Genesis 49:24
in Genesis 49Yet he steadied his bow, and his strong arms were tempered by the hands of the Mighty One of Jacob, in the name of the Shepherd, the Rock of Israel,
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
But his bow abode in strength, And the arms of his hands were made strong, By the hands of the Mighty One of Jacob (From thence is the shepherd, the stone of Israel),
KJV
But his bow abode in strength, and the arms of his hands were made strong by the hands of the mighty God of Jacob; (from thence is the shepherd, the stone of Israel:)
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This verse in Genesis 49
Commentary
9 notes on this verse(Verse 22 and following) The son of Joseph grew up, the son of Joseph grown tall above the fountain of the daughter, walking with a composed stride on the wall. And they provoked him, and contended with him, and were angry against him, having arrows. He sat in the strength of his bow, and the chains of his hands were broken, from the hands of the mighty Jacob. From there will come the shepherd, the stone of Israel from the God of your father: and the rest.
This site's exposition
Joseph is a fruitful vine
on Genesis 49:22-24
Joseph is a fruitful vine whose branches scale the wall. The archers who attacked him are his brothers, Potiphar's house and the prison, told back in one line. His bow held steady, and the strength came from the Mighty One of Jacob, the Shepherd and the Rock of Israel.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening4 voices
But his bow abode in strength - His faith did not fail; he kept his ground, and came off conqueror. The arms of his hands were made strong - That is, his other graces did their part, his wisdom, courage, patience, which are better than weapons of war: By the hands of the mighty God - Who was therefore able to strengthen him; and the God of Jacob, a God in covenant with him.
Herein Joseph was a type, [1.] Of Christ; he was shot at and hated, but borne up under his sufferings ( Isa. l. 7-9 ), and was afterwards advanced to be the shepherd and stone. [2.] Of the church in general, and particular believers; hell shoots its arrows against the saints, but Heaven protects and strengthens them, and will crown them. The promises of God to Joseph.
But his bow abode in strength,....
These are mentioned to the glory of God, and for the encouragement of Jacob's faith and hope, that God had blessings in store for his seed.
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
It must have been a fine sight to see the hoary-headed Jacob sitting up in his bed whilst he bestowed his parting benediction upon his twelve sons. He had been noble in many instances during his life—at the sleeping place of Bethel, the brook of Jabbok, and the halting of Peniel. He had been a glorious old man; one before whom we might bow down with reverence, and truly say, “There were giants in those days.” But his closing scene was the best. I think if ever he stood out more illustrious than at any other time, if his head was at any one season more than another, encircled with a halo of glory, it was when he came to die. Like the sun at setting, he seemed then to be the greater in brilliance, tinging the clouds of his weakness with the glory of grace within. Like good wine, which runs clear to the very bottom, unalloyed by dregs, so did Jacob till his dying hour continue to sing of love, of mercy, and of goodness, past and future. Like the swan, which (as old writers say) singeth not all its life until it comes to die, so the old patriarch remained silent as a songster for many years; but when he stretched himself on his last couch of rest, he stayed himself up in his bed, turned his burning eye from one to another, and although with a hoarse and faltering voice, he sang a sonnet upon each of his offspring, such as earthly poets, uninspired, cannot attempt to imitate. Looking upon his son Reuben, a tear was in his eye, for he recollected Reuben’s sin; he passed over Simeon and Levi, giving some slight rebuke; upon the others he sung a verse of praise, as his eyes saw into the future history of the tribes.
2 more voices on this verse
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
It must have been a fine sight to see the hoary-headed Jacob sitting up in his bed whilst he bestowed his parting benediction upon his twelve sons. He had been noble in many instances during his life—at the sleeping place of Bethel, the brook of Jabbok, and the halting of Peniel. He had been a glorious old man; one before whom we might bow down with reverence, and truly say, “There were giants in those days.” But his closing scene was the best.
