The Meaning of Genesis 46:4 Explained

Genesis 46:4

KJV: I will go down with thee into Egypt; and I will also surely bring thee up again: and Joseph shall put his hand upon thine eyes.

YLT: I -- I go down with thee to Egypt, and I -- I also certainly bring thee up, and Joseph doth put his hand on thine eyes.'

Darby: I will go down with thee to Egypt, and I will also certainly bring thee up; and Joseph shall put his hand on thine eyes.

ASV: I will go down with thee into Egypt; and I will also surely bring thee up again: and Joseph shall put his hand upon thine eyes.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

I will go down  with thee into Egypt;  and I will also surely  bring thee up  [again]: and Joseph  shall put  his hand  upon thine eyes. 

What does Genesis 46:4 Mean?

Context Summary

Genesis 46:1-27 - Jacob And His Family Go To Egypt
Evidently Joseph's invitation to his father to come to him in Egypt aroused very earnest questionings in Jacob's soul. Was it a wise step for him to take? Perhaps he remembered Genesis 15:13, and dreaded to take the risk. Under these circumstances he went to Beersheba, the well of the oath, so intimately associated with the lives of Abraham and Isaac, and from which he had gone forth on his life's pilgrimage. There he offered special sacrifices and received special directions and promises. He was not only to go down into Egypt, but to go there under the divine guidance and protection. When we visit Egypt at our own impulse we shall land ourselves, as Abraham and Isaac did, in temptation and failure; but when God bids us go, we may make the journey with absolute impunity. Though we walk through the dark valley, we need not fear, if He be with us.
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Chapter Summary: Genesis 46

1  Jacob is comforted by God at Beersheba
5  Thence he with his company goes into Egypt
8  The number of his family that went into Egypt
28  Joseph meets Jacob
31  He instructs his brothers how to answer Pharaoh

What do the individual words in Genesis 46:4 mean?

I will go down with you to Egypt and I will bring you up also surely and Joseph will put his hand on your eyes
אָנֹכִ֗י אֵרֵ֤ד עִמְּךָ֙ מִצְרַ֔יְמָה וְאָנֹכִ֖י אַֽעַלְךָ֣ גַם־ עָלֹ֑ה וְיוֹסֵ֕ף יָשִׁ֥ית יָד֖וֹ עַל־ עֵינֶֽיךָ

אֵרֵ֤ד  will  go  down 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, first person common singular
Root: יָרַד  
Sense: to go down, descend, decline, march down, sink down.
עִמְּךָ֙  with  you 
Parse: Preposition, second person masculine singular
Root: עִם  
Sense: with.
מִצְרַ֔יְמָה  to  Egypt 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular, third person feminine singular
Root: מִצְרַיִם  
Sense: a country at the northeastern section of Africa, adjacent to Palestine, and through which the Nile flows adj Egyptians = “double straits”.
וְאָנֹכִ֖י  and  I 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Pronoun, first person common singular
Root: אָנׄכִי  
Sense: I (first pers.
אַֽעַלְךָ֣  will  bring  you  up 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Imperfect, first person common singular, second person masculine singular
Root: סָלַק 
Sense: to go up, ascend, climb.
גַם־  also 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: גַּם  
Sense: also, even, indeed, moreover, yea.
עָלֹ֑ה  surely 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Infinitive absolute
Root: סָלַק 
Sense: to go up, ascend, climb.
וְיוֹסֵ֕ף  and  Joseph 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יׄוסֵף  
Sense: the eldest son of Jacob by Rachel.
יָשִׁ֥ית  will  put 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: שִׁית  
Sense: to put, set.
יָד֖וֹ  his  hand 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: יָד  
Sense: hand.
עֵינֶֽיךָ  your  eyes 
Parse: Noun, cdc, second person masculine singular
Root: עֹונָה 
Sense: eye.