Verse Lens · Expanded explanation
Genesis 50:15 Explained in Context
Use this verse as a doorway into the larger passage—not as an isolated saying.
Verse 15. 15And 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.
King James Version — public domain in the United States · Bible text and permissions
Quick Meaning
After Jacob's death, Joseph's brothers fear that he may now hate them and repay all the evil they did to him. The fear shows unresolved trust; it does not reveal that Joseph actually intends revenge.
Why the brothers are still afraid
This verse is one part of that explanation in Genesis 50:15–21. The complete section carries the connected meaning and how it should shape life.
Read It With
- Genesis 50:15–21
Read verses 15–21 with 45:1–15. Joseph had welcomed and provided for them, but the brothers still wonder whether that mercy depended on Jacob's presence; Joseph's coming answer makes nonretaliation explicit.
Why This Verse Appears Here
Jacob's death removes the father whom the brothers may have viewed as protection, exposing their unresolved fear of delayed revenge.
Read Genesis 50:15–17 together
Why these verses belong together: Fear of revenge produces the reported command, forgiveness plea, shared-God appeal, and Joseph's tears.
Verse 15. 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.
Verse 16. 16 And they sent a messenger unto Joseph, saying, Thy father did command before he died, saying,
Verse 17. 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.
Follow the Context
- The brothers fear that Joseph may hate them and repay all the evil they did to him (50:15).
- They send Joseph a message reporting that Jacob commanded him to forgive their trespass and sin; they identify themselves as servants of the God of his father, and Joseph weeps (50:16–17).
- The brothers come, bow before Joseph, and offer themselves as his servants (50:18).
- Joseph tells them not to fear and asks whether he stands in God's place (50:19).
- Joseph names their intention as evil and God's intention as good in order to preserve many people alive (50:20).
- Joseph again tells them not to fear, promises to nourish them and their children, comforts them, and speaks to their heart (50:21).
Phrase-by-Phrase Explanation
“Joseph will peradventure hate us”
In plain language: Perhaps Joseph will treat us as enemies.
The brothers imagine a feared possibility after Jacob's death.
Why it matters: Character speech must not be mistaken for narrator knowledge.
How certain? very strong“requite us all the evil”
In plain language: Repay them for the full harm they did.
They expect retaliatory symmetry between past wrong and future punishment.
Why it matters: Joseph's answer will distinguish rejected vengeance from moral denial.
How certain? very strong“which we did unto him”
In plain language: The brothers acknowledge their own harmful action toward Joseph.
Their fear is attached to remembered responsibility.
Why it matters: Providence never erases this human agency.
How certain? very strongWhat This Verse Is Not Saying
The brothers' fear does not prove Joseph planned revenge or secretly hated them.
Their guilt does not make every fear accurate or remove their need to hear truthful reassurance.
The verse does not say reconciliation in Genesis 45 was fake; it shows that trust remained incomplete.
Fear of consequences does not by itself prove full repentance, confession, or repair.
What Remains True
Past guilt and unequal power can keep fear alive even after genuine acts of welcome, so reassurance may need to be repeated and verified.
How It Can Shape Life
- If someone reasonably fears your power because of a harmful history, state your present intent clearly and back it with stable conduct rather than demanding instant trust.
Teach It Back
Explain Genesis 50:15's contribution to Genesis 50:15–21. Include why the nearby verses are required, what the verse clearly says, and one conclusion it does not justify.
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Continue in Context
Read the complete section for the connected explanation and how it should shape life. This verse is a doorway into that passage, not a saying that stands alone.
Read Genesis 50:15–21 — Joseph Reassures His Fearful BrothersSources used for this Verse Lens
How certain is this explanation? strong
These are the sources used directly for this lens. Language, grammar, disagreements, and the complete source shelf remain attached to the full thought-unit research record.
Biblical text
King James (Authorized) Version — eng-kjv2006
eBible.org and CrossWire Bible Society
USFM archive eng-kjv2006_usfm.zip; source files dated 2026-08-19; downloaded 2026-08-24; archive SHA-256 aec1b3b26c622fd3d963d2bbac963016b9513246ffbfa20da00bb100372ea007; normalized corpus SHA-256 09aef51d90488aa7b9722b3fd9a93f4b25f6bf2064c5fd798fb39673c300ddf2.
Supports: Displayed wording, sale, guilt, family change, providential interpretation, fear, forgiveness plea, care, and final-book movement.
Exact location: Genesis 50:15–21 with Genesis 37:18–36; 42:18–28; 44:18–45:15; and 50:1–14, 22–26 in the pinned standardized 1769 KJV
Open source ↗hebrew text morphology and lemma data
Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible — Genesis
Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible Project
Open Scriptures, Version 2.2 released 2021; repository inspected 2026
Supports: Repayment, forgiveness, God's place, paired intentions, preservation, provision, and heart-directed speech.
Exact location: WLC Genesis 50:15–21, especially yashev, sa na, hatahat elohim ani, repeated hashav, lehahayot am-rav, akhalkel, and vayedabber al-libbam
Open source ↗Translation and textual notes
NET Bible — Genesis with translators' notes
Biblical Studies Press
Biblical Studies Press, Digital edition accessed 2026
Supports: Fear wording, sent-word alternative, forgiveness idiom, rhetorical question, repeated planning verb, preserving lives, and reassuring speech.
Exact location: NET Genesis 50 translator notes for verses 15–21
Open NET Genesis 50 ↗