Genesis 45:7 kjv

And God sent me before you to preserve you a posterity in the earth, and to save your lives by a great deliverance.

Genesis 45:7 nkjv

And God sent me before you to preserve a posterity for you in the earth, and to save your lives by a great deliverance.

Genesis 45:7 niv

But God sent me ahead of you to preserve for you a remnant on earth and to save your lives by a great deliverance.

Genesis 45:7 esv

And God sent me before you to preserve for you a remnant on earth, and to keep alive for you many survivors.

Genesis 45:7 nlt

God has sent me ahead of you to keep you and your families alive and to preserve many survivors.

Genesis 45 verses

Genesis 45 7 Meaning

Genesis 45:7 articulates Joseph's profound theological realization that God, not merely human action or malice, orchestrated his painful journey to Egypt for a specific, benevolent purpose: to preserve the Abrahamic lineage and secure a future for his family. It reveals divine providence actively overriding human evil to ensure the physical survival and continuation of the covenant people, providing "a posterity" and delivering them "by a great deliverance." This statement elevates the narrative from personal reconciliation to divine plan.

Genesis 45 7 Context

Genesis chapter 45 reaches the emotional crescendo of the Joseph narrative. Joseph, who had long withheld his true identity from his brothers, now dramatically reveals himself to them (Gen 45:1-4). Following their initial fear and distress (Gen 45:5), Joseph delivers this verse (Gen 45:7), serving as his profound theological interpretation of all the events, from their cruel betrayal to his subsequent rise in Egypt. Rather than assigning ultimate blame to human maliciousness, Joseph posits that God was the supreme orchestrator of these difficult circumstances. At the time, Jacob's family faced an imminent existential threat due to a severe famine across the known world (Gen 45:6). The very existence of the nascent Israelite nation was imperiled, threatening God's foundational covenant promises to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob concerning their innumerable offspring. Joseph’s long-foreseen rise and positioning in Egypt was therefore a divinely ordained action to safeguard this fragile family during the famine, ensuring their physical survival and the vital continuity of the covenant lineage. For the original Israelite audience, living in future hardship, this account would have powerfully assured them of God’s overarching providential care through every generation, implicitly asserting the one God of Israel's (Yahweh's) absolute control over all events, a significant contrast to polytheistic regional beliefs which ascribed limited domains to their deities.

Genesis 45 7 Word analysis

• "And": (וְ – ve) A simple conjunctive, yet profoundly connects Joseph's emotional revelation (Gen 45:4-5) with his theological explanation, signifying a direct progression of thought, linking their sin with God's overarching purpose.

• "God": (אֱלֹהִים – Elohim) The common Hebrew word for God. While grammatically plural, it functions as a singular referring to the supreme Deity. Its use here asserts the universal, powerful, and ultimate divine agent behind Joseph's entire life trajectory, transcending any human malice or perceived misfortune. It underscores foundational divine agency.

• "sent": (שָׁלַח – shalakh, Hiphil perfect) Meaning "to cause to go," "to send forth." This Hiphil causative verb implies active, deliberate, and intentional dispatch by God. It presents God as proactively commissioning Joseph's journey, not merely permitting it or reacting to it.

• "me": Refers to Joseph, highlighting his role as the chosen, albeit suffering, instrument of God's redemptive plan. It signifies his humble acceptance of his specific, unique mission.

• "before": (לִפְנֵיכֶם – lifneychem) Literally "before your face/presence." This intensifies the idea of proactive placement, emphasizing that God strategically positioned Joseph in advance of the famine, demonstrating foresight and preparation.

• "you": Addressing his brothers directly, but by extension, representing the entire family of Jacob. They are the immediate beneficiaries and subjects of God's saving grace through Joseph.

• "to preserve": (לְהִשְׁאִיר – lehish'ir, Hiphil infinitive) From the root יָתַר (yatar), meaning "to cause to remain," "to leave over," "to let survive." This highlights God's specific, deliberate intention to maintain their physical existence and ensure the continuation of their lineage, which is foundational for the fulfillment of the Abrahamic covenant.

