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 reasoned that if Isaac died, God was able to bring him back to life again. And in a sense, Abraham did receive his son back from the dead. 20It was by faith that Isaac promised blessings for the future to his sons, Jacob and Esau. It was by faith that Jacob, when he was old and dying, blessed each of Joseph’s sons and bowed in worship as he leaned on his staff. 22It was by faith that Joseph, when he was about to die, said confidently that the people of Israel would leave Egypt. He even commanded them to take his bones with them when they left. 23It was by faith that Moses’ parents hid him for three months when he was born. They saw that God had given them an unusual child, and they were not afraid to disobey the king’s command.

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“Now I am claiming as my own sons these two boys of yours, Ephraim and Manasseh, who were born here in the land of Egypt before I arrived. They will be my sons, just as Reuben and Simeon are.
• Genesis 47:31“Swear that you will do it,” Jacob insisted. So Joseph gave his oath, and Jacob bowed humbly 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
• Jacob, Israel
• Builder
• Conceive
• Confess
• Cruel
• Faith
• Impossible
• Proper
• Rewarder

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