Genesis 50:18 kjv
And his brethren also went and fell down before his face; and they said, Behold, we be thy servants.
Genesis 50:18 nkjv
Then his brothers also went and fell down before his face, and they said, "Behold, we are your servants."
Genesis 50:18 niv
His brothers then came and threw themselves down before him. "We are your slaves," they said.
Genesis 50:18 esv
His brothers also came and fell down before him and said, "Behold, we are your servants."
Genesis 50:18 nlt
Then his brothers came and threw themselves down before Joseph. "Look, we are your slaves!" they said.
Genesis 50 18 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Gen 37:7-10 | For behold, we were binding sheaves... and behold, my sheaf arose... then your sheaves gathered around and bowed down... your sun and your moon and eleven stars bowed down to me. | Joseph's dreams foretold their bowing. |
| Gen 42:6 | Joseph was governor... his brothers came and bowed down... | First fulfillment of Joseph's dream. |
| Gen 43:26 | And when Joseph came... they brought him the presents... and bowed down... | Second fulfillment, continued submission. |
| Gen 43:28 | They bowed down their heads and paid homage. | Repeated act of submission. |
| Gen 50:20 | As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good... | Joseph's immediate response; God's providence. |
| Gen 50:21 | So do not fear... he comforted them and spoke kindly. | Joseph assures and forgives them. |
| Mat 6:14-15 | For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive... | Importance of forgiving others. |
| Col 3:13 | ...bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other... | Call to Christian forgiveness. |
| Rom 8:28 | And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good... | God works good through all circumstances. |
| Phil 2:8 | ...being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death... | Christ's ultimate humility and obedience. |
| James 4:10 | Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you. | Command to humble oneself before God. |
| 1 Pet 5:6 | Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you... | Humility brings God's elevation. |
| John 13:14-15 | If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet... | Example of servanthood set by Christ. |
| Prov 16:9 | The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps. | God's ultimate control over human plans. |
| Isa 10:5-7 | Woe to Assyria, the rod of my anger... yet he does not so intend, nor does his heart so think... | God uses even evil intentions for His purpose. |
| Acts 2:23 | ...delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed him... | God's sovereign plan in Christ's death. |
| Acts 4:27-28 | ...Herod and Pontius Pilate... conspired against your holy servant Jesus... to do whatever your hand and your plan had predestined to take place. | God's foreordained plan for redemption. |
| Eph 4:32 | Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you. | Principle of Christian conduct: kindness and forgiveness. |
| Luke 17:3-4 | If your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him... seven times in a day... | Forgiveness for repeated offenses. |
| Zech 12:10 | And I will pour out on the house of David... a spirit of grace and supplication. So they will look on me whom they have pierced... | Prophecy of mourning and repentance for sin. |
| 2 Cor 2:7 | So you should rather turn to forgive and comfort him, or he may be overwhelmed... | Compassion and forgiveness towards repentant sinner. |
| Gal 5:13 | For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. | Serve one another in love. |
| Psa 133:1 | Behold, how good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell in unity! | Blessedness of brotherly unity. |
| 1 John 3:18 | Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth. | Love shown through action and truth. |
Genesis 50 verses
Genesis 50 18 Meaning
Genesis 50:18 describes Joseph’s brothers, after their father Jacob's death, approaching Joseph in fear and deep humility. They prostrate themselves before him and declare their complete submission, offering themselves as his servants. This act demonstrates their lingering guilt over past wrongs and their assumption that Joseph might now seek vengeance without their father’s mediating presence.
Genesis 50 18 Context
Genesis chapter 50 opens with the mourning and elaborate funeral of Jacob (Israel). After Jacob's burial in Canaan, his sons, particularly Joseph's brothers, become anxious, fearing that Joseph, no longer constrained by respect for their father, would now exact retribution for their betrayal. Their deep-seated guilt from having sold Joseph into slavery years prior resurfaces, despite Joseph’s earlier assurances and the years of living in prosperity under his care in Egypt. This verse, Genesis 50:18, immediately follows their private deliberation (Gen 50:15-17), wherein they strategized how to approach Joseph, even inventing a supposed instruction from their deceased father to ensure Joseph’s forgiveness. The act of prostration and declaration of servitude is their desperate plea for mercy, leading directly to Joseph’s profound response regarding God's overarching purpose.
