Genesis 46:30
in Genesis 46Then Israel said to Joseph, “Finally I can die, now that I have seen your face and know that you are still alive!”
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And Israel said unto Joseph, Now let me die, since I have seen thy face, that thou art yet alive.
KJV
And Israel said unto Joseph, Now let me die, since I have seen thy face, because thou art yet alive.
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This verse in Genesis 46
Commentary
7 notes on this verseNow let me die, since I have seen thy face - Perhaps old Simeon had this place in view when, seeing the salvation of Israel, he said, Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, etc., Luk 2:29.
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.
This site's exposition
Finally I can die
At 37:35 Jacob said he would go down to Sheol mourning for his son. Seeing Joseph alive ends the mourning, and by 47:28 Israel lives seventeen more years in Egypt. The day he says he can die waits until chapter 49.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening4 voices
Now let me die - Not but that it was farther desirable to live with Joseph, and to see his honour and usefulness; but he had so much satisfaction in this first meeting, that he thought it too much to desire or expect any more in this world.
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 Israel said unto Joseph,....
Note, Death will not always come just when we call for it, whether in a passion of sorrow or in a passion of joy. Our times are in God's hand, and not in our own; we must die just when God pleases, and not either just when we are surfeited with the pleasures of life or just when we are overwhelmed with its griefs.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַיֹּ֧אמֶר | vaiyomer | and he said | H559 → | 5305 times |
| יִשְׂרָאֵ֛ל | yisrael | Israel | H3478 → | 2507 times |
| אֶל־ | ʾel- | to | H413 → | 5510 times |
| יוֹסֵ֖ף | yosef | Joseph | H3130 → | 213 times |
| אָמ֣וּתָה | ʾamutah | let me die | H4191 → | 839 times |
| הַפָּ֑עַם | hapaam | this time | H6471 → | 118 times |
| אַחֲרֵי֙ | ʾacharei | after | H310 → | 715 times |
| רְאוֹתִ֣י | reoti | have seen I | H7200 → | 1300 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| פָּנֶ֔יךָ | paneikha | face your | H6440 → | 2123 times |
| כִּ֥י | ki | that | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| עוֹדְךָ֖ | ʾodkha | still you | H5750 → | 490 times |
| חָֽי׃ | chai | [are] alive | H2416 → | 498 times |
וַיֹּ֧אמֶרand he said
vaiyomerH559 →5305 times
יִשְׂרָאֵ֛לIsrael
yisraelH3478 →2507 times
אֶל־to
ʾel-H413 →5510 times
יוֹסֵ֖ףJoseph
yosefH3130 →213 times
אָמ֣וּתָהlet me die
ʾamutahH4191 →839 times
הַפָּ֑עַםthis time
hapaamH6471 →118 times
אַחֲרֵי֙after
ʾachareiH310 →715 times
רְאוֹתִ֣יhave seen I
reotiH7200 →1300 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
פָּנֶ֔יךָface your
paneikhaH6440 →2123 times
כִּ֥יthat
kiH3588 →4482 times
עוֹדְךָ֖still you
ʾodkhaH5750 →490 times
חָֽי׃[are] alive
chaiH2416 →498 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
2 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
Genesis 45:28“Enough!” declared Israel. “My son Joseph is still alive! I will go to see him before I die.”
it leads to
- Luke 2:28–30
Simeon took Him in his arms and blessed God, saying:
- John 16:21–22
A woman has pain in childbirth because her time has come; but when she brings forth her child, she forgets her anguish because of her joy that a child has been born into the…
- Luke 2:28–30
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 Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.