What does Genesis 50:17 mean?
After the death of their father and the trip to Canaan to bury him (Genesis 50:1–14), Joseph's brothers become overwhelmed with guilt and fear. They know they brutally sinned against Joseph by ripping him away from Jacob and selling him into slavery as a teenager (Genesis 37:26–28). Now, this same brother is the governor of all Egypt (Genesis 41:44), second in power only to the Pharaoh himself. They wonder if Joseph's kindness to them (Genesis 47:11–12) has only been for the sake of Jacob. Now that Jacob is dead, they fear what Joseph will do to them (Genesis 50:15–16).Following in their father's footsteps, they respond to fear with a combination of manipulation and preparation (Genesis 32:9–16; 43:11–14). They send a message to Joseph claiming that Jacob, before he died, had given them a statement to be passed along to Joseph. That statement appeals to Joseph to forgive his brothers for their previous sins. It does not minimize their guilt (Genesis 42:21–22), but it does make a point of describing them as servants of God.
Some commentators believe this is an outright lie. Scripture does not record Jacob making such a request. Also, Jacob was very deliberate in making his last wishes known (Genesis 47:29; 48:3–5; 49:28–29). A message so crucial seems like one Jacob would have passed along in person prior to his death. At the same time, Scripture does not indicate this is deception. A lack of direct references does not make it impossible. In the end, all we know is what the brothers are saying, and what they are thinking.
When Joseph hears the message, he once again responds with tears (Genesis 42:23–24; 43:30; 45:1–3). His response could be due to one or more factors. Hearing a message from his departed father would be an emotional experience. If the message was an obvious lie, Joseph might have been reacting to the idea that his brothers so feared him that they would stoop to such a thing. Or, it might have simply been that Joseph's forgiveness was, indeed, so complete that he was grieved to know his family still held on to fear.
Regardless of his exact thoughts, Joseph's response when his brothers arrive in person is astounding. This is among Scripture's clearest and most pivotal statements about God and His sovereign ability to use "bad things" for a "good purpose" (Genesis 50:20).
