And Joseph brought them out from between his knees, and he bowed himself with his face to the earth.
Parallel translations
- WEB Joseph brought them out from between his knees, and he bowed himself with his face to the earth.
- BSB Then Joseph removed his sons from his father’s knees and bowed facedown.
- NKJV So Joseph brought them from beside his knees, and he bowed down with his face to the earth.
- NASB Then Joseph took them from his knees, and bowed with his face to the ground.
- NLT Joseph moved the boys, who were at their grandfather’s knees, and he bowed with his face to the ground.
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
Joseph removes his sons from Jacob's knees and bows low to the ground. He shows humble reverence before his father.
Overview
Joseph withdraws the boys from between Jacob's knees, a gesture associated with acknowledgment, and prostrates himself in respect. Despite his high office in Egypt, Joseph honors his aged father humbly. His deference models the honor due to parents and reverence for the sacred act of patriarchal blessing.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 13
- Gen 42:6And Joseph was the governor over the land, and he it was that sold to all the people of the land: and Joseph’s brethren came, and bowed down themselves before him with their faces to the earth.
- Exod 34:8And Moses made haste, and bowed his head toward the earth, and worshipped.
- Lev 19:32Thou shalt rise up before the hoary head, and honour the face of the old man, and fear thy God: I am the LORD.
- Lev 19:3Ye shall fear every man his mother, and his father, and keep my sabbaths: I am the LORD your God.
- 2 Kgs 4:37Then she went in, and fell at his feet, and bowed herself to the ground, and took up her son, and went out.
- 1 Kgs 2:19Bathsheba therefore went unto king Solomon, to speak unto him for Adonijah. And the king rose up to meet her, and bowed himself unto her, and sat down on his throne, and caused a seat to be set for the king’s mother; and she sat on his right hand.
- Prov 31:28Her children arise up, and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praiseth her.
- Eph 6:1Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right.
- Gen 33:3And he passed over before them, and bowed himself to the ground seven times, until he came near to his brother.
- Gen 23:7And Abraham stood up, and bowed himself to the people of the land, even to the children of Heth.
- Gen 19:1And there came two angels to Sodom at even; and Lot sat in the gate of Sodom: and Lot seeing them rose up to meet them; and he bowed himself with his face toward the ground;
- Exod 20:12Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.
- Gen 18:2And he lift up his eyes and looked, and, lo, three men stood by him: and when he saw them, he ran to meet them from the tent door, and bowed himself toward the ground,
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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 48:12 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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