The Meaning of Genesis 48:15 Explained

Genesis 48:15

KJV: And he blessed Joseph, and said, God, before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac did walk, the God which fed me all my life long unto this day,

YLT: And he blesseth Joseph, and saith, 'God, before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac walked habitually: God who is feeding me from my being unto this day:

Darby: And he blessed Joseph, and said, The God before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac walked, the God that shepherded me all my life long to this day,

ASV: And he blessed Joseph, and said, The God before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac did walk, the God who hath fed me all my life long unto this day,

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And he blessed  Joseph,  and said,  God,  before  whom my fathers  Abraham  and Isaac  did walk,  the God  which fed  me all my life long  unto this day, 

What does Genesis 48:15 Mean?

Context Summary

Genesis 48:8-22 - Jacob Blesses Joseph's Sons
By his act in blessing them, Jacob reversed the verdict of birth, and gave the younger the birthright. Probably there were qualities in Ephraim which naturally put him in the foremost place. The Bible is full of hope for younger sons. He spoke of the Angel, Jehovah, so often referred to in the Old Testament, and who can be no other than the Son of God. He also is our Shepherd, Guardian and Friend. He will feed and tend us all our life long. He will redeem us from all evil and bring us to a blessed end in peace. Be of good cheer! He cared for you in your helpless infancy and will do no less in your helpless old age. If any lads hear this portion read let them notice that old Jacob prayed God to bless the lads. Evidently then, no little lad is too small for God to notice and bless! Though the fathers die, God lives and will bring us again to "the land of the leal." [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 48:15 mean?

And he blessed - Joseph and said God whom walked my fathers before Abraham and Isaac the God who has fed me all my life to day this
וַיְבָ֥רֶךְ אֶת־ יוֹסֵ֖ף וַיֹּאמַ֑ר הָֽאֱלֹהִ֡ים אֲשֶׁר֩ הִתְהַלְּכ֨וּ אֲבֹתַ֤י לְפָנָיו֙ אַבְרָהָ֣ם וְיִצְחָ֔ק הָֽאֱלֹהִים֙ הָרֹעֶ֣ה אֹתִ֔י מֵעוֹדִ֖י עַד־ הַיּ֥וֹם הַזֶּֽה

וַיְבָ֥רֶךְ  And  he  blessed 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Piel, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: בָּרַךְ 
Sense: to bless, kneel.
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.
יוֹסֵ֖ף  Joseph 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יׄוסֵף  
Sense: the eldest son of Jacob by Rachel.
וַיֹּאמַ֑ר  and  said 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
הָֽאֱלֹהִ֡ים  God 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: אֱלֹהִים  
Sense: (plural).
אֲשֶׁר֩  whom 
Parse: Pronoun, relative
Root: אֲשֶׁר 
Sense: (relative part.).
הִתְהַלְּכ֨וּ  walked 
Parse: Verb, Hitpael, Perfect, third person common plural
Root: הָלַךְ  
Sense: to go, walk, come.
אֲבֹתַ֤י  my  fathers 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, first person common singular
Root: אָב  
Sense: father of an individual.
לְפָנָיו֙  before 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, common plural construct, third person masculine singular
Root: לִפְנֵי 
Sense: face.
אַבְרָהָ֣ם  Abraham 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: אַבְרָהָם  
Sense: friend of God and founder of Hebrew nation via God’s elective covenant.
וְיִצְחָ֔ק  and  Isaac 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יִצְחָק  
Sense: son of Abraham by Sarah his wife and father of Jacob and Esau.
הָֽאֱלֹהִים֙  the  God 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: אֱלֹהִים  
Sense: (plural).
הָרֹעֶ֣ה  who  has  fed 
Parse: Article, Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: רָעָה 
Sense: to pasture, tend, graze, feed.
אֹתִ֔י  me 
Parse: Direct object marker, first person common singular
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
מֵעוֹדִ֖י  all  my  life 
Parse: Preposition-m, Adverb, first person common singular
Root: עֹוד  
Sense: a going round, continuance adv.
הַיּ֥וֹם  day 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: יׄום 
Sense: day, time, year.
הַזֶּֽה  this 
Parse: Article, Pronoun, masculine singular
Root: זֶה  
Sense: this, this one, here, which, this … that, the one … the other, another, such.