Hebrews 11:21

New Century Version

It was by faith that Jacob, as he was dying, blessed each one of Joseph's sons. Then he worshiped as he leaned on the top of his walking stick.

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
By faith Jacob, when he was dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, and he worshiped, leaning on the top of his staff.

King James Version (1611)
By faith Iacob when hee was a dying, blessed both the sonnes of Ioseph, and worshipped leaning vpon the top of his staffe.

King James Version
By faith Jacob, when he was a dying, blessed both the sons of Joseph; and worshipped, leaning upon the top of his staff.

English Standard Version
By faith Jacob, when dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, bowing in worship over the head of his staff.

New American Standard Bible
By faith Jacob, as he was dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, and worshiped, leaning on the top of his staff.

New American Standard Bible (1995)
By faith Jacob, as he was dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, and worshiped, leaning on the top of his staff.

Legacy Standard Bible
By faith Jacob, as he was dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, and worshiped, leaning on the top of his staff.

Berean Standard Bible
By faith Jacob, when he was dying, blessed each of Joseph's sons and worshiped as he leaned on the top of his staff.

Contemporary English Version
Later, when Jacob was about to die, he leaned on his walking stick and worshiped. Then because of his faith he blessed each of Joseph's sons.

Complete Jewish Bible
By trusting, Ya‘akov, when he was dying, blessed each of Yosef's sons, leaning on his walking-stick as he bowed in prayer .

Darby Translation
By faith Jacob [when] dying blessed each of the sons of Joseph, and worshipped on the top of his staff.

Easy-to-Read Version
And Jacob, also because he had faith, blessed each one of Joseph's sons. He did this while he was dying, leaning on his rod and worshiping God.

Geneva Bible (1587)
By faith Iacob when he was a dying, blessed both the sonnes of Ioseph, and leaning on the ende of his staffe, worshipped God.

George Lamsa Translation
By faith Jacob, when be was dying, blessed both of the sons of Joseph, and he worshipped, leaning upon the head of his staff.

Good News Translation
It was faith that made Jacob bless each of the sons of Joseph just before he died. He leaned on the top of his walking stick and worshiped God.

Lexham English Bible
By faith Jacob, as he was dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph and worshiped, leaning on the top of his staff.

Literal Translation
By faith when dying, Jacob blessed each of the sons of Joseph, and "worshiped on the top of his staff." LXX-47:31

Amplified Bible
By faith Jacob, as he was dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, and bowed in worship, leaning on the top of his staff.

American Standard Version
By faith Jacob, when he was dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph; and worshipped, leaning upon the top of his staff.

Bible in Basic English
By faith Jacob gave a blessing to the two sons of Joseph, when he was near to death; and gave God worship, supported by his stick.

Hebrew Names Version
By faith, Ya`akov, when he was dying, blessed each of the sons of Yosef, and worshiped, leaning on the top of his staff.

International Standard Version
By faith Jacob, when he was dying, blessed each of Joseph's sons "and worshiped while leaningwhile leaning">[fn] on the top of his staff."[xr]

Etheridge Translation
By faith, when dying, Jakub blessed each of the sons of Jauseph; and worshipped upon the head of his staff.

Murdock Translation
By faith Jacob, when dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, and bowed himself on the top of his staff.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
By fayth Iacob when he was a dying, blessed both the sonnes of Ioseph, and worshypped towarde the toppe of his scepter.

English Revised Version
By faith Jacob, when he was a dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph; and worshipped, leaning upon the top of his staff.

World English Bible
By faith, Jacob, when he was dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, and worshiped, leaning on the top of his staff.

Wesley's New Testament (1755)
By Faith Jacob when dying blessed each of the sons of Joseph and worshiped, leaning on the top of his staff.

Weymouth's New Testament
Through faith Jacob, when dying, blessed each of Joseph's sons, and, leaning on the top of his staff, worshipped God.

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Bi feith Jacob diynge blesside alle the sones of Joseph, and onouride the hiynesse of his yerde.

Update Bible Version
By faith Jacob, when he was dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph; and worshiped, [leaning] on the top of his staff.

Webster's Bible Translation
By faith Jacob, when he was dying, blessed both the sons of Joseph; and worshiped, [leaning] upon the top of his staff.

New English Translation
By faith Jacob, as he was dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph and worshiped as he leaned on his staff .

New King James Version
By faith Jacob, when he was dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, and worshiped, leaning on the top of his staff.

New Living Translation
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.

New Life Bible
Because Jacob had faith, he said that good would come to each of Joseph's sons as he was dying. He used his walking stick to hold him up as he prayed to God.

New Revised Standard
By faith Jacob, when dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, "bowing in worship over the top of his staff."

