Genesis 50:20
New International Version
You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.

New Living Translation
You intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good. He brought me to this position so I could save the lives of many people.

English Standard Version
As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today.

Berean Standard Bible
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.

King James Bible
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.

New King James Version
But as for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, in order to bring it about as it is this day, to save many people alive.

New American Standard Bible
As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good in order to bring about this present result, to keep many people alive.

NASB 1995
“As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good in order to bring about this present result, to preserve many people alive.

NASB 1977
“And as for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good in order to bring about this present result, to preserve many people alive.

Legacy Standard Bible
As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good in order to do what has happened on this day, to keep many people alive.

Amplified Bible
As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good in order to bring about this present outcome, that many people would be kept alive [as they are this day].

Christian Standard Bible
You planned evil against me; God planned it for good to bring about the present result—the survival of many people.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
You planned evil against me; God planned it for good to bring about the present result—the survival of many people.

American Standard Version
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.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
You counseled evil against me and God counseled good, to do as it is today, and he will save many people.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
Ye took counsel against me for evil, but God took counsel for me for good, that the matter might be as it is to-day, and much people might be fed.

Contemporary English Version
You tried to harm me, but God made it turn out for the best, so that he could save all these people, as he is now doing.

Douay-Rheims Bible
You thought evil against me: but God turned it into good, that he might exalt me, as at present you see, and might save many people.

English Revised Version
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.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Even though you planned evil against me, God planned good to come out of it. This was to keep many people alive, as he is doing now.

Good News Translation
You plotted evil against me, but God turned it into good, in order to preserve the lives of many people who are alive today because of what happened.

International Standard Version
As far as you're concerned, you were planning evil against me, but God intended it for good, planning to bring about the present result so that many people would be preserved alive.

JPS Tanakh 1917
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.

Literal Standard Version
As for you, you devised evil against me, [but] God devised it for good, in order to do as [at] this day, to keep alive a numerous people;

Majority Standard Bible
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.

New American Bible
Even though you meant harm to me, God meant it for good, to achieve this present end, the survival of many people.

NET Bible
As for you, you meant to harm me, but God intended it for a good purpose, so he could preserve the lives of many people, as you can see this day.

New Revised Standard Version
Even though you intended to do harm to me, God intended it for good, in order to preserve a numerous people, as he is doing today.

New Heart English Bible
As for you, you meant evil against me, but God turned it into good in order to bring about this present result, to save the lives of many people.

Webster's Bible Translation
But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it for good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save many people alive.

World English Bible
As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to save many people alive, as is happening today.

Young's Literal Translation
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;

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Joseph Comforts His Brothers
19But Joseph replied, “Do not be afraid. Am I in the place of God? 20As 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. 21Therefore do not be afraid. I will provide for you and your little ones.” So Joseph reassured his brothers and spoke kindly to them.…

Cross References
Genesis 37:26
Then Judah said to his brothers, "What profit will we gain if we kill our brother and cover up his blood?

Genesis 37:27
Come, let us sell him to the Ishmaelites and not lay a hand on him; for he is our brother, our own flesh." And they agreed.

Genesis 45:5
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.

Genesis 45:7
God sent me before you to preserve you as a remnant on the earth and to save your lives by a great deliverance.

Genesis 50:19
But Joseph replied, "Do not be afraid. Am I in the place of God?

Isaiah 10:7
But this is not his intention; this is not his plan. For it is in his heart to destroy and cut off many nations.


Treasury of Scripture

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

ye thought.

Genesis 37:4,18-20
And when his brethren saw that their father loved him more than all his brethren, they hated him, and could not speak peaceably unto him…

Psalm 56:5
Every day they wrest my words: all their thoughts are against me for evil.

God meant.

Genesis 45:5-8
Now therefore be not grieved, nor angry with yourselves, that ye sold me hither: for God did send me before you to preserve life…

Psalm 76:10
Surely the wrath of man shall praise thee: the remainder of wrath shalt thou restrain.

Psalm 105:16,17
Moreover he called for a famine upon the land: he brake the whole staff of bread…

Jump to Previous
Accomplish Alive Devised Evil Good Great Happy Harm Indeed Intended Kept Meant Mind Numbers Numerous Order Outcome Present Preserve Result Salvation Save Saving Thought Today
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Accomplish Alive Devised Evil Good Great Happy Harm Indeed Intended Kept Meant Mind Numbers Numerous Order Outcome Present Preserve Result Salvation Save Saving Thought Today
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.














(20) Ye thought . . . God meant.--The verb in the Heb. is the same, and contrasts man's purpose with God's purpose. In Genesis 45:7 Joseph had already pointed out that the Divine providence had overruled the evil intentions of his brethren for good. At the end of the verse "much people," or a great people, means the Egyptians.

Verse 20. - But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good (literally, and ye were thinking or meditating evil against me; Elohim was thinking or meditating for good, i.e. that what you did should be for good), to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive (vide Genesis 45:5).

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
As for you,
וְאַתֶּ֕ם (wə·’at·tem)
Conjunctive waw | Pronoun - second person masculine plural
Strong's 859: Thou and thee, ye and you

what you intended
חֲשַׁבְתֶּ֥ם (ḥă·šaḇ·tem)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - second person masculine plural
Strong's 2803: To think, account

against me
עָלַ֖י (‘ā·lay)
Preposition | first person common singular
Strong's 5921: Above, over, upon, against

for evil,
רָעָ֑ה (rā·‘āh)
Adjective - feminine singular
Strong's 7451: Bad, evil

God
אֱלֹהִים֙ (’ĕ·lō·hîm)
Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 430: gods -- the supreme God, magistrates, a superlative

intended
חֲשָׁבָ֣הּ (ḥă·šā·ḇāh)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular | third person feminine singular
Strong's 2803: To think, account

for good,
לְטֹבָ֔ה (lə·ṭō·ḇāh)
Preposition-l | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 2896: Pleasant, agreeable, good

in order to
לְמַ֗עַן (lə·ma·‘an)
Conjunction
Strong's 4616: Purpose -- intent

accomplish
עֲשֹׂ֛ה (‘ă·śōh)
Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct
Strong's 6213: To do, make

a day
כַּיּ֥וֹם (kay·yō·wm)
Preposition-k, Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 3117: A day

like this—
הַזֶּ֖ה (haz·zeh)
Article | Pronoun - masculine singular
Strong's 2088: This, that

to preserve the lives
לְהַחֲיֹ֥ת (lə·ha·ḥă·yōṯ)
Preposition-l | Verb - Hifil - Infinitive construct
Strong's 2421: To live, to revive

of many
רָֽב׃ (rāḇ)
Adjective - masculine singular
Strong's 7227: Much, many, great

people.
עַם־ (‘am-)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 5971: A people, a tribe, troops, attendants, a flock


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OT Law: Genesis 50:20 As for you you meant evil against (Gen. Ge Gn)
Genesis 50:19
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