When Joseph came home, they presented him with the gifts they had brought, and they bowed to the ground before him.
Parallel translations
- WEB When Joseph came home, they brought him the present which was in their hand into the house, and bowed themselves down to him to the earth.
- KJV And when Joseph came home, they brought him the present which was in their hand into the house, and bowed themselves to him to the earth.
- NKJV And when Joseph came home, they brought him the present which was in their hand into the house, and bowed down before him to the earth.
- NASB When Joseph came home, they brought into the house to him the gift which was in their hand, and they bowed down to the ground before him.
- NLT When Joseph came home, they gave him the gifts they had brought him, then bowed low to the ground before him.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
When Joseph arrives, the brothers present their gift and bow to the ground before him. The dreams of his youth are again fulfilled.
Overview
The brothers' homage with the gift fulfills once more the dreams of sheaves and stars bowing to Joseph (Gen 37). Their posture of submission confirms God's word and Joseph's foreseen exaltation. The scene quietly testifies that God brings his purposes to pass despite human opposition.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 8
- Phil 2:10–11that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
- Gen 42:6Now Joseph was the ruler of the land; he was the one who sold grain to all its people. So when his brothers arrived, they bowed down before him with their faces to the ground.
- Gen 37:19–20“Here comes that dreamer!” they said to one another.
- Gen 27:29May peoples serve you and nations bow down to you. May you be the master of your brothers, and may the sons of your mother bow down to you. May those who curse you be cursed, and those who bless you be blessed.”
- Ps 72:9May the nomads bow before him, and his enemies lick the dust.
- Gen 37:7–10We were binding sheaves of grain in the field, and suddenly my sheaf rose and stood upright, while your sheaves gathered around and bowed down to mine.”
- Rom 14:11It is written: “As surely as I live, says the Lord, every knee will bow before Me; every tongue will confess to God.”
- Gen 43:28“Your servant our father is well,” they answered. “He is still alive.” And they bowed down to honor him.
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Christ at the center
From the first promise that the seed of the woman would crush the serpent (3:15), through Abraham's blessing to all nations and Judah's coming ruler, Genesis sows every seed that flowers in Christ — the true offspring, the better Adam, the ram caught for Isaac.
How Genesis 43:26 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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