Bible Society of South Africa
Ds Hein Barnard

Forgiveness – Day 1

By Hein Barnard

Itekisi yeBhayibhile

EYEZIQALO 50

UJosefu uthomalalisa ixhala labantakwabo

15Emva kokubhubha kukayise abantakwabo-Josefu baphathwa lixhala lokuba hleze kuthi kanti uJosefu usababambe isixhiba ngento embi abamenza yona. 16-17Bathumela isigidimi ke kuJosefu ukuba sise umlomo othi: “Ubawo wathi ze sithi kuwe, Josefu, uze usixolele ngesenzo esakwenza sona. Sixolele ke ngoko, thina zicaka zikaThixo kabawo.”

Zehla iinyembezi kuJosefu akuwuva loo mlomo. 18Bathi ke, abantakwabo beze buqu, bafika bakhahlela, bathi: “Thina sizizicaka zakho.”

19Suka uJosefu wathi: “Musani ukuxhala, andingoThixo mna. 20Ewe, nanizimisele ukundenzakalisa, kodwa uThixo yena walijika elo yelenqe labubuhle, khon' ukuze kusinde abantu abaninzi abaphilayo ngoku ngenxa yeso senzo senu.” 21Watsho esithi: “Musani ukoyika, ndiza kunigcina nina kunye nabantwana benu.” Wabathuthuzela ngamazwi atsho laphela ixhala.

EYEZIQALO 50:15-21XHO96Vula kumfundi weBhayibhile

The first occurrence of forgiveness in the Bible

The patriarch Jacob had passed away and Joseph’s brothers realised that they might be punished for the way they treated him.

We read from Genesis 37 about how the dreams of Joseph caused a broken relationship between him, his parents and brothers.  His brothers wanted to kill him, but he was sold and became a slave in Egypt. 

The dreams became a reality when his brothers went to Egypt to buy food because of the drought.  We read in Genesis 45 how Joseph revealed himself to his brothers, explaining that everything was part of God’s plan (45:8).

One thing lacked – nowhere did his brothers ask for forgiveness, nor did Joseph grant them forgiveness.  Somebody needed to take the initiative – and it happened after the death of Jacob, their father.

The brothers sought forgiveness because they feared that something bad would happen.  They were afraid that Joseph would take revenge.

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