Genesis 43:26
in Genesis 43When Joseph came home, they presented him with the gifts they had brought, and they bowed to the ground before him.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And when Joseph came home, they brought him the present which was in their hand into the house, and bowed down themselves to him to the earth.
KJV
And when Joseph came home, they brought him the present which was in their hand into the house, and bowed themselves to him to the earth.
⋯
This verse in Genesis 43
Commentary
4 notes on this verseWhen they brought him the present, they bowed themselves before him, and again, when they gave him an account of their father's health, they made obeisance, and called him, Thy servant, our father - Thus were Joseph's dreams fulfilled more and more; and even the father, by the sons, bowed before him.
This site's exposition
they bowed to the ground before him
on Genesis 43:26-28
Joseph's question at the meal is about his father, whether the old man is still alive. They answer that their father is well, and they call him your servant. The words put Jacob under the son he believes dead. They bowed when they handed over the gift and bowed again when they answered about their father.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
"And they brought him the presents." We bring the presents; he renews the banquet. He says, "Serve the bread," which the Hebrews take by themselves, but the Egyptians cannot eat it. But how generous was his kindness before the banquet! What a moral lesson in his practice of consideration and courtesy! The brothers were still suspicious concerning the false accusation that they thought was being prepared against them by Joseph. He invited them to dinner. Their inclination wavered; his kindness persevered. He is the first to speak, the first to ask, "How are you?"
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
And when Joseph came home,....
The words behind it
13 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַיָּבֹ֤א | vaiyavo' | and he came | H935 → | 2568 times |
| יוֹסֵף֙ | yosef | Joseph | H3130 → | 213 times |
| הַבַּ֔יְתָה | habaytah | the house towards | H1004 → | 2046 times |
| וַיָּבִ֥יאּוּ | vaiyavi'u | and they brought | H935 → | 2568 times |
| ל֛וֹ | lo | to him | ||
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| הַמִּנְחָ֥ה | haminchah | the gift | H4503 → | 211 times |
| אֲשֶׁר־ | ʾasher- | which | H834 → | 5497 times |
| בְּיָדָ֖ם | beyadam | [was] in hand their | H3027 → | 1618 times |
| הַבָּ֑יְתָה | habayetah | the house towards | H1004 → | 2046 times |
| וַיִּשְׁתַּחֲווּ־ | vaiyishtachavu- | and they bowed down | H7812 → | 172 times |
| ל֖וֹ | lo | to him | ||
| אָֽרְצָה׃ | ʾaretzah | [the] ground towards | H776 → | 2504 times |
וַיָּבֹ֤אand he came
vaiyavo'H935 →2568 times
יוֹסֵף֙Joseph
yosefH3130 →213 times
הַבַּ֔יְתָהthe house towards
habaytahH1004 →2046 times
וַיָּבִ֥יאּוּand they brought
vaiyavi'uH935 →2568 times
ל֛וֹto him
lo
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
הַמִּנְחָ֥הthe gift
haminchahH4503 →211 times
אֲשֶׁר־which
ʾasher-H834 →5497 times
בְּיָדָ֖ם[was] in hand their
beyadamH3027 →1618 times
הַבָּ֑יְתָהthe house towards
habayetahH1004 →2046 times
וַיִּשְׁתַּחֲווּ־and they bowed down
vaiyishtachavu-H7812 →172 times
ל֖וֹto him
lo
אָֽרְצָה׃[the] ground towards
ʾaretzahH776 →2504 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Romans 14:11It is written: “As surely as I live, says the Lord, every knee will bow before Me; every tongue will confess to God.”
it leads to
- Isaiah 45:22–25
Turn to Me and be saved, all the ends of the earth; for I am God, and there is no other.
- Philippians 2:10–11
that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
- Psalms 72:11
May all kings bow down to him and all nations serve him.
- Romans 10:9
that if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.
- Matthew 10:32
Therefore everyone who confesses Me before men, I will also confess him before My Father in heaven.
- Isaiah 45:22–25
Through
Genesis 27:29May peoples serve you and nations bow down to you. May you be the master of your brothers, and may the sons of your mother bow down to you. May those who curse you…
it leads to
- Numbers 24:9
He crouches, he lies down like a lion; like a lioness, who dares to rouse him? Blessed are those who bless you and cursed are those who curse you.”
- Genesis 12:3
I will bless those who bless you and curse those who curse you; and all the families of the earth will be blessed through you.”
- Isaiah 49:23
Kings will be your foster fathers, and their queens your nursing mothers. They will bow to you facedown and lick the dust at your feet. Then you will know that I am the LORD;…
- Numbers 24:9
About Genesis
Who and where
1 name in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on Ambrose of Milan, On Joseph the Patriarch; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.