Genesis 50:23
New International Version
and saw the third generation of Ephraim’s children. Also the children of Makir son of Manasseh were placed at birth on Joseph’s knees.

New Living Translation
He lived to see three generations of descendants of his son Ephraim, and he lived to see the birth of the children of Manasseh’s son Makir, whom he claimed as his own.

English Standard Version
And Joseph saw Ephraim’s children of the third generation. The children also of Machir the son of Manasseh were counted as Joseph’s own.

Berean Standard Bible
He saw Ephraim’s sons to the third generation, and indeed the sons of Machir son of Manasseh were brought up on Joseph’s knees.

King James Bible
And Joseph saw Ephraim's children of the third generation: the children also of Machir the son of Manasseh were brought up upon Joseph's knees.

New King James Version
Joseph saw Ephraim’s children to the third generation. The children of Machir, the son of Manasseh, were also brought up on Joseph’s knees.

New American Standard Bible
Joseph saw the third generation of Ephraim’s sons; also the sons of Machir, the son of Manasseh, were born on Joseph’s knees.

NASB 1995
Joseph saw the third generation of Ephraim’s sons; also the sons of Machir, the son of Manasseh, were born on Joseph’s knees.

NASB 1977
And Joseph saw the third generation of Ephraim’s sons; also the sons of Machir, the son of Manasseh, were born on Joseph’s knees.

Legacy Standard Bible
And Joseph saw the third generation of Ephraim’s sons; also the sons of Machir, the son of Manasseh, were born on Joseph’s knees.

Amplified Bible
Joseph saw the third generation of Ephraim’s children; also the children of Machir, the son of Manasseh, were born and raised on Joseph’s knees.

Christian Standard Bible
He saw Ephraim’s sons to the third generation; the sons of Manasseh’s son Machir were recognized by Joseph.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
He saw Ephraim’s sons to the third generation; the sons of Manasseh’s son Machir were recognized by Joseph.

American Standard Version
And Joseph saw Ephraim's children of the third generation: the children also of Machir the son of Manasseh were born upon Joseph's knees.

Contemporary English Version
Joseph lived long enough to see Ephraim's children and grandchildren. He also lived to see the children of Manasseh's son Machir, and he welcomed them into his family.

English Revised Version
And Joseph saw Ephraim's children of the third generation: the children also of Machir the son of Manasseh were born upon Joseph's knees.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
He saw his grandchildren, Ephraim's children. Even the children of Machir, son of Manasseh, were adopted by Joseph at birth.

Good News Translation
He lived to see Ephraim's children and grandchildren. He also lived to receive the children of Machir son of Manasseh into the family.

International Standard Version
Joseph saw the third generation of Ephraim's children, as well as the children who had been born to Manasseh's son Machir, whom he adopted as his own.

Majority Standard Bible
He saw Ephraim’s sons to the third generation, and indeed the sons of Machir son of Manasseh were brought up on Joseph’s knees.

NET Bible
Joseph saw the descendants of Ephraim to the third generation. He also saw the children of Makir the son of Manasseh; they were given special inheritance rights by Joseph.

New Heart English Bible
Joseph saw Ephraim’s descendants to the third generation. The children also of Makir, the son of Manasseh, were counted as Joseph’s own.

Webster's Bible Translation
And Joseph saw Ephraim's children of the third generation: the children also of Machir, the son of Manasseh, were brought up upon Joseph's knees.

World English Bible
Joseph saw Ephraim’s children to the third generation. The children also of Machir, the son of Manasseh, were born on Joseph’s knees.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
and Joseph looks on Ephraim’s sons of a third [generation]; sons also of Machir, son of Manasseh, have been born on the knees of Joseph.

Young's Literal Translation
and Joseph looketh on Ephraim's sons of the third generation; sons also of Machir, son of Manasseh, have been born on the knees of Joseph.

Smith's Literal Translation
And Joseph will see sons to Ephraim of the third generation; also the sons of Machir, son of Manasseh, were brought forth upon Joseph's knees.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And he saw the children of Ephraim to the third generation. The children also of Machir the son of Ma-nasses were born on Joseph's knees.

Catholic Public Domain Version
And he saw the sons of Ephraim to the third generation. Likewise, the sons of Machir, the son of Manasseh, were born onto Joseph’s knees.

New American Bible
He saw Ephraim’s children to the third generation, and the children of Manasseh’s son Machir were also born on Joseph’s knees.

