betrayal and injustice, and the preservation of God's covenant people through famine. Joseph's rise from slavery to second-in-command of Egypt illustrates how God exalts the humble and uses seeming disasters for ultimate good.

Theologically, these chapters reveal: (1) God's meticulous sovereignty over all events, even evil human actions; (2) suffering as preparation for future service rather than punishment; (3) forgiveness as reflecting divine character and enabling reconciliation; (4) God's covenant faithfulness across generations ensuring the survival and blessing of His people; (5) how present suffering gains meaning when viewed from the perspective of God's larger purposes. Joseph's words "you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good" (50:20) epitomize biblical theodicy and providence.

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Historical & Cultural Context

The patriarchal narratives (Genesis 12-50) reflect the cultural, social, and legal customs of the ancient Near East during the Middle Bronze Age (2000-1500 BCE). Archaeological discoveries including the Mari tablets, Nuzi tablets, and Egyptian records confirm many details: nomadic pastoralism, covenant-making ceremonies, marriage customs, property laws, and international travel patterns described in Genesis.

The cultural practices reflected include: treaty/covenant forms (Genesis 15), bride-price customs (Genesis 24, 29), inheritance laws favoring firstborn sons (Genesis 25, 27), adoption practices (Genesis 15, 30), levirate-type arrangements (Genesis 38), and Egyptian administrative systems (Genesis 41, 47). These parallels confirm Genesis's historical reliability while showing how God worked within ancient cultural frameworks to accomplish His purposes.

For later Israelites, these narratives established their identity as Abraham's descendants, explained their claim to Canaan, justified their possession of Joseph's bones (Exodus 13:19), and provided models of faith despite imperfection. The patriarchs' failures and God's faithfulness encouraged Israel that covenant relationship depended on God's grace rather than human merit. The movement from Mesopotamia to Canaan to Egypt set the stage for the Exodus and conquest narratives.

Reflection Questions

  1. How does understanding this verse shape our doctrine of humanity, sin, or salvation?
  2. How can we apply the principles from this passage to contemporary challenges in family, work, or church?
  3. What connections can we trace from this verse to Jesus' life, death, and resurrection?

Original Language Analysis

Hebrew · 23 words
כֹּֽה1 of 23
H3541

properly, like this, i.e., by implication, (of manner) thus (or so); also (of place) here (or hither); or (of time) now

תֹאמְר֣וּ2 of 23

“So shall ye say”

H559

to say (used with great latitude)

יוֹסֵ֖ף3 of 23

“And Joseph”

H3130

joseph, the name of seven israelites

אָ֣נָּ֡א4 of 23

“I pray thee”

H577

oh now!

שָׂ֣א5 of 23

“Forgive”

H5375

to lift, in a great variety of applications, literal and figurative, absolute and relative

נָ֠א6 of 23
H4994

'i pray', 'now', or 'then'; added mostly to verbs (in the imperative or future), or to interjections, occasionally to an adverb or conjunction

לְפֶ֥שַׁע7 of 23

“now the trespass”

H6588

a revolt (national, moral or religious)

אַחֶ֤יךָ8 of 23

“of thy brethren”

H251

a brother (used in the widest sense of literal relationship and metaphorical affinity or resemblance [like h0001])

וְחַטָּאתָם֙9 of 23

“and their sin”

H2403

an offence (sometimes habitual sinfulness), and its penalty, occasion, sacrifice, or expiation; also (concretely) an offender

כִּֽי10 of 23
H3588

(by implication) very widely used as a relative conjunction or adverb (as below); often largely modified by other particles annexed

רָעָ֣ה11 of 23

“unto thee evil”

H7451

bad or (as noun) evil (natural or moral)

גְמָל֔וּךָ12 of 23

“for they did”

H1580

to treat a person (well or ill), i.e., benefit or requite; by implication (of toil), to ripen, i.e., (specifically) to wean

וְעַתָּה֙13 of 23
H6258

at this time, whether adverb, conjunction or expletive

שָׂ֣א14 of 23

“Forgive”

H5375

to lift, in a great variety of applications, literal and figurative, absolute and relative

נָ֔א15 of 23
H4994

'i pray', 'now', or 'then'; added mostly to verbs (in the imperative or future), or to interjections, occasionally to an adverb or conjunction

לְפֶ֥שַׁע16 of 23

“now the trespass”

H6588

a revolt (national, moral or religious)

עַבְדֵ֖י17 of 23

“of the servants”

H5650

a servant

אֱלֹהֵ֣י18 of 23

“of the God”

H430

gods in the ordinary sense; but specifically used (in the plural thus, especially with the article) of the supreme god; occasionally applied by way of

אָבִ֑יךָ19 of 23

“of thy father”

H1

father, in a literal and immediate, or figurative and remote application

וַיֵּ֥בְךְּ20 of 23

“wept”

H1058

to weep; generally to bemoan

יוֹסֵ֖ף21 of 23

“And Joseph”

H3130

joseph, the name of seven israelites

בְּדַבְּרָ֥ם22 of 23

“when they spake”

H1696

perhaps properly, to arrange; but used figuratively (of words), to speak; rarely (in a destructive sense) to subdue

אֵלָֽיו׃23 of 23
H413

near, with or among; often in general, to

Study Guide

Historical Context

This verse is found in the book of Genesis. Understanding the historical and cultural background helps illuminate its meaning for the original audience and for us today.

Theological Significance

Genesis 50:17 contributes to our understanding of God's character and His relationship with humanity. Consider how this verse connects to the broader themes of Scripture.

Cross-References

Verses related to Genesis 50:17 from Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

Ephesians 4:32Matthew 6:14-15Proverbs 28:13Psalms 21:11Genesis 45:4-5Genesis 45:8

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