Bible Society of South Africa
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Forgiveness
Forgiveness – Day 1
Ds Hein Barnard

Forgiveness – Day 1

By Hein Barnard

Um(Imi)bhalo weBhayibheli

UGenesise 50

15Sebebonile abafowabo bakaJosefa ukuthi uyise ufile, bathi: “Mhlawumbe uJosefa uzakusizonda, asiphindisele nokusiphindisela konke okubi esakwenza kuyena.” 16Base bethumela kuJosefa, bethi: “Uyihlo wayala engakafi, wathi: 17‘Niyakusho kuJosefa ukuthi: Ake uthethelele abafowenu isiphambeko sabo nesono sabo, ngokuba bakwenzela okubi.’ Manje siyakucela ukuthi: Ake uthethelele isiphambeko sezinceku zikaNkulunkulu kayihlo.” UJosefa wakhala, besakhuluma kuye.

18Base befika nabafowabo, bawa phansi ebusweni bakhe, bathi: “Bheka, siyizinceku zakho.”

19UJosefa wayesethi kubo: “Ningesabi; kanti ngisesikhundleni sikaNkulunkulu na? 20Yebo, nina nangisongozela okubi, kepha uNkulunkulu wakuceba kwaba kuhle ukuba akwenze kube njenganamuhla, asindise abantu abaningi. 21Ngalokho ningesabi; mina ngiyakunondla, nina nezingane zenu.” Wabaduduza, wakhuluma kuzo izinhliziyo zabo.

UGenesise 50:15-21ZUL59NOVula kumfundi weBhayibheli

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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