Genesis

Genesis 50:18–21

¹⁸His brothers also came to him, bowed down before him, and said, “We are your slaves!”

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.

Read all of Genesis 50

Word by word

Each English word or phrase beside the Hebrew it translates, in the order of the English. Choose a number to open that word’s study.

Genesis 50:18

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
His brothers	אֶחָ֔יו	’e·ḥāw	Noun - masculine plural construct; third person masculine singular	H251 brother
also	גַּם־	gam-	Conjunction	H1571 also, moreover, yea
came to him	וַיֵּלְכוּ֙	way·yê·lə·ḵū	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural	H1980 go, come, walk
bowed down	וַֽיִּפְּל֖וּ	way·yip·pə·lū	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural	H5307 fall, lie
before him	לְפָנָ֑יו	lə·p̄ā·nāw	Preposition-l; Noun - common plural construct; third person masculine singular	H6440 face, before
and said	וַיֹּ֣אמְר֔וּ	way·yō·mə·rū	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural	H559 utter, say
We are your slaves	לַעֲבָדִֽים׃	la·‘ă·ḇā·ḏîm	Preposition-l; Noun - masculine plural	H5650 slave, servant

Genesis 50:19

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
But Joseph	יוֹסֵ֖ף	yō·w·sêp̄	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3130 Joseph
replied	וַיֹּ֧אמֶר	way·yō·mer	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H559 utter, say
Do not	אַל־	’al-	Adverb	H408 prohibition, do not . . ., let not . . .
be afraid	תִּירָ֑אוּ	tî·rā·’ū	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine plural	H3372 fear
Am I	אָֽנִי׃	’ā·nî	Pronoun - first person common singular	H589 I
in the place of	הֲתַ֥חַת	hă·ṯa·ḥaṯ	Preposition	H8478 the under part
God	אֱלֹהִ֖ים	’ĕ·lō·hîm	Noun - masculine plural	H430 God

Genesis 50:20

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
As for you	וְאַתֶּ֕ם	wə·’at·tem	Conjunctive waw; Pronoun - second person masculine plural	H859 thou
what you intended	חֲשַׁבְתֶּ֥ם	ḥă·šaḇ·tem	Verb - Qal - Perfect - second person masculine plural	H2803 think, account
against me	עָלַ֖י	‘ā·lay	Preposition; first person common singular	H5921 height
for evil	רָעָ֑ה	rā·‘āh	Adjective - feminine singular	H7451 bad, evil
God	אֱלֹהִים֙	’ĕ·lō·hîm	Noun - masculine plural	H430 God
intended	חֲשָׁבָ֣הּ	ḥă·šā·ḇāh	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular; third person feminine singular	H2803 think, account
for good	לְטֹבָ֔ה	lə·ṭō·ḇāh	Preposition-l; Noun - feminine singular	H2896 pleasant, agreeable, good
in order to	לְמַ֗עַן	lə·ma·‘an	Conjunction	H4616 purpose, intent
accomplish	עֲשֹׂ֛ה	‘ă·śōh	Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct	H6213 do, make
a day	כַּיּ֥וֹם	kay·yō·wm	Preposition-k, Article; Noun - masculine singular	H3117 day
like this	הַזֶּ֖ה	haz·zeh	Article; Pronoun - masculine singular	H2088 this, that
to preserve the lives	לְהַחֲיֹ֥ת	lə·ha·ḥă·yōṯ	Preposition-l; Verb - Hifil - Infinitive construct	H2421 live
of many	רָֽב׃	rāḇ	Adjective - masculine singular	H7227 much, many, great
people	עַם־	‘am-	Noun - masculine singular	H5971 people

Genesis 50:21

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Therefore	וְעַתָּה֙	wə·‘at·tāh	Conjunctive waw; Adverb	H6258 now
do not	אַל־	’al-	Adverb	H408 prohibition, do not . . ., let not . . .
be afraid	תִּירָ֔אוּ	tî·rā·’ū	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine plural	H3372 fear
I	אָנֹכִ֛י	’ā·nō·ḵî	Pronoun - first person common singular	H595 I
will provide for	אֲכַלְכֵּ֥ל	’ă·ḵal·kêl	Verb - Piel - Imperfect - first person common singular	H3557 comprehend, contain
you	אֶתְכֶ֖ם	’eṯ·ḵem	Direct object marker; second person masculine plural	H853 mark of the accusative
and your little ones	טַפְּכֶ֑ם	ṭap·pə·ḵem	Noun - masculine singular construct; second person masculine plural	H2945 children
So	וַיְנַחֵ֣ם	way·na·ḥêm	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Piel - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H5162 be sorry, console
and spoke	וַיְדַבֵּ֖ר	way·ḏab·bêr	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Piel - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H1696 speak
kindly to them	עַל־	‘al-	Preposition	H5921 height