New Revised Standard Version
Joseph saw Ephraim’s children of the third generation; the children of Machir son of Manasseh were also born on Joseph’s knees.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
And Joseph saw Ephraim's children of the third generation; the children also of Machir the son of Manasseh were brought up upon Joseph's knees.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And Yoseph saw Aphreim's children, the third generation; also the children of Makir, son of Manassheh, were born on the knees of Yoseph.
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
And Joseph saw Ephraim's children of the third generation; the children also of Machir the son of Manasseh were born upon Joseph's knees.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And Joseph saw the children of Ephraim to the third generation; and the sons of Machir the son of Manasse were borne on the sides of Joseph.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Death of Joseph
22Now Joseph and his father’s household remained in Egypt, and Joseph lived to the age of 110. 23He saw Ephraim’s sons to the third generation, and indeed the sons of Machir son of Manasseh were brought up on Joseph’s knees. 24Then Joseph said to his brothers, “I am about to die, but God will surely visit you and bring you up from this land to the land He promised on oath to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.”…

Cross References
Exodus 1:7
but the Israelites were fruitful and increased rapidly; they multiplied and became exceedingly numerous, so that the land was filled with them.

Exodus 1:8-10
Then a new king, who did not know Joseph, came to power in Egypt. / “Look,” he said to his people, “the Israelites have become too numerous and too powerful for us. / Come, let us deal shrewdly with them, or they will increase even more; and if a war breaks out, they may join our enemies, fight against us, and leave the country.”

Exodus 1:12
But the more they were oppressed, the more they multiplied and flourished; so the Egyptians came to dread the Israelites.

Exodus 1:20
So God was good to the midwives, and the people multiplied and became even more numerous.

Exodus 1:22
Then Pharaoh commanded all his people: “Every son born to the Hebrews you must throw into the Nile, but every daughter you may allow to live.”

Exodus 2:1-2
Now a man of the house of Levi married a Levite woman, / and she conceived and gave birth to a son. When she saw that he was a beautiful child, she hid him for three months.

Exodus 2:10
When the child had grown older, she brought him to Pharaoh’s daughter, and he became her son. She named him Moses and explained, “I drew him out of the water.”

Exodus 2:23-25
After a long time, the king of Egypt died. The Israelites groaned and cried out under their burden of slavery, and their cry for deliverance from bondage ascended to God. / So God heard their groaning, and He remembered His covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. / God saw the Israelites and took notice.

Exodus 3:6
Then He said, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” At this, Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look at God.

Exodus 3:16
Go, assemble the elders of Israel and say to them, ‘The LORD, the God of your fathers—the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob—has appeared to me and said: I have surely attended to you and have seen what has been done to you in Egypt.

Exodus 6:16-20
These were the names of the sons of Levi according to their records: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari. Levi lived 137 years. / The sons of Gershon were Libni and Shimei, by their clans. / The sons of Kohath were Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel. Kohath lived 133 years. ...

Exodus 12:37
The Israelites journeyed from Rameses to Succoth with about 600,000 men on foot, besides women and children.

Exodus 13:19
Moses took the bones of Joseph with him because Joseph had made the sons of Israel swear a solemn oath when he said, “God will surely attend to you, and then you must carry my bones with you from this place.”

Acts 7:17
As the time drew near for God to fulfill His promise to Abraham, our people in Egypt increased greatly in number.

Acts 7:18-19
Then another king, who knew nothing of Joseph, arose over Egypt. / He exploited our people and oppressed our fathers, forcing them to abandon their infants so they would die.


Treasury of Scripture

And Joseph saw Ephraim's children of the third generation: the children also of Machir the son of Manasseh were brought up on Joseph's knees.

the children.

Genesis 48:19
And his father refused, and said, I know it, my son, I know it: he also shall become a people, and he also shall be great: but truly his younger brother shall be greater than he, and his seed shall become a multitude of nations.

Genesis 49:12
His eyes shall be red with wine, and his teeth white with milk.

Numbers 32:33,39
And Moses gave unto them, even to the children of Gad, and to the children of Reuben, and unto half the tribe of Manasseh the son of Joseph, the kingdom of Sihon king of the Amorites, and the kingdom of Og king of Bashan, the land, with the cities thereof in the coasts, even the cities of the country round about…

brought up.

Genesis 30:3
And she said, Behold my maid Bilhah, go in unto her; and she shall bear upon my knees, that I may also have children by her.

Jump to Previous
Birth Born Children Ephraim's E'phraim's Generation Joseph Joseph's Knees Machir Makir Manasseh Manas'seh Placed Third
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Birth Born Children Ephraim's E'phraim's Generation Joseph Joseph's Knees Machir Makir Manasseh Manas'seh Placed Third
Genesis 50
1. The mourning for Jacob.
4. Joseph gets leave of Pharaoh to go to bury him.
7. The funeral.
15. Joseph comforts his brothers, who crave his pardon.
22. His age.
23. He sees the third generation of his sons.
24. He prophesies unto his brothers of their return.
25. He takes an oath of them concerning his bones.
26. He dies, and is put into a coffin.














