Genèse 50:19

19 Et Joseph leur dit: Ne craignez point; car suis-je à la place de Dieu?

Genèse 50:19 Meaning and Commentary

Genesis 50:19

And Joseph said unto them, fear not
That any hurt would be done by him to them, or that he would use them ill for their treatment of him:

for am I in the place of God?
to receive such homage from you, that you should be my servants, as Saadiah Gaon gives the sense; or rather to take vengeance for injury done, which belongs to God alone: or, "am I not under God" ^F21? subject to him, a servant of his, and why should you be mine? nor is it in my power, if I had a will to it, to change his purposes, to alter his providences, or contradict his will, and do hurt to those whom God hath blessed; and so may have regard to the late patriarchal benediction of his father, under the direction of the Holy Spirit: or, "am I in the place of God?" and under him a father of them, as he had been a provider for them, and a supporter of them, and still would be.

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FOOTNOTES:

F21 (yna Myhla txth) "annon enim sub Deo sum?" Vatablus.

Genèse 50:19 In-Context

17 Vous parlerez ainsi à Joseph: Oh! pardonne, je te prie, le crime de tes frères et leur péché; car ils t'ont fait du mal; mais maintenant, pardonne, je te prie, le crime des serviteurs du Dieu de ton père. Et Joseph pleura pendant qu'on lui parlait.

18 Et ses frères vinrent eux-mêmes, se jetèrent à ses pieds, et dirent: Voici, nous sommes tes serviteurs.

19 Et Joseph leur dit: Ne craignez point; car suis-je à la place de Dieu?

20 Vous aviez pensé à me faire du mal; mais Dieu l'a pensé en bien, pour faire ce qui arrive aujourd'hui, pour conserver la vie à un peuple nombreux.

21 Soyez donc sans crainte; je vous entretiendrai, vous et vos enfants. Et il les consola, et parla à leur cœur.