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.
This is what you should say to Joseph: 'Please forgive your brothers for the wrong they did to you and the evil they committed against you. Now we beg you, please forgive us, the servants of your father's God.' When they said this to Joseph, he wept.
Joseph's brothers are asking him to forgive them for selling him into slavery years earlier, and Joseph weeps when he hears their plea.
📚 Historical Context
This occurs after Jacob's death, when Joseph's brothers fear he might finally take revenge for their betrayal decades earlier when they sold him into slavery. They're using their father's name and invoking God to appeal for mercy. Joseph had already forgiven them, but they didn't fully believe it until this moment.
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