What does "ye thought evil against me, but God meant it unto good" mean (Genesis 50:20)?

Whosoever Will, The Pit, the Prison, and the Palace: The Hebrew verb is chashav: to think, to plan, to reckon, to intend. It appears twice in one sentence. The brothers chashav: they planned evil. God chashav: He planned good. Same verb. Same event. Two actors. Two intentions. Operating simultaneously through the same history. Joseph does not say: God made you do it. That would remove the brothers' guilt and the text has been honest about their guilt since chapter 37. He does not say: God had nothing to do with it. That would remove the providence and the text has been tracking God's presence through every stage of the story since chapter 39. Both are true. The evil was theirs. The purpose was God's. The outcome was salvation for many. Joseph had said it even earlier, both verbs in one verse: ye sold me hither: for God did send me before you (Genesis 45:5). The selling was theirs. The sending was God's. Same event, twice intended. Scripture, King James Version: Genesis 45:5, "Now therefore be not grieved, nor angry with yourselves, that ye sold me hither: for God did send me before you to preserve life."; Genesis 50:20, "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.".

Verified. Every scripture quotation on this page has been checked word-for-word against the King James text. Last reviewed 2026-10-18.