New International Version
Genesis 48:12
12Then Joseph removed them from Israel’s knees and bowed down with his face to the ground.
Genesis 48:12 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And Joseph brought them out from between his knees, and he bowed himself with his face to the earth.
- English Standard Version (ESV)Then Joseph removed them from his knees, and he bowed himself with his face to the earth.
- New King James Version (NKJV)So Joseph brought them from beside his knees, and he bowed down with his face to the earth.
- New Living Translation (NLT)Joseph moved the boys, who were at their grandfather’s knees, and he bowed with his face to the ground.
Context of Genesis 48:12
10Now Israel’s eyes were failing because of old age, and he could hardly see. So Joseph brought his sons close to him, and his father kissed them and embraced them. 11Israel said to Joseph, “I never expected to see your face again, and now God has allowed me to see your children too.” Then Joseph removed them from Israel’s knees and bowed down with his face to the ground. 13And Joseph took both of them, Ephraim on his right toward Israel’s left hand and Manasseh on his left toward Israel’s right hand, and brought them close to him. 14But Israel reached out his right hand and put it on Ephraim’s head, though he was the younger, and crossing his arms, he put his left hand on Manasseh’s head, even though Manasseh was the firstborn.
Read all of Genesis 48Genesis 48:12 word by word
וַיּוֹצֵ֥א יוֹסֵ֛ף אֹתָ֖ם מֵעִ֣ם בִּרְכָּ֑יו וַיִּשְׁתַּ֥חוּ לְאַפָּ֖יו אָֽרְצָה׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for Genesis 48:12
- Genesis 18:2Abraham looked up and saw three men standing nearby. When he saw them, he hurried from the entrance of his tent to meet them and bowed low to the ground.
- Genesis 19:1The two angels arrived at Sodom in the evening, and Lot was sitting in the gateway of the city. When he saw them, he got up to meet them and bowed down with his face to the ground.
- Genesis 23:7Then Abraham rose and bowed down before the people of the land, the Hittites.
- Genesis 33:3He himself went on ahead and bowed down to the ground seven times as he approached his brother.
- Genesis 42:6Now Joseph was the governor of the land, the person who sold grain to all its people. So when Joseph’s brothers arrived, they bowed down to him with their faces to the ground.
- Exodus 20:12“Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you.
- Exodus 34:8Moses bowed to the ground at once and worshiped.
- Leviticus 19:3“ ‘Each of you must respect your mother and father, and you must observe my Sabbaths. I am the Lord your God.
- 1 Kings 2:19When Bathsheba went to King Solomon to speak to him for Adonijah, the king stood up to meet her, bowed down to her and sat down on his throne. He had a throne brought for the king’s mother, and she sat down at his right hand.
- 2 Kings 4:37She came in, fell at his feet and bowed to the ground. Then she took her son and went out.
- Proverbs 31:28Her children arise and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her:
- Ephesians 6:1Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right.
Commentaries on Genesis 48:12
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 12Joseph - bowed himself with his face to the earth - This act of Joseph has been extravagantly extolled by Dr. Delaney and others. "When I consider him on his knees to God," says Dr. Delaney, "I regard him as a poor mortal in the discharge of his duty to his Creator. When I behold him bowing before Pharaoh, I consider him in the dutiful posture of a subject to his prince. But when I see him bending to the earth before a poor, old, blind, decrepit father, I…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. 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. 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 48:12
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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