so shall ye say unto Joseph] To make their peace with Joseph, whose goodnesse was suspected by their guilt, they plead for pacification and pardon by many arguments; First, by the desire of his most honoured, and dead father, whose request to Joseph had the power of a command, which he might have charged upon him with an oath, as vers. 5. Secondly, the relation of brethren, who under that title were to be tenderly dealt withall, though (when time was) they did not deale with him accordingly. Thirdly, as penitents, they confesse a fault and crave pardon, and as unworthy to be called Jacobs sonnes, they call him Josephs father, wherein also they insinuate his paternall tendernesse to Joseph, loving him more then all his other children, Genesis 37:3. Fourthly, they adde to these motives of charitie a motive of pietie, which is, their agreement and consent in the service of God; Forgive the trespasse of the servants of the God of thy father; by which phrase the God of thy father, they seeme to imply, that as Joseph loved his father for Gods sake and his own, so they would have him love God for his fathers sake; and by pleading thus they meane that having one God they should be at one among themselves. wept] As pitying their perplexity, and grieving that they made doubt of his good will towards them, of whom they had so good proofe before his fathers departure out of this life.