The Meaning of Genesis 48:1 Explained

Genesis 48:1

KJV: And it came to pass after these things, that one told Joseph, Behold, thy father is sick: and he took with him his two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim.

YLT: And it cometh to pass, after these things, that one saith to Joseph, 'Lo, thy father is sick;' and he taketh his two sons with him, Manasseh and Ephraim.

Darby: And it came to pass after these things, that one told Joseph, Behold, thy father is sick. And he took with him his two sons Manasseh and Ephraim.

ASV: And it came to pass after these things, that one said to Joseph, Behold, thy father is sick: and he took with him his two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And it came to pass after  these things,  that [one] told  Joseph,  Behold, thy father  [is] sick:  and he took  with him his two  sons,  Manasseh  and Ephraim. 

What does Genesis 48:1 Mean?

Context Summary

Genesis 48:1-7 - Joseph Visits His Dying Father
How inexorable is the must of death! For many years Jacob had exceeded the ordinary span of human life, and now, like the last apple on the tree, he must be gathered. For seventeen years he had been familiar with Egypt's splendid temples, obelisks and pyramids; he had been surrounded with all the comforts that filial love could devise; but nothing could make him forget that distant cave in the land of Canaan. In his judgment Egypt's most splendid pyramid was not to be compared with that humble sepulcher where the mortal remains of Abraham and Sarah, of Isaac and Rebekah, and of the faithful Leah awaited his. On Joseph's second visit he was weaker, and with an effort nerved himself for the interview. The angel-ladder and Rachel's death stood prominently out before the dying eyes. When he returned from this pathetic reverie he turned to the two boys who stood awestruck beside him and adopted them, for their beloved father's sake. [source]

Chapter Summary: Genesis 48

1  Joseph with his sons visits his sick father
2  Jacob strengthens himself to bless them
3  He repeats God's promise
5  He takes Ephraim and Manasseh as his own sons
7  He tells Joseph of his mother's grave
8  He blesses Ephraim and Manasseh
17  He prefers the younger before the elder
21  He prophesies their return to Canaan

What do the individual words in Genesis 48:1 mean?

And it came to pass after things these that was told Joseph Behold your father [is] sick And he took - his two sons with him Manasseh and Ephraim
וַיְהִ֗י אַחֲרֵי֙ הַדְּבָרִ֣ים הָאֵ֔לֶּה וַיֹּ֣אמֶר לְיוֹסֵ֔ף הִנֵּ֥ה אָבִ֖יךָ חֹלֶ֑ה וַיִּקַּ֞ח אֶת־ שְׁנֵ֤י בָנָיו֙ עִמּ֔וֹ מְנַשֶּׁ֖ה וְאֶת־ אֶפְרָֽיִם

וַיְהִ֗י  And  it  came  to  pass 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אֶהְיֶה 
Sense: to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out.
אַחֲרֵי֙  after 
Parse: Preposition
Root: אַחַר 
Sense: after the following part, behind (of place), hinder, afterwards (of time).
הַדְּבָרִ֣ים  things 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: דָּבָר  
Sense: speech, word, speaking, thing.
הָאֵ֔לֶּה  these 
Parse: Article, Pronoun, common plural
Root: אֵהֶל 
Sense: these.
וַיֹּ֣אמֶר  that  was  told 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
לְיוֹסֵ֔ף  Joseph 
Parse: Preposition-l, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יׄוסֵף  
Sense: the eldest son of Jacob by Rachel.
הִנֵּ֥ה  Behold 
Parse: Interjection
Root: הִנֵּה  
Sense: behold, lo, see, if.
אָבִ֖יךָ  your  father 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, second person masculine singular
Root: אָב  
Sense: father of an individual.
חֹלֶ֑ה  [is]  sick 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: חָלָה 
Sense: to be or become weak, be or become sick, be or become diseased, be or become grieved, be or become sorry.
וַיִּקַּ֞ח  And  he  took 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: יָקַח 
Sense: to take, get, fetch, lay hold of, seize, receive, acquire, buy, bring, marry, take a wife, snatch, take away.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
שְׁנֵ֤י  his  two 
Parse: Number, mdc
Root: שְׁנַיִם  
Sense: two.
בָנָיו֙  sons 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, third person masculine singular
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.
עִמּ֔וֹ  with  him 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine singular
Root: עִם  
Sense: with.
מְנַשֶּׁ֖ה  Manasseh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: מְנַשֶּׁה  
Sense: the eldest son of Joseph and progenitor of the tribe of Manasseh.
אֶפְרָֽיִם  Ephraim 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: אֶפְרַיִם  
Sense: second son of Joseph, blessed by him and given preference over first son, Manasseh.