Genesis 50:21
“Now therefore fear ye not: I will nourish you, and your little ones. And he comforted them, and spake kindly unto them.”
King James Version (KJV)
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This verse concludes Joseph's reassurance to his fearful brothers after Jacob's death, and brings the story of Joseph -- and the book of Genesis -- to a close.
What Does Genesis 50:21 Mean?
Genesis 50:21 means that Joseph, having forgiven his brothers, went beyond forgiveness to active kindness -- promising to provide for them and their children, and comforting them with gentle, reassuring words. After they feared his revenge, Joseph not only released them from guilt but committed himself to their well-being.
The verse moves from reassurance to provision to comfort. "Fear ye not" answers their dread directly. "I will nourish you, and your little ones" turns forgiveness into a concrete pledge: Joseph will care for the very family that once betrayed him, including their children. Then the verse describes his manner: "he comforted them, and spake kindly unto them" -- literally, he spoke to their hearts. This is forgiveness made tangible. It is not a grudging tolerance but a warm restoration of relationship, with the wronged man taking responsibility to bless those who wronged him. The verse beautifully closes the story of Joseph and his brothers, and indeed the book of Genesis, on a note of reconciliation and grace. True forgiveness, it shows, does not merely refrain from harm; it actively seeks the good and comfort of the other.
In the Original Language
The Hebrew "nacham" (comfort) and the idiom "spake to their heart" (dibber al lev) describe tender, heartfelt reassurance, while "kul" (nourish) means to sustain.
Cross References
“But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive.”
- Genesis 50:20
“Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink.”
- Romans 12:20
“And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.”
- Ephesians 4:32
Application
Let your forgiveness be active rather than merely passive, seeking the good of those who have wronged you and speaking words that comfort their hearts.
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