But his bow remained in strength - The more he was persecuted, either by his brethren or in Egypt, the more resplendent his uprightness and virtues shone: and the arms his extended power and influence, of his hands plans, designs, and particular operations of his prudence, judgment, discretion, etc., were all rendered successful by the hand - the powerful succor and protection, of the Mighty One of Jacob that God who blessed and protected all the counsels and plans of Jacob, and protected and increased him also when he was in a strange land, and often under the power of those who sought opportunities to oppress and defraud him.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַתֵּ֤שֶׁב | vateshev | and it remained | H3427 → | 1079 times |
| בְּאֵיתָן֙ | beeitan | in permanence | H386 → | |
| קַשְׁתּ֔וֹ | kashto | bow his | H7198 → | 76 times |
| וַיָּפֹ֖זּוּ | vaiyafozu | and they were agile | H6339 → | |
| זְרֹעֵ֣י | zeroei | [the] arms of | H2220 → | |
| יָדָ֑יו | yadav | hands his | H3027 → | 1618 times |
| מִידֵי֙ | midei | from [the] hands of | H3027 → | 1618 times |
| אֲבִ֣יר | ʾavir | [the] mighty one of | H46 → | |
| יַעֲקֹ֔ב | yaako | Jacob | H3290 → | 350 times |
| מִשָּׁ֥ם | misham | [is] from there | H8033 → | 834 times |
| רֹעֶ֖ה | roeh | [the] shepherd | H7462 → | 177 times |
| אֶ֥בֶן | ʾeven | [the] stone of | H68 → | 273 times |
| יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ | yisrael | Israel | H3478 → | 2507 times |
וַתֵּ֤שֶׁבand it remained
vateshevH3427 →1079 times
בְּאֵיתָן֙in permanence
beeitanH386 →
קַשְׁתּ֔וֹbow his
kashtoH7198 →76 times
וַיָּפֹ֖זּוּand they were agile
vaiyafozuH6339 →
זְרֹעֵ֣י[the] arms of
zeroeiH2220 →
יָדָ֑יוhands his
yadavH3027 →1618 times
מִידֵי֙from [the] hands of
mideiH3027 →1618 times
אֲבִ֣יר[the] mighty one of
ʾavirH46 →
יַעֲקֹ֔בJacob
yaakoH3290 →350 times
מִשָּׁ֥ם[is] from there
mishamH8033 →834 times
רֹעֶ֖ה[the] shepherd
roehH7462 →177 times
אֶ֥בֶן[the] stone of
ʾevenH68 →273 times
יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃Israel
yisraelH3478 →2507 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
Isaiah 28:16So this is what the Lord GOD says: “See, I lay a stone in Zion, a tested stone, a precious cornerstone, a sure foundation; the one who believes will never be shaken.
it leads to
- Psalms 118:22
The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone.
- Acts 4:11–12
This Jesus is ‘the stone you builders rejected, which has become the cornerstone.’
- 1 Peter 2:6–8
For it stands in Scripture: “See, I lay in Zion a stone, a chosen and precious cornerstone; and the one who believes in Him will never be put to shame.”
- Luke 20:17–18
But Jesus looked directly at them and said, “Then what is the meaning of that which is written: ‘The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone’?
- Romans 9:33
as it is written: “See, I lay in Zion a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense; and the one who believes in Him will never be put to shame.”
- Psalms 118:22
Through
Psalms 80:1Hear us, O Shepherd of Israel, who leads Joseph like a flock; You who sit enthroned between the cherubim, shine forth
it leads to
- Revelation 21:23
And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, because the glory of God illuminates the city, and the Lamb is its lamp.
- Psalms 77:20
You led Your people like a flock by the hand of Moses and Aaron.
- Revelation 21:23
Through
Psalms 132:5until I find a place for the LORD, a dwelling for the Mighty One of Jacob.”
it leads to
- Ephesians 2:22
And in Him you too are being built together into a dwelling place for God in His Spirit.
- Ephesians 2:22
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies6
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; Charles Spurgeon, The New Park Street Pulpit, Sermon No. 17: “Joseph Attacked by the Archers” (lightly modernized text, CCEL edition); Jerome, Hebrew Questions on Genesis; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; 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.