What is the meaning of Genesis 50:16? So they sent word - The phrase signals deliberate action: Joseph’s brothers choose a messenger rather than facing him themselves. - Their fear is fresh (Genesis 50:15: “What if Joseph holds a grudge against us…?”). - Similar attempts at indirect reconciliation appear earlier—Esau coming toward Jacob prompts Jacob to “send messengers ahead” (Genesis 32:3-5). - Scripture encourages facing offenses yet also shows God using intermediaries (Matthew 5:23-24 urges reconciliation, while Philemon 8-12 models an appeal through a letter). - The brothers’ method highlights their lingering guilt and the distance sin creates, contrasting with God’s desire for open fellowship (1 John 1:7). to Joseph - Joseph is the target because he now wields both political power (Genesis 41:41) and personal authority within the family. - Earlier, Joseph himself had been “sent” by God for preservation (Genesis 45:7). Their sending a message to him is an ironic reversal: the rescued now appeal to their rescuer. - This mirrors a broader biblical pattern—people in need approach the one exalted by God (Philippians 2:9-11 speaks of every knee bowing to Christ; here, every brother bends toward Joseph). saying - The message opens with reported speech, hinting that they craft their words carefully, hoping to sway Joseph’s emotions. - Their speech stands against Joseph’s previous assurances of forgiveness (Genesis 45:5-8). Human fear often re-litigates what grace has already settled. - Proverbs 15:1 reminds that “A gentle answer turns away wrath”; the brothers hope their carefully composed words will do just that. ‘Before he died - Invoking a deathbed scene instantly adds solemnity; final words carry weight throughout Scripture (Deuteronomy 33; 2 Timothy 4:6-8). - Jacob’s own last acts included blessings and burial instructions (Genesis 49:28-33), so the brothers know Joseph will take anything “before he died” seriously. - Hebrews 9:27 underlines the finality of death; no further clarifications can come from Jacob, so the brothers’ claim is unverifiable—illustrating how fear can tempt even redeemed people toward half-truths. your father commanded - By calling Jacob “your father,” they subtly appeal to Joseph’s filial loyalty; it is not merely their father, but his. - Honoring a father’s command is divinely mandated (Exodus 20:12). The brothers lean on that commandment to obligate Joseph. - Throughout Genesis, patriarchal commands shape destiny—Abraham sending a servant for Isaac’s wife (Genesis 24:2-4), Isaac directing Esau (Genesis 27:3-4). The brothers hope the pattern holds: Joseph will obey Jacob just as earlier generations obeyed their fathers. - Yet Joseph has already shown he lives by a higher principle of grace (Genesis 50:20). Obedience to Jacob will align with, not override, Joseph’s God-given perspective. summary Genesis 50:16 captures a moment where guilt collides with grace. Joseph’s brothers, still haunted by old sins, seek safety behind a messenger and a purported deathbed command. Each phrase reveals their anxiety: sending word, targeting Joseph’s authority, crafting speech, invoking Jacob’s final hours, and leaning on paternal commandment. In contrast, Joseph’s previous forgiveness and God’s providential plan remain unchanged. The verse reminds us that human hearts often struggle to rest in grace, yet God’s redemptive purposes stand firm, inviting us to exchange fear for confident trust in His settled forgiveness. |
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