God’s Word Translation
Genesis 48:19
19His father refused and said, “I know, Son, I know! Manasseh, too, will become a nation, and he, too, will be important. Nevertheless, his younger brother will be more important than he, and his descendants will become many 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
17When Joseph saw that his father had put his right hand on Ephraim’s head, he didn’t like it. So he took his father’s hand in order to move it from Ephraim’s head to Manasseh’s. 18Then he said to his father, “That’s not right, Father! This is the firstborn. Put your right hand on his head.” His father refused and said, “I know, Son, I know! Manasseh, too, will become a nation, and he, too, will be important. Nevertheless, his younger brother will be more important than he, and his descendants will become many nations.” 20That day he blessed them. He said, “Because of you, Israel will speak this blessing, ‘May God make you like Ephraim and Manasseh!’ ” In this way Israel put Ephraim ahead of Manasseh. 21Then Israel said to Joseph, “Now I’m about to die, but God will be with you. He will bring you back to the land of your fathers.
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 48:14But Israel crossed his hands and reached out. He put his right hand on Ephraim’s head, although Ephraim was the younger son. He put his left hand on Manasseh’s head, although Manasseh was older.
- Genesis 17:20I have heard your request about Ishmael. Yes, I will bless him, make him fertile, and increase the number of his descendants. He will be the father of 12 princes, and I will make him a great nation.
- Genesis 25:28Because Isaac liked to eat the meat of wild animals, he loved Esau. However, Rebekah loved Jacob.
- Numbers 1:33The total for the tribe of Ephraim was 40,500.
- Numbers 2:19The total number of men in his army is 40,500.
- Deuteronomy 33:17They will be as majestic as a firstborn bull. Their horns will be like the horns of a wild ox. They will use them to push away nations including those at the ends of the earth. The tens of thousands from the tribe of Ephraim and the thousands from the tribe of Manasseh will be like this.”
- Isaiah 7:17“The Lord will bring on you, your people, and your ancestor’s family a time unlike any since Ephraim broke away from Judah. ⌞He will bring⌟ the king of Assyria.
- Ezekiel 27:10People from Persia, Lud, and Put were soldiers in your army. They hung their shields and helmets inside you. Their victories made you look good.
- Revelation 7:612,000 from the tribe of Asher, 12,000 from the tribe of Naphtali, 12,000 from the tribe of Manasseh,
- Deuteronomy 1:10The Lord your God has made your population increase so that you are now as numerous as the stars in the sky.
- Ruth 4:11All the people who were at the gate, including the leaders, said, “We are witnesses. May the Lord make this wife, who is coming into your home, like Rachel and Leah, both of whom built our family of Israel. So show your strength of character in Ephrathah and make a name for yourself in Bethlehem.
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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