Then Israel said to Joseph, “Now let me die, since I have seen your face, that you are still alive.”
Parallel translations
- WEB Israel said to Joseph, “Now let me die, since I have seen your face, that you are still alive.”
- KJV And Israel said unto Joseph, Now let me die, since I have seen thy face, because thou art yet alive.
- BSB Then Israel said to Joseph, “Finally I can die, now that I have seen your face and know that you are still alive!”
- NKJV And Israel said to Joseph, “Now let me die, since I have seen your face, because you are still alive.”
- NLT Finally, Jacob said to Joseph, “Now I am ready to die, since I have seen your face again and know you are still alive.”
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
Israel says he can now die in peace, having seen Joseph alive. His longing is fulfilled and his grief turned to contentment.
Overview
Jacob had long mourned Joseph as dead, but now beholds him alive and exalted. His words express a settled peace, ready to die because his deepest hope has been met. Such contentment in seeing God's promise fulfilled echoes Simeon's words over the infant Christ, 'now you are letting your servant depart in peace.'
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 2
- Luke 2:29–30“Now you are releasing your servant, Master, according to your word, in peace;
- Gen 45:28Israel said, “It is enough. Joseph my son is still alive. I will go and see him before I die.”
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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 46:30 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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