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
By faith, Jacob, when about to die, blessed each of the sons of Joseph; and bowed in worship on the top of his staff.

Douay-Rheims Bible
By faith Jacob, dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph and adored the top of his rod.

Revised Standard Version
By faith Jacob, when dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, bowing in worship over the head of his staff.

Tyndale New Testament (1525)
By fayth Iacob when he was a dyinge blessed both the sonnes of Ioseph and bowed him selfe towarde the toppe of his cepter.

Young's Literal Translation
by faith Jacob dying -- each of the sons of Joseph did bless, and did bow down upon the top of his staff;

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
By faith Iacob, whan he was a dyenge, blessed both the sonnes off Ioseph, & bowed himselfe towarde the toppe of his cepter.

Mace New Testament (1729)
by faith Jacob when he was a dying, blessed both the sons of Joseph; and worshipped leaning upon the top of his staff.

THE MESSAGE
By an act of faith, Jacob on his deathbed blessed each of Joseph's sons in turn, blessing them with God's blessing, not his own—as he bowed worshipfully upon his staff.

Simplified Cowboy Version
It was because of a heapin' of faith that in Jake's last days, he blessed each of his grandsons while worshiping God and leaning on his sortin' stick.

Contextual Overview

⁴ It was by faith that Abel offered God a better sacrifice than Cain did. God said he was pleased with the gifts Abel offered and called Abel a good man because of his faith. Abel died, but through his faith he is still speaking. ⁵ It was by faith that Enoch was taken to heaven so he would not die. He could not be found, because God had taken him away. Before he was taken, the Scripture says that he was a man who truly pleased God. ⁶ Without faith no one can please God. Anyone who comes to God must believe that he is real and that he rewards those who truly want to find him. ⁷ It was by faith that Noah heard God's warnings about things he could not yet see. He obeyed God and built a large boat to save his family. By his faith, Noah showed that the world was wrong, and he became one of those who are made right with God through faith. ⁸ It was by faith Abraham obeyed God's call to go to another place God promised to give him. He left his own country, not knowing where he was to go. ⁹ It was by faith that he lived like a foreigner in the country God promised to give him. He lived in tents with Isaac and Jacob, who had received that same promise from God. ¹⁰ Abraham was waiting for the city that has real foundations—the city planned and built by God. ¹¹ He was too old to have children, and Sarah could not have children. It was by faith that Abraham was made able to become a father, because he trusted God to do what he had promised. ¹² This man was so old he was almost dead, but from him came as many descendants as there are stars in the sky. Like the sand on the seashore, they could not be counted. ¹³ All these great people died in faith. They did not get the things that God promised his people, but they saw them coming far in the future and were glad. They said they were like visitors and strangers on earth.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

faith: Genesis 48:5-22

and worshipped: Genesis 47:31

Reciprocal: Genesis 30:24 - And she Genesis 48:9 - bless them Genesis 48:15 - blessed Numbers 6:23 - General 1 Kings 1:47 - bowed Acts 7:15 - died Hebrews 7:7 - the less Hebrews 9:14 - the living

Gill's Notes on the Bible

By faith Jacob, when he was a dying,.... Which was the usual time of blessing with the patriarchs; and the reason of it was, that what was said might be more attended to and regarded, and more strongly impressed upon the mind; and this is a proof that it was done in faith by Jacob, when there was no appearance of the fulfilment of these things, and it was not likely that he should see them; and this shows the truth of what the apostle says in

Hebrews 11:1, blessed both the sons of Joseph; whose names were Ephraim and Manasseh; the form of blessing them is recorded in

Genesis 48:15 and which was done in faith, and under the direction and inspiration of the Spirit of God, as appears by his setting Ephraim before Manasseh, Genesis 48:13 and when he delivered the blessing he firmly believed it would be fulfilled, though they were then in a strange land:

and worshipped, leaning upon the top of his staff; not that he "worshipped the top of his staff", as the Vulgate Latin version renders it, either his own, or Joseph's, or any little image upon the top of it; which would be an instance of idolatry, and not faith, contrary to the scope of the apostle; nor is there any need to interpret this of civil worship and respect paid to Joseph, as a fulfilment of his dream, and with a peculiar regard to Christ, of whom Joseph was a type; whereas, on the contrary, Joseph at this time bowed to his father, as was most natural and proper, Genesis 48:12 nor is there any necessity of supposing a different punctuation of

