Genesis 50:20
18 His brothers also came to him, bowed down before him, and said, “We are your slaves!”
19 But Joseph replied, “Do not be afraid. Am I in the place of God?
As for you, what you intended against me for evil, God intended for good, in order to accomplish a day like this—to preserve the lives of many people.
21 Therefore do not be afraid. I will provide for you and your little ones.” So Joseph reassured his brothers and spoke kindly to them.
22 Now Joseph and his father’s household remained in Egypt, and Joseph lived to the age of 110.
Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.
Compare
- BSB
- As for you, what you intended against me for evil, God intended for good, in order to accomplish a day like this—to preserve the lives of many people.
- 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.
- WEB
- As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to save many people alive, as is happening today.
- 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.
- 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.
- BLB
- And you⁺—you⁺ intended evil against me, God intended it for good, in order to bring about a day like this, to keep alive many people.
- ÅB
- Dere tenkte ondt mot meg; men Gud tenkte det til det gode for å gjøre det han nå har gjort, og holde meget folk i live.
- OTB
- Dere hadde onde hensikter mot meg, men Gud brukte det til det gode, for å oppnå det som nå skjer, frelsen av mange liv.
- B1930
- I tenkte ondt mot mig; men Gud tenkte det til det gode for å gjøre det han nu har gjort, og holde meget folk i live.
Study notes (Tyndale)
Original text and word study
Cross references
Romans 8:28
And we know that God works all things together for the good of those who love Him, who are called according to His purpose.
Read in contextPsalms 119:71
It was good for me to be afflicted, that I might learn Your statutes.
Read in contextGenesis 45:5–8
And now, do not be distressed or angry with yourselves that you sold me into this place, because it was to save lives that God sent me before you.
Read in contextGenesis 37:18–20
Now Joseph’s brothers saw him in the distance, and before he arrived, they plotted to kill him.
Read in contextPsalms 105:16–17
He called down famine on the land and cut off all their supplies of food.
Read in contextActs 2:23
He was delivered up by God’s set plan and foreknowledge, and you, by the hands of the lawless, put Him to death by nailing Him to the cross.
Read in contextActs 3:13–15
The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the God of our fathers, has glorified His servant Jesus. You handed Him over and rejected Him before Pilate, even though he had decided to release Him.
Read in contextGenesis 37:4
When Joseph’s brothers saw that their father loved him more than any of them, they hated him and could not speak a kind word to him.
Read in context