The Meaning of Genesis 50:20 Explained

Genesis 50:20

KJV: But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive.

YLT: As for you, ye devised against me evil -- God devised it for good, in order to do as at this day, to keep alive a numerous people;

Darby: Ye indeed meant evil against me: God meant it for good, in order that he might do as it is this day, to save a great people alive.

ASV: And as for you, ye meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

But as for you, ye thought  evil  against me; [but] God  meant it  unto good,  to  bring to pass,  as [it is] this day,  to save  much  people  alive. 

What does Genesis 50:20 Mean?

Context Summary

Genesis 50:15-26 - Joseph Loves Until His Death
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Chapter Summary: Genesis 50

1  The mourning for Jacob
4  Joseph gets leave of Pharaoh to go to bury him
7  The funeral
15  Joseph comforts his brothers, who crave his pardon
22  His age
23  He sees the third generation of his sons
24  He prophesies unto his brothers of their return
25  He takes an oath of them concerning his bones
26  He dies, and is put into a coffin

What do the individual words in Genesis 50:20 mean?

but as for you you meant against me evil [but] God meant it for good in order to bring it about a day like this to save alive people many
וְאַתֶּ֕ם חֲשַׁבְתֶּ֥ם עָלַ֖י רָעָ֑ה אֱלֹהִים֙ חֲשָׁבָ֣הּ לְטֹבָ֔ה לְמַ֗עַן עֲשֹׂ֛ה כַּיּ֥וֹם הַזֶּ֖ה לְהַחֲיֹ֥ת עַם־ רָֽב

וְאַתֶּ֕ם  but  as  for  you 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Pronoun, second person masculine plural
Root: אַתְּ 
Sense: you (second pers.
חֲשַׁבְתֶּ֥ם  you  meant 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, second person masculine plural
Root: חָשַׁב 
Sense: to think, plan, esteem, calculate, invent, make a judgment, imagine, count.
עָלַ֖י  against  me 
Parse: Preposition, first person common singular
Root: עַל 
Sense: upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against.
רָעָ֑ה  evil 
Parse: Adjective, feminine singular
Root: רַע 
Sense: bad, evil.
אֱלֹהִים֙  [but]  God 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: אֱלֹהִים  
Sense: (plural).
חֲשָׁבָ֣הּ  meant  it 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular, third person feminine singular
Root: חָשַׁב 
Sense: to think, plan, esteem, calculate, invent, make a judgment, imagine, count.
לְטֹבָ֔ה  for  good 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, feminine singular
Root: טָבַב 
Sense: good, pleasant, agreeable.
לְמַ֗עַן  in  order 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: לְמַעַן 
Sense: purpose, intent prep.
עֲשֹׂ֛ה  to  bring  it  about 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: עָשָׂה 
Sense: to do, fashion, accomplish, make.
כַּיּ֥וֹם  a  day 
Parse: Preposition-k, Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: יׄום 
Sense: day, time, year.
הַזֶּ֖ה  like  this 
Parse: Article, Pronoun, masculine singular
Root: זֶה  
Sense: this, this one, here, which, this … that, the one … the other, another, such.
לְהַחֲיֹ֥ת  to  save  alive 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Hifil, Infinitive construct
Root: חָיָה  
Sense: to live, have life, remain alive, sustain life, live prosperously, live for ever, be quickened, be alive, be restored to life or health.
עַם־  people 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: עַם 
Sense: nation, people.
רָֽב  many 
Parse: Adjective, masculine singular
Root: רַב 
Sense: much, many, great.