King James Version

What Does Genesis 50:8 Mean?

Genesis 50:8 in the King James Version says “And all the house of Joseph, and his brethren, and his father's house: only their little ones, and their flocks, and the...” — study this verse from Genesis chapter 50 with commentary, cross-references, and original Hebrew word analysis.

“And all the house of Joseph, and his brethren, and his father's house: only their little ones, and their flocks, and their herds, they left in the land of Goshen.”

Genesis 50:8 · KJV

Context

6

And Pharaoh said, Go up, and bury thy father, according as he made thee swear.

7

And Joseph went up to bury his father: and with him went up all the servants of Pharaoh, the elders of his house, and all the elders of the land of Egypt,

8

And all the house of Joseph, and his brethren, and his father's house: only their little ones, and their flocks, and their herds, they left in the land of Goshen.

9

And there went up with him both chariots and horsemen: and it was a very great company.

10

And they came to the threshingfloor of Atad, which is beyond Jordan, and there they mourned with a great and very sore lamentation: and he made a mourning for his father seven days.

Read Genesis 50 full chapter

Commentary

KJV Study Commentary
And all the house of Joseph, and his brethren, and his father's house: only their little ones, and t... This passage is part of the Joseph narrative, a masterfully crafted account demonstrating God's sovereign providence working through human choices and circumstances to accomplish His redemptive purposes. The Joseph cycle shows how God transforms evil intentions into instruments of salvation.

Central themes include divine providence orchestrating events toward redemptive ends, the testing and refinement of character through suffering and success, forgiveness overcoming betrayal and injustice, and the preservation of God's covenant people through famine. Joseph's rise from slavery to second-in-command of Egypt illustrates how God exalts the humble and uses seeming disasters for ultimate good.

Theologically, these chapters reveal: (1) God's meticulous sovereignty over all events, even evil human actions; (2) suffering as preparation for future service rather than punishment; (3) forgiveness as reflecting divine character and enabling reconciliation; (4) God's covenant faithfulness across generations ensuring the survival and blessing of His people; (5) how present suffering gains meaning when viewed from the perspective of God's larger purposes. Joseph's words "you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good" (50:20) epitomize biblical theodicy and providence.

KJV Study — Public Domain

Historical & Cultural Context

The patriarchal narratives (Genesis 12-50) reflect the cultural, social, and legal customs of the ancient Near East during the Middle Bronze Age (2000-1500 BCE). Archaeological discoveries including the Mari tablets, Nuzi tablets, and Egyptian records confirm many details: nomadic pastoralism, covenant-making ceremonies, marriage customs, property laws, and international travel patterns described in Genesis.

The cultural practices reflected include: treaty/covenant forms (Genesis 15), bride-price customs (Genesis 24, 29), inheritance laws favoring firstborn sons (Genesis 25, 27), adoption practices (Genesis 15, 30), levirate-type arrangements (Genesis 38), and Egyptian administrative systems (Genesis 41, 47). These parallels confirm Genesis's historical reliability while showing how God worked within ancient cultural frameworks to accomplish His purposes.

For later Israelites, these narratives established their identity as Abraham's descendants, explained their claim to Canaan, justified their possession of Joseph's bones (Exodus 13:19), and provided models of faith despite imperfection. The patriarchs' failures and God's faithfulness encouraged Israel that covenant relationship depended on God's grace rather than human merit. The movement from Mesopotamia to Canaan to Egypt set the stage for the Exodus and conquest narratives.

Reflection Questions

  1. How does this verse deepen our understanding of God's character and His relationship with creation?
  2. How does this passage challenge modern cultural assumptions about identity, purpose, or morality?
  3. What connections can we trace from this verse to Jesus' life, death, and resurrection?

Original Language Analysis

Hebrew · 13 words
וְכֹל֙1 of 13
H3605

properly, the whole; hence, all, any or every (in the singular only, but often in a plural sense)

וּבֵ֣ית2 of 13

“And all the house”

H1004

a house (in the greatest variation of applications, especially family, etc.)

יוֹסֵ֔ף3 of 13

“of Joseph”

H3130

joseph, the name of seven israelites

וְאֶחָ֖יו4 of 13

“and his brethren”

H251

a brother (used in the widest sense of literal relationship and metaphorical affinity or resemblance [like h0001])

וּבֵ֣ית5 of 13

“And all the house”

H1004

a house (in the greatest variation of applications, especially family, etc.)

אָבִ֑יו6 of 13

“and his father's”

H1

father, in a literal and immediate, or figurative and remote application

רַ֗ק7 of 13
H7535

properly, leanness, i.e., (figuratively) limitation; only adverbial, merely, or conjunctional, although

טַפָּם֙8 of 13

“only their little ones”

H2945

a family (mostly used collectively in the singular)

וְצֹאנָ֣ם9 of 13

“and their flocks”

H6629

a collective name for a flock (of sheep or goats); also figuratively (of men)

וּבְקָרָ֔ם10 of 13

“and their herds”

H1241

a beeve or an animal of the ox family of either gender (as used for plowing); collectively, a herd

עָֽזְב֖וּ11 of 13

“they left”

H5800

to loosen, i.e., relinquish, permit, etc

בְּאֶ֥רֶץ12 of 13

“in the land”

H776

the earth (at large, or partitively a land)

גֹּֽשֶׁן׃13 of 13

“of Goshen”

H1657

goshen, the residence of the israelites in egypt; also a place in palestine

Study Guide

Historical Context

This verse is found in the book of Genesis. Understanding the historical and cultural background helps illuminate its meaning for the original audience and for us today.

Theological Significance

Genesis 50:8 contributes to our understanding of God's character and His relationship with humanity. Consider how this verse connects to the broader themes of Scripture.

Cross-References

Verses related to Genesis 50:8 from Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

Exodus 10:26Numbers 32:24-27Exodus 10:8-9

Places in This Verse

Goshen 1Region · Modern: Qantir · 30.80°N, 31.83°E11 verses across 2 books
View all places in Genesis 50 →

Test Your Knowledge

Genesis 50 QuizTest your knowledge of this chapterGenesis Book QuizComprehensive quiz for the entire book

Continue Your Study

Read Genesis 50 with CommentaryAll Genesis ChaptersComplete Genesis QuizBible CharactersNave's Topical BibleAll Bible Quizzes