Genesis 47:31 and that the true reading is not "mittah", a bed, but "matteh"; a staff, contrary to all the Targums f, and the Talmud g, which read "mittah", a bed, seeing it is not that place the apostle cites or refers to; for that was before the blessing of the sons of Joseph, but this was at the same time; and the apostle relates what is nowhere recorded in Genesis, but what he had either from tradition, or immediate revelation; or else he concludes it from the general account in Genesis 48:1 and the sense is, that Jacob, having blessed the two sons of Joseph, being sat upon his bed, and weak, he leaned upon the top of his staff, and worshipped God, and gave praise and glory to him, that he had lived to see not only his son Joseph, but his seed also, see Genesis 48:2.

f Onkelos, Jonathan & Jerusalem in Gen. xlvii. 31. g T. Bab. Megilla, fol. 16. 2.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

By faith Jacob, when he was a dying - Genesis 47:31; Genesis 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 miTTah. That word, however, with different vowel points - מטּה maTTeh, means a branch, a bough, a rod, a staff, and the translators of the Septuagint have so rendered it. The Masoretic points are of no authority, and either translation, therefore, would be proper. The word rendered “head” in Genesis 47:31 - “bed’s head” - ראשׁ ro'sh, means properly head, but may there mean the top of anything, and there is no impropriety in applying it to the head or top of a staff. The word rendered in Genesis 47:31 as “bowed” - וישׁתחו wayishtachuw - implies properly the idea of “worshipping.” It is bowing, or prostration for the purpose of worship or homage.

Though the Septuagint and the apostle here have, therefore, given a somewhat different version from that commonly given of the Hebrew, and sustained by the Masoretic pointing, yet it cannot be demonstrated that the version is unauthorized, or that it is not a fair translation of the Hebrew. It has also the probabilities of the case in its favour. Jacob was tenderly affected in view of the goodness of God, and of the assurance that he would be conveyed from Egypt when he died, and buried in the land of his fathers. Deeply impressed with this, nothing was more natural than that the old man should lean reverently forward and incline his head upon the top of his staff, and adore the covenant faithfulness of his God. Such an image is much more natural and probable than that he should “bow upon his bed’s head” - a phrase which at best is not very intelligible. If this be the true account, then the apostle does not refer here to what was done when he “blessed the sons of Joseph,” but to an act expressive of strong faith in God which had occurred just before. The meaning then is, “By faith when about to die he blessed the sons of Joseph; and by faith also he reverently bowed before God in the belief that when he died his remains would be conveyed to the promised land, and expressed his gratitude in an act of worship, leaning reverently on the top of his staff.” The order in which these things are mentioned is of no consequence, and thus the whole difficulty in the case vanishes. Both the acts here referred to were expressive of strong confidence in God.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 21. Blessed both the sons of Joseph — That is, Ephraim and Manasseh. See the account and the notes. Genesis 48:5, c.

Worshipped, leaning upon the top of his staff — This subject is particularly considered in the note, See "Genesis 47:31".

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 the ensign of his office, as patriarch or chief of a very numerous family. The ancient chiefs, in all countries, had this staff or sceptre continually at hand. See Homer throughout. It is said, Genesis 48:2, that when Joseph came to see his father Jacob, who was then in his last sickness, Israel strengthened himself, and sat upon the bed. Still I conceive he had his staff or sceptre at hand; and while sitting upon the bed, with his feet on the floor, he supported himself with his staff. When Joseph sware to him that he should be carried up from Egypt, he bowed himself on his bed's head, still supporting himself with his staff, which probably with this last act he laid aside, gathered up his feet, and reclined wholly on his couch. It was therefore indifferent to say that he worshipped or bowed himself on his staff or on his bed's head. But as שחה shachah signifies, not only to bow, but also to worship, because acts of adoration were performed by bowing and prostration; and as מטה mittah, a bed, by the change of the vowel points becomes matteh, a staff, hence the Septuagint have translated the passage Και προσεκυνησεν Ισραηλ επι το ακρον της ῥαβδου αυτου· And Israel bowed or worshipped on the head of his staff. This reading the apostle follows here literatim.

Wretched must that cause be which is obliged to have recourse to what, at best, is an equivocal expression, to prove and support a favourite opinion. The Romanists allege this in favour of image worship. This is too contemptible to require confutation. To make it speak this language the Rheims version renders the verse thus: By faith Jacob dying, blessed every one of the sons of Joseph, and adored the top of his rod. A pretty object of adoration, indeed, for a dying patriarch! Here the preposition επι upon, answering to the Hebrew על al, is wholly suppressed, to make it favour the corrupt reading of the Vulgate. This preposition is found in the Hebrew text, in the Greek version of the Seventy, the printed Greek text of the New Testament, and in every MS. yet discovered of this epistle. It is also found in the Syriac, AEthiopic, Arabic, and Coptic: in which languages the connection necessarily shows that it is not an idle particle: and by no mode of construction can the text be brought to support image worship, any more than it can to support transubstantiation.