• "a posterity": (שְׁאֵרִית – she'erit) Meaning "remnant," "what is left," "survivors." This is the direct object of the verb "to preserve," signifying the surviving portion of the Israelite family from whom the future nation would spring. The concept of "remnant" is crucial in biblical theology, indicating God's faithfulness to a core group despite judgment or threat.

• "in the earth": (בָּאָרֶץ – ba'aretz) Literally "in the land." In context, this refers to their physical presence and continuity on the planet, vital for occupying the Promised Land in the future. It stresses tangible, historical preservation.

• "and to save your lives": (וּלְהַחְיוֹת לָכֶם – ulehakhayot lachem, Hiphil infinitive) From חָיָה (khaya), "to cause to live," "to keep alive," "to revive." This reinforces the preceding phrase, emphasizing God's direct, life-giving action. It specifically addresses their immediate physical survival from the devastating effects of the famine.

• "by a great deliverance": (פְּלֵיטָה גְדֹלָה – pleitah gedolah) Pleitah signifies "escape," "deliverance," or "a great company of survivors." This strong word denotes salvation from extreme peril. Gedolah means "great," accentuating the magnitude and remarkable nature of this rescue, indicating it was far beyond bare survival—it was a secure and abundant preservation amidst utter destruction.

• Words-group by words-group analysis:

  • "And God sent me before you": This foundational clause shifts the entire perspective from human culpability to divine sovereignty. Joseph interprets his tragic past as a divinely ordained mission, not mere happenstance or human cruelty. It underscores God's active, predetermined intervention in the unfolding of history.
  • "to preserve you a posterity in the earth": This first declared purpose of God highlights His commitment to His covenant. It emphasizes the divine act of securing the continued existence of the ancestral line—Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob—ensuring that the embryonic nation of Israel would not perish, but thrive. This focused on the future generation and the foundational promises.
  • "and to save your lives by a great deliverance": This reinforcing purpose specifies the immediate and profound nature of the rescue. It addresses the immediate physical survival of the current generation from famine, highlighting not just mere survival but a robust "great deliverance," suggesting an abundant salvation and a substantial number of survivors, affirming the comprehensiveness and efficacy of God's provident care.

Genesis 45 7 Bonus section

This verse embodies a powerful transformation from human-centric grievance to God-centric praise. It showcases Joseph's remarkable spiritual growth from a naive youth to a man capable of discerning divine purpose in overwhelming personal suffering. The repeated emphasis on "preserving" and "saving lives" (using words like she'erit and pleitah) underscores God's deep commitment to maintaining His covenant people physically and numerically. Joseph's life, as explained here, foreshadows broader redemptive themes in the Bible, particularly the concept of a suffering servant whose painful journey leads to the salvation and preservation of his people, finding its ultimate fulfillment in Jesus Christ. It implicitly assures God's people throughout history that no circumstances, no matter how dire or evil in origin, are beyond God's sovereign control for His ultimate glory and their good.

Genesis 45 7 Commentary

Genesis 45:7 marks a profound theological pivot in the Joseph narrative. Joseph, now mature in faith, attributes his traumatic experiences—being sold into slavery—not as ultimately driven by his brothers' malice, but as orchestrated by God's sovereign hand. This truth, reiterated in Gen 50:20, establishes a central biblical principle: God's providence actively uses, and even overcomes, human evil for His ultimate good and redemptive plans. His twin objectives here were crucial: to secure the physical existence of Jacob's family during a devastating famine and to preserve their "posterity" or "remnant," thus ensuring the continuity of the covenant promises. This event was vital for the embryonic nation of Israel, setting the stage for their future growth and role in redemptive history, which ultimately leads to Christ. This verse profoundly comforts believers, demonstrating that even amidst intense suffering and injustice, God remains faithful, working out His divine purposes and weaving good from what humans intend for harm. For example, a significant personal setback or career displacement might, in hindsight, be seen as God's deliberate "sending ahead" to position one for an unforeseen mission or protection, ultimately for one's good and God's glory.