Genesis 50:21

21 do not ye dread (do not ye fear), I shall feed you and your little children. And he comforted them, and spake sweetly and lightly to them;

Genesis 50:21 Meaning and Commentary

Genesis 50:21

Now therefore, fear ye not
Which, is repeated to dispossess them of every fear they might entertain of him on any account whatever:

I will nourish you, and your little ones;
provide food for them, and their families, not only for themselves and their sons, now grown up, but their grandchildren and even the youngest and latest of their families should share in his favours:

and he comforted them, and spake kindly to them;
even "to their heart" {w}; such things as were quite pleasing and agreeable to them, served to banish their fears, revive their spirits, and afford comfort to them. Just so God and Christ do with backsliding sinners, and would have done with his own people by his servants; see ( Isaiah 40:1 Isaiah 40:2 ) .

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FOOTNOTES:

F23 (Mbl le) "ad cor eorum", Pagninus, Montanus, Drusius

Genesis 50:21 In-Context

19 To which he answered, Do not ye dread; whether we may against-stand God's will? (To whom he answered, Do not ye fear; for can we stand against God's will?)

20 Ye thought evil of me, and God turned it into good, that he should enhance me, as ye see in this present time, and that he should make safe many peoples; (Ye thought to do evil to me, but God turned it into good, and he used what you did to me to advance me, as ye see at this present time, and by doing so he hath saved many people;)

21 do not ye dread (do not ye fear), I shall feed you and your little children. And he comforted them, and spake sweetly and lightly to them;

22 and Joseph dwelled in Egypt, with all the house of his father (and Joseph lived in Egypt, with all of his father's household, or all of his father's family). And he lived an hundred [and ten] years,

23 and he saw the sons of Ephraim till to the third generation; also the sons of Machir, the son of Manasseh, were borne in the knees of Joseph (were brought up on Joseph's knees).