New English Translation
Genesis 48:1
1After these things Joseph was told, “Your father is weakening.” So he took his two sons Manasseh and Ephraim with him.
Genesis 48:1 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And it came to pass after these things, that one told Joseph, Behold, thy father is sick: and he took with him his two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim.
- New International Version (NIV)Some time later Joseph was told, “Your father is ill.” So he took his two sons Manasseh and Ephraim along with him.
- English Standard Version (ESV)After this, Joseph was told, "Behold, your father is ill." So he took with him his two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim.
- New King James Version (NKJV)Now it came to pass after these things that Joseph was told, “Indeed your father is sick”; and he took with him his two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim.
Context of Genesis 48:1
After these things Joseph was told, “Your father is weakening.” So he took his two sons Manasseh and Ephraim with him. 2When Jacob was told, “Your son Joseph has just come to you,” Israel regained strength and sat up on his bed. 3Jacob said to Joseph, “The sovereign God appeared to me at Luz in the land of Canaan and blessed me.
Read all of Genesis 48Genesis 48:1 word by word
וַיְהִ֗י אַחֲרֵי֙ הַדְּבָרִ֣ים הָאֵ֔לֶּה וַיֹּ֣אמֶר לְיוֹסֵ֔ף הִנֵּ֥ה אָבִ֖יךָ חֹלֶ֑ה וַיִּקַּ֞ח אֶת־שְׁנֵ֤י בָנָיו֙ עִמּ֔וֹ אֶת־מְנַשֶּׁ֖ה וְאֶת־אֶפְרָֽיִם׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And it came to pass afterאַחַר'achar · afterH310
- these thingsדָּבָרdâbâr · word: thingH1697
- toldאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- Josephיוֹסֵףyôsêph · JosephH3130
- Behold, thy fatherאָב'âb · fatherH1
- sickחָלָהchâlâh · be weak: illH2470
- and he tookלָקַחlâqach · to take: takeH3947
- with him his twoשְׁנַ֫יִםshenayim shettayim · twoH8147
- sonsבֵּןbên · son: childH1121
- Manassehמְנַשֶּׁהmenashsheh · ManassehH4519
- and Ephraimאֶפְרַ֫יִם'ephrayim · EphraimH669
Cross-references for Genesis 48:1
- John 11:3So the sisters sent a message to Jesus, “Lord, look, the one you love is sick.”
- Genesis 41:50Two sons were born to Joseph before the famine came. Asenath daughter of Potiphera, priest of On, was their mother.
- Genesis 46:20Manasseh and Ephraim were born to Joseph in the land of Egypt. Asenath daughter of Potiphera, priest of On, bore them to him.
- Genesis 50:23Joseph saw the descendants of Ephraim to the third generation. He also saw the children of Makir the son of Manasseh; they were given special inheritance rights by Joseph.
- Job 42:16After this Job lived 140 years; he saw his children and their children to the fourth generation.
- Psalms 128:6and that you might see your grandchildren. May Israel experience peace!
Commentaries on Genesis 48:1
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 1One told Joseph, Behold, thy father is sick - He was ill before, and Joseph knew it; but it appears that a messenger had been now dispatched to inform Joseph that his father was apparently at the point of death.Read the comment
- 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. 1Joseph visits his dying father. (1-7) Jacob blesses Joseph's sons. (8-22) Verses 1-7 The death-beds of believers, with the prayers and counsels of dying persons, are suited to make serious impressions upon the young, the gay, and the prosperous: we shall do well to take children on such occasions, when it can be done properly. If the Lord please, it is very desirable to bear our dying testimony to his truth, to his faithfulness, and the pleasantness of…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1-22When Jacob blessed Ephraim and Manasseh, he showed faith in God's promise to continue. He understood that God's ways differ from human ways. From Jacob's long life, the writer of Hebrews chose the blessing of Joseph's sons as his greatest act of faith (Hebrews 11:21). Jacob followed God's will by giving the main blessing to the younger son instead of the older one, without any trickery or negative outcomes.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 48:1
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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