Genesis 46:29
in Genesis 46Joseph prepared his chariot and went there to meet his father Israel. Joseph presented himself to him, embraced him, and wept profusely.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And Joseph made ready his chariot, and went up to meet Israel his father, to Goshen; and he presented himself unto him, and fell on his neck, and wept on his neck a good while.
KJV
And Joseph made ready his chariot, and went up to meet Israel his father, to Goshen, and presented himself unto him; and he fell on his neck, and wept on his neck a good while.
⋯
This verse in Genesis 46
Commentary
5 notes on this verseAnd Joseph made ready his chariot - מרכבתו mercabto. In Gen 41:43, we have the first mention of a chariot, and if the translation be correct, it is a proof that the arts were not in a rude state in Egypt even at this early time. When we find wagons used to transport goods from place to place, we need not wonder that these suggested the idea of forming chariots for carrying persons, and especially those of high rank and authority.
This site's exposition
Joseph prepared his chariot
on Genesis 46:29-30
The governor of Egypt has his chariot made ready to drive out to a shepherd. He presents himself to his father, embraces him, and weeps profusely. Israel's answer is that he can die now, having seen the face and known that Joseph is alive. Adam Clarke hears Simeon in the temple at Luke 2:29 saying the same thing over a different child.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
This is what I said at the outset, that in many cases an excess of joy causes the tears to flow. "He fell on his neck," the text says, and not simply "wept" but "wept a flood of tears." You see, immediately there came to his mind what he himself had suffered, what his father had endured on his account. Joseph thought of the great length of time that had elapsed in the meantime and the fact that, contrary to all expectation, he saw his father, and his father set eyes on his son. So he shed a flood of tears, revealing his exceeding joy and, at the same time, thanking the Lord for what had happened.
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
3 And he said, I am God, the God of thy father: fear not to go down into Egypt; for I will there make of thee a great nation: 4 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. The divine precept is, In all thy ways acknowledge God; and the promise annexed to it is, He shall direct thy paths.
quarantine:scripture (2026-07-29) — verbatim-run:54w-of-76
And Joseph made ready his chariot,....
The words behind it
17 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַיֶּאְסֹ֤ר | vaiye'sor | and he harnessed | H631 → | 72 times |
| יוֹסֵף֙ | yosef | Joseph | H3130 → | 213 times |
| מֶרְכַּבְתּ֔וֹ | merkavto | chariot his | H4818 → | |
| וַיַּ֛עַל | vaiyaal | and he went up | H5927 → | 890 times |
| לִקְרַֽאת־ | likrat- | to meet | H7122 → | 139 times |
| יִשְׂרָאֵ֥ל | yisrael | Israel | H3478 → | 2507 times |
| אָבִ֖יו | ʾaviv | father his | H1 → | 1212 times |
| גֹּ֑שְׁנָה | goshenah | Goshen towards | H1657 → | 15 times |
| וַיֵּרָ֣א | vaiyera' | and he presented himself | H7200 → | 1300 times |
| אֵלָ֗יו | ʾelav | to him | H413 → | 5510 times |
| וַיִּפֹּל֙ | vaiyipol | and he fell | H5307 → | 435 times |
| עַל־ | ʾal- | on | H5921 → | 5755 times |
| צַוָּארָ֔יו | tzavarav | neck<s> his | H6677 → | 42 times |
| וַיֵּ֥בְךְּ | vaiyevek | and he wept | H1058 → | 114 times |
| עַל־ | ʾal- | on | H5921 → | 5755 times |
| צַוָּארָ֖יו | tzavarav | neck<s> his | H6677 → | 42 times |
| עֽוֹד׃ | od | still | H5750 → | 490 times |
וַיֶּאְסֹ֤רand he harnessed
vaiye'sorH631 →72 times
יוֹסֵף֙Joseph
yosefH3130 →213 times
מֶרְכַּבְתּ֔וֹchariot his
merkavtoH4818 →
וַיַּ֛עַלand he went up
vaiyaalH5927 →890 times
לִקְרַֽאת־to meet
likrat-H7122 →139 times
יִשְׂרָאֵ֥לIsrael
yisraelH3478 →2507 times
אָבִ֖יוfather his
ʾavivH1 →1212 times
גֹּ֑שְׁנָהGoshen towards
goshenahH1657 →15 times
וַיֵּרָ֣אand he presented himself
vaiyera'H7200 →1300 times
אֵלָ֗יוto him
ʾelavH413 →5510 times
וַיִּפֹּל֙and he fell
vaiyipolH5307 →435 times
עַל־on
ʾal-H5921 →5755 times
צַוָּארָ֔יוneck<s> his
tzavaravH6677 →42 times
וַיֵּ֥בְךְּand he wept
vaiyevekH1058 →114 times
עַל־on
ʾal-H5921 →5755 times
צַוָּארָ֖יוneck<s> his
tzavaravH6677 →42 times
עֽוֹד׃still
odH5750 →490 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
Luke 15:20So he got up and went to his father. But while he was still in the distance, his father saw him and was filled with compassion. He ran to his son, embraced him, and…
it leads to
- Psalms 103:10–13
He has not dealt with us according to our sins or repaid us according to our iniquities.
- Psalms 86:5
For You, O Lord, are kind and forgiving, rich in loving devotion to all who call on You.
- Psalms 86:15
But You, O Lord, are a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in loving devotion and faithfulness.
- Ephesians 2:13
But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near through the blood of Christ.
- Isaiah 49:15
“Can a woman forget her nursing child, or lack compassion for the son of her womb? Even if she could forget, I will not forget you!
- Psalms 103:10–13
Through
Genesis 33:4Esau, however, ran to him and embraced him, threw his arms around his neck, and kissed him. And they both wept.
it leads to
- Luke 15:20
So he got up and went to his father. But while he was still in the distance, his father saw him and was filled with compassion. He ran to his son, embraced him, and…
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Genesis 45:14–15
Then Joseph threw his arms around his brother Benjamin and wept, and Benjamin wept as they embraced.
- Psalms 34:4
I sought the LORD, and He answered me; He delivered me from all my fears.
- Luke 15:20
About Genesis
Who and where
1 name in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; John Chrysostom, HOMILIES ON GENESIS 65.8; 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.