6556. Verses 15-21. And Joseph's brethren saw that their father was dead, and they said, Peradventure Joseph will hate us, and returning will return unto us all the evil that we requited to him. And they commanded Joseph, saying, Thy father did command before he died, saying, Thus shall ye say unto Joseph, I pray forgive I pray the transgression of thy brethren, and their sin, because they requited evil to thee; and now forgive I pray the transgression of the servants of the God of thy father. And Joseph wept when they spake unto him. And his brethren also went and fell down before him; and they said, Behold we are thy servants. And Joseph said unto them, Fear ye not; for am I in God's stead? And you thought evil upon me, but God thought it for good, in order to do as it is this day, to make alive a great people. And now fear ye not; I will sustain you, and your babes; and he comforted them, and spake upon their heart.
"And Joseph's brethren saw that their father was dead," signifies the things alienated from truth and good, and a perception that the church was resuscitated; "and they said, Peradventure Joseph will hate us," signifies that they had rejected the internal; "and returning will return unto us all the evil that we requited to him," signifies the penalty therefore impending according to the desert; "and they commanded Joseph, saying," signifies influx from the internal and the consequent perception; "Thy father did command before he died, saying," signifies that it is by command of the church; "Thus shall ye say unto Joseph," signifies perception from the internal what ought to be done; "I pray forgive I pray the transgression of thy brethren, and their sin," signifies supplication and repentance; "because they requited evil to thee," signifies that they had turned away from the good and truth which flow in; "and now forgive I pray the transgression of the servants of the God of thy father," signifies repentance and acknowledgment of the Divine things of the church; "and Joseph wept when they spake unto him," signifies reception from love; "and his brethren also went and fell down before him," signifies the submission of the things that are in the natural under the internal; "and they said, Behold, we are thy servants," signifies that they shall not be at their own disposal; "and Joseph said unto them, Fear ye not," signifies re-creation by the internal; "for am I in God's stead?" signifies that God will provide; "and you thought evil upon me," signifies that the things alienated intend nothing but evil; "God thought it for good," signifies that the Divine turns it into good; "in order to do as it is this day," signifies that this is according to order from eternity; "to make alive a great people," signifies that from this is life to those who are in the truths of good; "and now fear ye not," signifies that they should not be anxious; "I will sustain you, and your babes," signifies that they will live through the internal from the Divine by means of the truth that is of the understanding and the good that is of the will; "and he comforted them," signifies hope; "and spake upon their heart," signifies trust.