After Jacob's death, Joseph's brothers are terrified. They send a message to Joseph: your father asked us to tell you - forgive us. They're afraid he'll punish them now that Jacob is gone and can't protect them.
Their fear suggests they never fully believed his reconciliation. They waited for the other shoe to drop. And it hasn't, even after all these years.
I work with people in reconciliation, and this pattern shows up constantly. Forgiveness is offered, but the person who hurt continues to expect retaliation because that's how they've learned the world works. Trust takes longer than words.
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