Genesis 48:2
 Genesis 48:2 
New International Version (©2011)
When Jacob was told, "Your son Joseph has come to you," Israel rallied his strength and sat up on the bed.

New Living Translation (©2007)
When Joseph arrived, Jacob was told, "Your son Joseph has come to see you." So Jacob gathered his strength and sat up in his bed.

English Standard Version (©2001)
And it was told to Jacob, “Your son Joseph has come to you.” Then Israel summoned his strength and sat up in bed.

New American Standard Bible (©1995)
When it was told to Jacob, "Behold, your son Joseph has come to you," Israel collected his strength and sat up in the bed.

King James Bible (Cambridge Ed.)
And one told Jacob, and said, Behold, thy son Joseph cometh unto thee: and Israel strengthened himself, and sat upon the bed.

Holman Christian Standard Bible (©2009)
When Jacob was told, "Your son Joseph has come to you," Israel summoned his strength and sat up in bed.

International Standard Version (©2012)
As soon as Jacob was informed, "Look! Your son Joseph has come to visit you," Israel rallied his strength and sat up in bed.

NET Bible (©2006)
When Jacob was told, "Your son Joseph has just come to you," Israel regained strength and sat up on his bed.

GOD'S WORD® Translation (©1995)
When Jacob was told, "Your son Joseph is here to see you," Israel gathered his strength and sat up in bed.

King James 2000 Bible (©2003)
And one told Jacob, and said, Behold, your son Joseph comes unto you: and Israel strengthened himself, and sat upon the bed.

American King James Version
And one told Jacob, and said, Behold, your son Joseph comes to you: and Israel strengthened himself, and sat on the bed.

American Standard Version
And one told Jacob, and said, Behold, thy son Joseph cometh unto thee: and Israel strengthened himself, and sat upon the bed.

Douay-Rheims Bible
And it was told the old man: Behold I thy son Joseph cometh to thee. And being strengthened he sat on his bed.

Darby Bible Translation
And one told Jacob and said, Behold, thy son Joseph is coming to thee. And Israel strengthened himself, and sat upon the bed.

English Revised Version
And one told Jacob, and said, Behold, thy son Joseph cometh unto thee: and Israel strengthened himself, and sat upon the bed.

Webster's Bible Translation
And one told Jacob, and said, Behold, thy son Joseph cometh to thee: and Israel strengthened himself, and sat upon the bed.

World English Bible
Someone told Jacob, and said, "Behold, your son Joseph comes to you," and Israel strengthened himself, and sat on the bed.

Young's Literal Translation
And one declareth to Jacob, and saith, 'Lo, thy son Joseph is coming unto thee;' and Israel doth strengthen himself, and sit upon the bed.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

48:1-7 The death-beds of believers, with the prayers and counsels of dying persons, are suited to make serious impressions upon the young, the gay, and the prosperous: we shall do well to take children on such occasions, when it can be done properly. If the Lord please, it is very desirable to bear our dying testimony to his truth, to his faithfulness, and the pleasantness of his ways. And one would wish so to live, as to give energy and weight to our dying exhortations. All true believers are blessed at their death, but all do not depart equally full of spiritual consolations. Jacob adopted Joseph's two sons. Let them not succeed their father, in his power and grandeur in Egypt; but let them succeed in the inheritance of the promise made to Abraham. Thus the aged dying patriarch teaches these young persons to take their lot with the people of God. He appoints each of them to be the head of a tribe. Those are worthy of double honour, who, through God's grace, break through the temptations of worldly wealth and preferment, to embrace religion in disgrace and poverty. Jacob will have Ephraim and Manasseh to know, that it is better to be low, and in the church, than high, and out of it.


Pulpit Commentary

Verse 2. - And one told Jacob (וַיַּגֵּד, also used impersonally, like וַלֺיּאמֶר in ver. 1), and said, Behold, thy son Joseph cometh unto thee: and Israel - the significance of this change of name it is impossible to overlook (cf. Genesis 45:27, 28) - strengthened himself (for the work which, as head of the theocratic family, he now felt himself inwardly moved to perform), and sat upon the bed - i.e. he raised himself up to a sitting posture.


Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

And one told Jacob,.... The same that came from Jacob to Joseph might be sent back by him to, his father, to let him know that he was coming to see him, or some other messenger sent on purpose; for it can hardly be thought that this was an accidental thing on either side:

and said, behold, thy son Joseph cometh unto thee; to pay him a visit, and which no doubt gave him a pleasure, he being his beloved son, as well as he was great and honourable:

and Israel strengthened himself, and sat upon his bed; his spirits revived, his strength renewed, he got fresh vigour on hearing his son Joseph was coming; and he exerted all his strength, and raised himself up by the help of his staff, and sat upon his bed to receive his son's visit; for now it was when he blessed the sons of Joseph, that he leaned upon the top of his staff and worshipped, as the apostle says, Hebrews 11:21.


Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

2. Israel strengthened himself, and sat upon the bed—In the chamber where a good man lies, edifying and spiritual discourse may be expected.


Genesis 48:2 Parallel Commentaries

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Jacob Blesses Ephraim and Manasseh
1And it came to pass after these things, that one told Joseph, Behold, your father is sick: and he took with him his two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim. 2And one told Jacob, and said, Behold, your son Joseph comes to you: and Israel strengthened himself, and sat on the bed. 3And Jacob said to Joseph, God Almighty appeared to me at Luz in the land of Canaan, and blessed me, …

Genesis 48:1 Some time later Joseph was told, "Your father is ill." So he took his two sons Manasseh and Ephraim along with him.
Genesis 48:3 Jacob said to Joseph, "God Almighty appeared to me at Luz in the land of Canaan, and there he blessed me