Then Jacob said to Joseph, “I never thought I would see your face again, but now God has let me see your children, too!”
Parallel translations
- WEB Israel said to Joseph, “I didn’t think I would see your face, and behold, God has let me see your offspring also.”
- KJV And Israel said unto Joseph, I had not thought to see thy face: and, lo, God hath shewed me also thy seed.
- BSB “I never expected to see your face again,” Israel said to Joseph, “but now God has let me see your children as well.”
- NKJV And Israel said to Joseph, “I had not thought to see your face; but in fact, God has also shown me your offspring!”
- NASB And Israel said to Joseph, “I never expected to see your face, and behold, God has let me see your children as well!”
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 marvels that God has let him see not only Joseph but his children too. He praises God's surpassing goodness.
Overview
Jacob, who had given up Joseph as dead, now sees his grandsons, a blessing beyond what he dared hope. His words give glory to God, who restores more than was lost. This testimony of God exceeding our expectations encourages faith that the Lord's providence works abundant good for His people, even out of long grief.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 5
- Eph 3:20Now to him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us,
- Gen 45:26They 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.
- Gen 42:36Jacob, their father, said to them, “You have bereaved me of my children! Joseph is no more, Simeon is no more, and you want to take Benjamin away. All these things are against me.”
- Gen 37:35All his sons and all his daughters rose up to comfort him, but he refused to be comforted. He said, “For I will go down to Sheol to my son mourning.” His father wept for him.
- Gen 37:33He recognized it, and said, “It is my son’s coat. An evil animal has devoured him. Joseph is without doubt torn in pieces.”
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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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 48:11 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
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.