He saw
The phrase "He saw" indicates Joseph's ability to witness the continuation of his lineage. In Hebrew, the word for "saw" is "ra'ah," which implies not just physical sight but also understanding and recognition. Joseph's life, marked by trials and triumphs, culminates in this moment of seeing God's promises unfold through his descendants. This sight is a testament to God's faithfulness and the fulfillment of His covenant promises to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

the third generation
The mention of "the third generation" signifies a blessing of longevity and prosperity. In ancient Near Eastern culture, seeing one's grandchildren and great-grandchildren was considered a sign of divine favor and blessing. This generational continuity underscores the theme of God's enduring promise to multiply Abraham's descendants and to bless them.

of Ephraim’s sons
Ephraim, Joseph's younger son, was blessed by Jacob to become greater than his brother Manasseh (Genesis 48:19). The prominence of Ephraim's lineage here highlights the fulfillment of Jacob's prophetic blessing. Ephraim's descendants would later become a significant tribe in Israel, often representing the Northern Kingdom.

Also the sons of Machir, son of Manasseh
Machir was the firstborn of Manasseh, Joseph's elder son. The mention of Machir's sons indicates the continuation and expansion of Joseph's family through both of his sons. Historically, the descendants of Machir became known as the Machirites, a clan within the tribe of Manasseh, known for their valor and significant role in the conquest of Canaan (Numbers 32:39-40).

were placed on Joseph’s knees
The act of placing children on Joseph's knees is a symbolic gesture of adoption and blessing. In ancient times, this act signified the acknowledgment of the children as one's own, conferring legitimacy and inheritance rights. This gesture by Joseph reflects his acceptance and blessing of his grandchildren, ensuring their place within the covenant community of Israel.

(23) The third generation.--These would be Joseph's great-grandchildren. Thus Eran, son of Shuthelah, son of Ephraim, was to be born in Joseph's lifetime (Numbers 26:35-36).

Were brought up . . . --Heb., were born upon Joseph's knees, that is, were adopted by him. (See Note on Genesis 30:3.) They would not form tribes, as this prerogative was reserved for the sons of Jacob (Genesis 48:5), but they would count as Joseph's sons (Genesis 48:6), and form "families."

Verse 23. - And Joseph saw Ephraim's children of the third generation: - i.e. Ephraim's great-grandchildren (Kalisch, Lange), or Ephraim s great-great-grandsons (Keil, Murphy), which perhaps was not impossible, since Ephraim must have been born before Joseph's thirty-seventh year, thus allowing at least sixty-three years for four generations to intervene before the patriarch's death, which might be, if marriage happened early, say not later than eighteen - the children also of Machir the son of Manasseh-by a concubine (1 Chronicles 7:14) were brought up upon Joseph's knees - literally, were born upon Joseph's knees, i.e. were adopted by him as soon as they were born (Kalisch, Wordsworth, 'Speaker's Commentary'), or were born so that he could take them also upon his knees, and show his love for them (Keil).

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
He
יוֹסֵף֙ (yō·w·sêp̄)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3130: Joseph -- 'he increases', a son of Jacob, also the name of several Israelites

saw
וַיַּ֤רְא (way·yar)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 7200: To see

Ephraim’s
לְאֶפְרַ֔יִם (lə·’ep̄·ra·yim)
Preposition-l | Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 669: Ephraim -- a son of Joseph, also his descendants and their territory

sons
בְּנֵ֖י (bə·nê)
Noun - masculine plural construct
Strong's 1121: A son

to the third generation,
שִׁלֵּשִׁ֑ים (šil·lê·šîm)
Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 8029: Pertaining to the third

and indeed
גַּ֗ם (gam)
Conjunction
Strong's 1571: Assemblage, also, even, yea, though, both, and

the sons
בְּנֵ֤י (bə·nê)
Noun - masculine plural construct
Strong's 1121: A son

of Machir
מָכִיר֙ (mā·ḵîr)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 4353: Machir -- two Israelites

son
בֶּן־ (ben-)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 1121: A son

of Manasseh
מְנַשֶּׁ֔ה (mə·naš·šeh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 4519: Manasseh -- 'causing to forget', a son of Joseph, also a king of Judah, also two Israelites

were brought up
יֻלְּד֖וּ (yul·lə·ḏū)
Verb - QalPass - Perfect - third person common plural
Strong's 3205: To bear young, to beget, medically, to act as midwife, to show lineage

on
עַל־ (‘al-)
Preposition
Strong's 5921: Above, over, upon, against

Joseph’s
יוֹסֵֽף׃ (yō·w·sêp̄)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3130: Joseph -- 'he increases', a son of Jacob, also the name of several Israelites

knees.
בִּרְכֵּ֥י (bir·kê)
Noun - fdc
Strong's 1290: The knee


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OT Law: Genesis 50:23 Joseph saw Ephraim's children to the third (Gen. Ge Gn)
Genesis 50:22
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