Hebrews 11:21

“By faith Jacob, when he was dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, and worshiped leaning on the top of his staff.”
Hebrews 11:21 · direct translation from the Greek

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With the Greek beneath

By faithπίστειJacob,Ἰακὼβwhen he was dying,ἀποθνῄσκωνblessedεὐλόγησενeachἕκαστονof the sonsτῶν υἱῶνof Joseph,Ἰωσὴφandκαὶworshipedπροσεκύνησενleaning onἐπὶthe topτὸ ἄκρονof his staff.τῆς ῥάβδου αὐτοῦ

Quotation · Genesis 47:31

Go to Genesis 47:31

Hebrews uses without a formula the words of the Septuagint of Genesis 47:31: “he bowed down on the top of his staff.” The vocalized Hebrew says “on the head of the bed”; the consonants (מטה) allow both readings.

See the original texts

Greek of the New Testament: πίστει Ἰακὼβ ἀποθνῄσκων ἕκαστον τῶν υἱῶν Ἰωσὴφ εὐλόγησεν καὶ προσεκύνησεν ἐπὶ τὸ ἄκρον τῆς ῥάβδου αὐτοῦ

Hebrew (Masoretic text): וַיֹּאמֶר הִשָּׁבְעָה לִי וַיִּשָּׁבַע לוֹ וַיִּשְׁתַּחוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל עַל רֹאשׁ הַמִּטָּה

This passage could not be located with certainty in the transcription of the Septuagint we use, so it is not compared.

Hebrews 11:21, word by word

By faithπίστειpistei

trust

Truly trusting in God or in Jesus.

Where else “pistei” appears

JacobἸακὼβIakōb

Jacob

Jacob, son of Isaac, also called Israel; father of the twelve tribes.

Where else “Iakōb” appears

when he was dyingἀποθνῄσκωνapothnēiskōn

die

To stop living: the end of life in the body.

Where else “apothnēiskōn” appears

blessedεὐλόγησενeulogēsen

bless

To ask God's good for someone.

Where else “eulogēsen” appears

eachἕκαστονhekaston

each

Each, each one.

Where else “hekaston” appears

of the sonsυἱῶνhuiōn

son

A son.

Where else “huiōn” appears

of JosephἸωσὴφIōsēph

Joseph

Joseph, the name of several men in the Bible: the son of Jacob, Mary's husband (a descendant of David), Joseph of Arimathea, and others.

Where else “Iōsēph” appears

worshipedπροσεκύνησενprosekynēsen

worship

To give honor and devotion to God, or other gods.

Where else “prosekynēsen” appears

the topἄκρονakron

end, tip

End, tip; the farthest point.

Where else “akron” appears

of his staffῥάβδουrhabdou

staff

A long stick to lean on while walking, or to strike and correct.

Where else “rhabdou” appears

Translation note

This recalls Genesis 47:31 according to the Greek Old Testament; the Hebrew text says “on the head of the bed.”

Parallel passages

Other books that tell the same thing or quote these words.

Quotation · Genesis 47:31

See them side by side

Hebrews 11:21

²¹By faith Jacob, when he was dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, and worshiped leaning on the top of his staff.

Genesis 47:31

³¹He said, “Swear to me.” And he swore to him. Then Israel bowed down upon the head of the bed.

The context

20By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau even regarding things to come.

21 · This verse (above)

22By faith Joseph, when he was nearing his end, spoke about the exodus of the sons of Israel and gave instructions about his bones.

Read all of Hebrews 11

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