50 ¹⁵ When their father was dead Joseph's brothers were afraid and said, 'What if Joseph should bear a grudge against us and pay us out for all the harm that we did to him?' 50 ¹⁶ They therefore approached Joseph with these words: 'In his last words to us before he died, your father gave us 50 ¹⁷ this message for you: "I ask you to forgive your brothers' crime and wickedness; I know they did you harm." So now forgive our crime, we beg; for we are servants of your father's God.' When they said this to him, Joseph wept. 50 ¹⁸ His brothers also wept prob. rdg, Heb came and prostrated themselves before him; they said, 'You see, we are your slaves.' 50 ¹⁹ But Joseph said to them, 'Do not be afraid. Am I in the place of God? 50 ²⁰ You meant to do me harm; but God meant to bring good out of it by preserving the lives of many people, as we see today. 50 ²¹ Do not be afraid. I will provide for you and your dependants.' Thus he comforted them and set their minds at rest.