Genesis 50 18 Word analysis
So his brothers also came: The Hebrew vayyēlḵū gam-ʾeḥāyw (וַיֵּלְכוּ גַּם־אֶחָיו), literally "and went also his brothers." The verb 'went' indicates their intentional and deliberate action to approach Joseph, implying a shared decision and unified front driven by fear. 'Also' (gam) highlights that they collectively initiated this movement after deliberating.
and fell down: The Hebrew vayyiplū (וַיִּפְּלוּ), from the root naphal (נָפַל), meaning to fall, fall prostrate, prostrate oneself. This is a powerful gesture in the Ancient Near East (ANE), signifying ultimate submission, homage, fear, and profound respect for one in authority. It's often associated with worship or acknowledging a superior's power, reflecting their profound reverence—or terror—before Joseph.
before his face: The Hebrew ləfānāyw (לְפָנָיו), literally "to his face" or "before him." This specifies their posture directly in front of Joseph, underscoring the personal and direct nature of their supplication and placing themselves completely vulnerable under his gaze and authority.
and said: The Hebrew vayyōʾmərū (וַיֹּאמְרוּ), "and they said," introduces their vocalized plea. It highlights that their submission was not merely physical but also verbal, expressing their mental state and intent.
Behold: The Hebrew hinnēh (הִנֵּה), an interjection meaning "Behold!", "Look!", "Indeed!". It serves to draw Joseph's attention sharply to their statement, adding a sense of urgency, earnestness, and emphasis to their confession and offer.
we are your servants: The Hebrew ʿăvādêḵā (עֲבָדֶיךָ), 'your servants'. This is a profound declaration. The term ʿeved (עֶבֶד), often translated "servant" or "slave," denotes someone bound by duty, voluntarily or involuntarily, to another. Their use of this term signifies a complete surrender of personal will and autonomy to Joseph's authority, acknowledging his power to command their lives and anticipating punishment or offering complete lifelong servitude. This fulfills the ultimate implications of Joseph's earlier dreams, confirming his established authority over them.
Word-group Analysis:
- "fell down before his face": This phrase encapsulates a dual meaning of abject humility and palpable fear. Their prostration physically manifests their acknowledged inferiority and fear of Joseph's potential retribution, while also completing the symbolic bowing of sheaves and stars from Joseph's youthful dreams.
- "Behold, we are your servants": This declaration is both a confession of their guilt and an extreme offer of self-abasement. It is a desperate bid for mercy, placing their lives entirely in Joseph's hands, signaling their readiness to accept whatever judgment or future Joseph would impose, and accepting their former status of betrayal and sin, acknowledging his lordly status.
Genesis 50 18 Bonus section
The repeated bowing of Joseph's brothers throughout the Genesis narrative (Gen 42:6; 43:26, 28; 50:18) is a powerful literary device highlighting the undeniable fulfillment of God's prophetic word through Joseph's dreams in Genesis 37. Each act of prostration reinforces the progressive establishment of Joseph's authority and God's providential care in elevating him. This specific incident in Genesis 50 is particularly poignant because it's initiated by the brothers without Joseph's prompting, revealing their internalized understanding of their sin and Joseph's elevated status, finally accepting the divine reversal of their family hierarchy. Their offering to become his servants (עֲבָדֶךָ) signifies a profound shift from envy and hatred to utter submission and dependency.
Genesis 50 18 Commentary
Genesis 50:18 vividly portrays the brothers’ lingering guilt and profound fear following Jacob's death. Their assumption that Joseph's earlier forgiveness was conditional on their father's life speaks to the deep-seated brokenness of their relationship, rooted in their ancient betrayal. Their prostration and declaration of servitude were the ultimate acts of submission in the Ancient Near East, symbolizing their readiness to accept any outcome, even retribution. This humble approach set the stage for Joseph's powerful declaration of God's sovereignty (Gen 50:20), revealing his unwavering faith that God used their evil for redemptive good, and demonstrating profound grace and mercy instead of seeking human justice or vengeance. The brothers' genuine fear underscores the weight of sin and its capacity to plague conscience, while Joseph's response illustrates divine compassion that goes beyond deserved punishment, reflecting God’s character in forgiving grace.For practical usage, this narrative illustrates that true forgiveness goes beyond conditional peace and requires a relinquishing of past wrongs. It teaches us to release control to God's ultimate plan, understanding that His good purposes can emerge even from human wickedness. It also encourages honest humility in seeking forgiveness and demonstrates the Christ-like virtue of extending grace even when undeserved.