Hebrews 11:21

Hebrews 11:21 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)By faith Jacob, when he was a dying, blessed both the sons of Joseph; and worshipped, leaning upon the top of his staff.
• New International Version (NIV)By faith Jacob, when he was dying, blessed each of Joseph’s sons, and worshiped as he leaned on the top of his staff.
• English Standard Version (ESV)By faith Jacob, when dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, bowing in worship over the head of his staff.
• New King James Version (NKJV)By faith Jacob, when he was dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, and worshiped, leaning on the top of his staff.

Context of Hebrews 11:21

19Abraham believed that God could bring Isaac back from the dead. Abraham did receive Isaac back from the dead in a figurative sense. 20Faith led Isaac to bless Jacob and Esau. While Jacob was dying, faith led him to bless each of Joseph’s sons. He leaned on the top of his staff and worshiped God. 22While Joseph was dying, faith led him to speak about the Israelites leaving Egypt and give them instructions about burying his bones. 23Faith led Moses’ parents to hide him for three months after he was born. They did this because they saw that Moses was a beautiful baby and they were not afraid to disobey the king’s order.

Hebrews 11:21 word by word

Πίστει Ἰακὼβ ἀποθνῄσκων ἕκαστον τῶν υἱῶν Ἰωσὴφ εὐλόγησεν καὶ προσεκύνησεν ἐπὶ τὸ ἄκρον τῆς ῥάβδου αὐτοῦ.¶Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• By faithπίστιςpistis · faithG4102
• JacobἸακώβIakōb · JacobG2384
• when he was a dyingἀποθνήσκωapothnēskō · to dieG599
• blessedεὐλογέωeulogeō · to praise/blessG2127
• bothἕκαστοςhekastos · eachG1538
• the sonsὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• the sonsυἱόςuihos · sonG5207
• of JosephἸωσήφIōsēph · JosephG2501
• andκαίkai · andG2532
• worshippedπροσκυνέωproskuneō · to worshipG4352
• uponἐπίepi · upon/to/againstG1909
• the topἄκρονakron · endG206
• ofῥάβδοςrhabdos · rodG4464
• hisαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846

Cross-references for Hebrews 11:21

• Genesis 48:5“So your two sons, who were born in Egypt before I came here, are my sons. Ephraim and Manasseh will be mine just as Reuben and Simeon are.
• Genesis 47:31“Swear to me,” he said. So Joseph swore to him. Then Israel bowed down in prayer with his face at the head of his bed.

Commentaries on Hebrews 11:21

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 21Blessed both the sons of Joseph - That is, Ephraim and Manasseh. See the account and the notes. Genesis 48:5, etc. Worshipped, leaning upon the top of his staff - This subject is particularly considered in the note, See Genesis 47:31; (note). It appears, that at the time Joseph visited his father he was very weak, and generally confined to his couch, having at hand his staff; either that with which he usually supported his feeble body, or that which was…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 21By faith Jacob, when he was a dying - Genesis 47:31; 48:1-20. That is, when he was about to die. He saw his death near when he pronounced this blessing on Ephraim and Manasseh, the sons of Joseph. And worshipped, leaning upon the top of his staff - This is an exact quotation from the Septuagint in Genesis 47:31. The English version of that place is, “and Israel bowed himself upon the bed‘s head,” which is a proper translation, in the main, of the word מטּה…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 20-31Verses 20-31 Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau, concerning things to come. Things present are not the best things; no man knoweth love or hatred by having them or wanting them. Jacob lived by faith, and he died by faith, and in faith. Though the grace of faith is of use always through our whole lives, it is especially so when we come to die. Faith has a great work to do at last, to help the believer to die to the Lord, so as to honour him, by patience, hope…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 21Jacob gave the ritual blessing to Joseph’s sons, Ephraim and Manasseh (Genesis 48:8–22). worshiped as he leaned on the top of his staff: Genesis 47:31. The phrase as he leaned on his staff comes from the Greek translation of the Old Testament.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2121. both the sons--Greek, "each of the sons" (Ge 47:29; 48:8-20). He knew not Joseph's sons, and could not distinguish them by sight, yet he did distinguish them by faith, transposing his hands intentionally, so as to lay his right hand on the younger, Ephraim, whose posterity was to be greater than that of Manasseh: he also adopted these grandchildren as his own sons, after having transferred the right of primogeniture to Joseph (Ge 48:22). and…Read the comment

Topics related to Hebrews 11:21

• Death
• Faith

In the dictionaries

• Jacob
• Builder
• Conceive
• Confess
• Cruel
• Faith
• Impossible
• Proper
• Rewarder
• Trial

Commentaries on Hebrews 11

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Illustrated New Testament
• Burkitt’s Expository Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Family Bible Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• The People’s New Testament
• Robertson’s Word Pictures
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings