“¹⁶So they sent messengers to Joseph, saying, “Before your father died he commanded, saying, ‘Thus you shall say to Joseph: “I beg you, please forgive the trespass of your brothers and their sin; for they did evil to you.” ‘ Now, please, forgive the trespass of the servants of the God of your father.” And Joseph wept when they spoke to him.”

– Genesis 50:16-17 (NKJV)

“So (this short word “so ” makes it genuinely difficult for me to discern whether or not the brothers have made this next bit up [their potentially genuine objective re-appraisal of their sin may very well have been the key to humility that unlocked their memory of something their father once said to them in this, their hour of need, as a gift from God], but sadly I must admit I can’t shake the almost immediate gut feeling I had upon reading this passage, that, in their being motivated by godless fear, self-preservation and the unbelief and irrationality that accompanies it, they were more likely led to fabricate the following details in a clumsy attempt to call down their earthly father’s oversight from heaven into being to protect themselves: there is very much wrong with this behaviour Dear Friends and it almost borders on the act of consulting mediums with all its manipulative, desperate and self-seeking associations; nevertheless I shall leave it to you to judge for yourselves [Luke 12:57]) they sent (in their own strength; even aided by the enemy) messengers (in stark contrast to the messengers [angels] that God sends to the humble in accordance with His will in their hour of need [Dan 4:17]) to Joseph (again we are confronted with the “confusion and every evil thing” that accompanies “self-seeking” [James 3:16], for one is tempted to think that they humbly tremble at Joseph’s power and do not wish to presume upon their kinship with him as brothers to approach him directly [in much the same way as Esther when approaching King Ahasuerus or even Joseph himself mere verses earlier when approaching Pharoah concerning his father’s burial], but alas Dear Reader it is precisely here that it is confirmed that they are behaving sinfully for you will notice that both Esther [Hadassah] and Joseph acted on God’s behalf for the sake of another in an attempt to see His will done in the earth: Esther for the sake of the Jewish people in God’s Name and Joseph for the sake of his earthly father, the final Patriarch of The Faith, in God’s Name; the brothers on the other hand are motivated solely by seeking to save their own skin and I believe it far more likely that they are simply too cowardly to enter into Joseph’s presence directly, even more so if they are entering under the pretense of a lie), saying, (and so Dear Friend you will forgive my hesitation in exegeting the following statement as though it were the truth) “Before your father died (we only recall from Scripture the intimate deathbed setting between Jacob and Joseph alone at the blessing of Ephraim and Manassah [his being the set apart son and therein I believe in true vein the only one enjoying the presence of the father individually at his final hour; his two sons also being the only ones blessed so specifically and Scripturally] and then later in the gathering of all the sons in Genesis 49 for the prophetic words spoken concerning each child / tribe where Joseph was also present) he commanded, saying, ‘Thus you shall say to Joseph: “I beg you, please forgive the trespass of your brothers and their sin (perhaps most peculiar of all, for Jacob knowing his son Joseph intimately and having travailed much with him these past many months at the height of his sanctification and spiritual maturity, would be acutely and inherently aware that truly, truly Joseph has forgiven the brothers like a True Child of God [Luke 23:34]); for they did evil to you (here I am admittedly a little biased Dear Friends for I cannot help but be moved to compassion at admission of guilt every time, it being so decidedly difficult for the hardened of heart to admit wrongdoing; however, it being such an obvious truth at this point – their very presence in Egypt a testimony to the fact that Joseph initially came here sold as a slave – , that perhaps I ought not give them too much credit; nevertheless stating it so unequivocally could not have been easy for them).” ‘ Now, please, forgive (one Hopes [1 Cor 13:7] that they are at least in some measure concerned here with ultimate salvatory, eternal forgiveness for righteousness’ sake, and not merely the temporary forgiveness that would simply see them live another day in the earth) the trespass (this of course being their trespass upon enemy territory, i.e. being used as vessels for the enemy, having “yielded their members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin” [Rom 6:13]; reminding us also of Matt 6:12, which we ought to bring as a petition daily – for here they are not wrong in their reiteration – but undoubtedly with purer motives) of the servants of the God of your father (“we are The Tribes of Israel, born of Israel himself; how wickedly it would thwart God’s Covenant Plans if we were to die by your hand after all” they might say; thankfully they lack such full prophetic revelation into these matters at this time, lest they should use these glorious and profound Truths so abominably as means of manipulation)” And Joseph wept when they spoke to him.” (So. Would. I. for: “Jesus said to them, “Why are you afraid? Do you still have no faith and confidence in Me?” [Mark 4:40 AMP])