And his brethren came to him; and worshipping prostrate on the ground, they said: We are thy servants.
וַיֵּלְכוּ֙ גַּם־אֶחָ֔יו וֽ͏ַיִּפְּל֖וּ לְפָנָ֑יו וַיֹּ֣אמְר֔וּ הִנֶּ֥נּֽוּ לְךָ֖ לַעֲבָדִֽים׃
3 Church Fathers comment on this verse
They approached him and declared, ‘We are your servants. Observe the essence of virtue, its strength and invincibility, and the impotence of wickedness. Behold a man who has endured immense suffering and now reigns in glory, while those who wronged their brother now seek to be servants to the very one they betrayed.
His siblings also arrived. Motivated by the positive outcome of the mission, they chose to come in person.
Joseph's brothers approached him, buoyed by his tears that reflected his compassion towards them, and declared, “Behold we are thy servants.” This meant that they were prepared to accept the consequences of their past wrongs and submit to servitude. Joseph’s response ought to have brought them greater reassurance than his tears. He told them, “Fear not, for I am God's.” He affirmed that he serves the same Lord they professed to serve, and, recognizing the divine plan evident in his life, he believed it would be a grave sin to seek revenge against those whom God had appointed as instruments of His providential design for him and others.
“You have devised evil against me, but God has meant it for good, to bring about what is now happening, the saving of many lives.” Their malicious intent was transformed by the omnibenevolent, all-wise, and sovereign will of God to produce good, granting nourishment to those in need. Given such clear manifestations of divine favor that had come to him and through him to others, how could he act unmercifully towards them? He reassured them once more, saying, “Fear not; I will provide for you and your households.” He comforted them with words suited to the condition of their hearts, which were weighed down by anxiety for their safety and guilt over their past actions against him.
Passages read together with this verse.
THEOSIS