EasyEnglish Bible 2018
Genesis 48:19
19But Jacob refused to change. He said, ‘I know, my son. I know what I am doing. Manasseh will also have many descendants who become a great nation. But his younger brother, Ephraim, will become even greater. Ephraim's descendants will become many great nations.’
Genesis 48:19 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And his father refused, and said, I know it, my son, I know it: he also shall become a people, and he also shall be great: but truly his younger brother shall be greater than he, and his seed shall become a multitude of nations.
- New International Version (NIV)But his father refused and said, “I know, my son, I know. He too will become a people, and he too will become great. Nevertheless, his younger brother will be greater than he, and his descendants will become a group of nations.”
- English Standard Version (ESV)But his father refused and said, "I know, my son, I know. He also shall become a people, and he also shall be great. Nevertheless, his younger brother shall be greater than he, and his offspring shall become a multitude of nations."
- New King James Version (NKJV)But his father refused and said, “I know, my son, I know. He also shall become a people, and he also shall be great; but truly his younger brother shall be greater than he, and his descendants shall become a multitude of nations.”
Context of Genesis 48:19
17Joseph saw that his father had put his right hand on Ephraim's head. This made Joseph upset. So he took hold of his father's right hand. He moved it from Ephraim's head on to Manasseh's head. 18Joseph said to Jacob, ‘No, my father. This boy is the firstborn son. Put your right hand on his head.’ But Jacob refused to change. He said, ‘I know, my son. I know what I am doing. Manasseh will also have many descendants who become a great nation. But his younger brother, Ephraim, will become even greater. Ephraim's descendants will become many great nations.’ 20So Jacob blessed both of Joseph's sons that day. He said, ‘In your name Israel's people will give this blessing: “May God be good to you, just like he was to Ephraim and Manasseh.” ’ In this way, Jacob put Ephraim before Manasseh when he blessed them. 21Then Jacob said to Joseph, ‘I will die soon. But God will be with you. He will take you back to the land where your ancestors lived.
Read all of Genesis 48Genesis 48:19 word by word
וַיְמָאֵ֣ן אָבִ֗יו וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ יָדַ֤עְתִּֽי בְנִי֙ יָדַ֔עְתִּי גַּם־ה֥וּא יִֽהְיֶה־לְּעָ֖ם וְגַם־ה֣וּא יִגְדָּ֑ל וְאוּלָ֗ם אָחִ֤יו הַקָּטֹן֙ יִגְדַּ֣ל מִמֶּ֔נּוּ וְזַרְע֖וֹ יִהְיֶ֥ה מְלֹֽא־הַגּוֹיִֽם׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And his fatherאָב'âb · fatherH1
- refusedמָאֵןmâ'ên · to refuseH3985
- and saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- I knowיָדַעyâda‛ · to knowH3045
- my sonבֵּןbên · son: childH1121
- he also shall become a peopleעַם‛am · peopleH5971
- and he also shall be greatגָּדַלgâdal · to magnifyH1431
- but trulyאוּלָם'ûlâm · butH199
- his youngerקָטֹןqâţân qâţôn · small: youngH6996
- brotherאָח'âch · brother: male-siblingH251
- than he, and his seedזֶ֫רַעzera‛ · seed: childrenH2233
- shall become a multitudeמְלֹאmelô' melô' melô · fullnessH4393
- of nationsגּוֹיgôy gôy · nationH1471
Cross-references for Genesis 48:19
- Genesis 48:14Jacob then put out his right hand. But he put it on Ephraim's head, even though Ephraim was the younger son. Jacob crossed his arms so that he put his left hand on Manasseh's head. Manasseh was Joseph's firstborn son.
- Genesis 17:20I have heard what you want me to do for Ishmael. I will bless him. I will cause him to have many descendants. Among his descendants there will be 12 rulers. His descendants will become a great nation.
- Genesis 25:28Isaac liked to eat the meat from the animals that Esau killed. So he loved Esau. But Rebekah loved Jacob.
- Numbers 2:19There will be 40,500 soldiers in his army.
- Deuteronomy 33:17Joseph is as strong as a bull. He has horns like a wild ox. Those two horns are the armies of Ephraim and Manasseh! With them, he attacks other nations. He chases them to the edges of the world.
- Isaiah 7:17But the Lord will bring even greater trouble to you! It will be very bad for you, for the royal family, and for your people. Nothing as bad will have happened since Ephraim became separate from Judah. Yes, the Lord will bring the king of Assyria to attack you!’
- Ezekiel 27:10There were brave soldiers from Persia, Lydia and Libya in your army. They hung their shields and their helmets on your walls. They caused people to give you honour.
- Revelation 7:612,000 from Asher's tribe, 12,000 from Naphtali's tribe, 12,000 from Manasseh's tribe,
- Deuteronomy 1:10The Lord your God has caused you to become very many people. You are as many as the stars in the sky!
- Ruth 4:11Then all the leaders and the other people at the gate said, ‘We have seen that this is true. We pray that the Lord will bless the woman who is coming into your home as your wife. We pray that he will bless her as he blessed Rachel and Leah. They gave birth to many children for the family of Israel. We pray that you will become a rich man in Ephrathah's clan. And we pray that you will become famous in Bethlehem town.
Commentaries on Genesis 48:19
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 1-22Verses 1-22 - Joseph Visits His Sick Father The right of primogeniture has been forfeited by Reuben. The double portion in the inheritance is now transferred to Joseph. He is the first-born of her who was intended by Jacob to be his first and only wife. He has also been the means of saving all his father‘s house, even after he had been sold into slavery by his brethren. He has therefore, undeniable claims to this part of the first-born‘s rights. Genesis…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 8-22Verses 8-22 The two good men own God in their comforts. Joseph says, They are my sons whom God has given me. Jacob says, God hath showed me thy seed. Comforts are doubly sweet to us when we see them coming from God's hand. He not only prevents our fears, but exceeds our hopes. Jacob mentions the care the Divine providence had taken of him all his days. A great deal of hardship he had known in his time, but God kept him from the evil of his troubles. Now…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 17-19Not so, my father!: Joseph was upset because he expected God to act in a predictable way. But faith understands that God's ways and thoughts are different from human ones. Jacob spent his life learning this lesson, but he eventually understood and acted on it.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1-221. one told Joseph, Behold, thy father is sick--Joseph was hastily sent for, and on this occasion he took with him his two sons.Read the comment
Topics related to Genesis 48:19
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Genesis 48
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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