“Joseph is still alive,” they said, “and he is ruler over all the land of Egypt!” But Jacob was stunned, for he did not believe them.
Parallel translations
- WEB They told him, saying, “Joseph is still alive, and he is ruler over all the land of Egypt.” His heart fainted, for he didn’t believe them.
- KJV And told him, saying, Joseph is yet alive, and he is governor over all the land of Egypt. And Jacob’s heart fainted, for he believed them not.
- NKJV And they told him, saying, “Joseph is still alive, and he is governor over all the land of Egypt.” And Jacob’s heart stood still, because he did not believe them.
- NASB And they told him, saying, “Joseph is still alive, and indeed he is ruler over all the land of Egypt.” But he was stunned, for he did not believe them.
- NLT “Joseph is still alive!” they told him. “And he is governor of all the land of Egypt!” Jacob was stunned at the news—he couldn’t believe it.
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
Told that Joseph lives and rules Egypt, Jacob's heart faints because he cannot believe it. The news is too good to be received at first.
Overview
The brothers announce that Joseph is alive and governs Egypt, but Jacob is stunned into disbelief. Years of grief and presumed loss make the joyful report hard to accept. His initial unbelief gives way only when the evidence of Joseph's love is set before him.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 13
- Gen 44:28When one of them was gone, I said: “Surely he has been torn to pieces.” And I have not seen him since.
- Gen 37:35All his sons and daughters tried to comfort him, but he refused to be comforted. “No,” he said. “I will go down to Sheol mourning for my son.” So his father wept for him.
- Gen 45:8–9Therefore it was not you who sent me here, but God, who has made me a father to Pharaoh—lord of all his household and ruler over all the land of Egypt.
- Job 9:16If I summoned Him and He answered me, I do not believe He would listen to my voice.
- Gen 42:38But Jacob replied, “My son will not go down there with you, for his brother is dead, and he alone is left. If any harm comes to him on your journey, you will bring my gray hair down to Sheol in sorrow.”
- Luke 24:11But their words seemed like nonsense to them, and they did not believe the women.
- Gen 42:36Their father Jacob said to them, “You have deprived me of my sons. Joseph is gone and Simeon is no more. Now you want to take Benjamin. Everything is going against me!”
- Job 29:24If I smiled at them, they did not believe it; the light of my countenance was precious.
- Luke 24:34and saying, “The Lord has indeed risen and has appeared to Simon!”
- Luke 24:41While they were still in disbelief because of their joy and amazement, He asked them, “Do you have anything here to eat?”
- Jonah 2:7As my life was fading away, I remembered the LORD. My prayer went up to You, to Your holy temple.
- Ps 105:21He made him master of his household, ruler over all his substance,
- Ps 126:1A song of ascents. When the LORD restored the captives of Zion, we were like dreamers.
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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 45:26 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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