Genesis 47:8

Study note

Setting — Pharaoh addresses Jacob after Joseph presents him in the royal court. The question follows immediately after Jacob blesses Pharaoh in the preceding verse.

The words — The Hebrew כַּמָּה (ka-mah) means “how many?” and שְׁנֵי חַיֶּיךָ (she-nei chai-yeka) translates literally to “the years of your life.”

The thread — The text records a direct inquiry into human longevity that continues the patriarchal focus on lifespan in Genesis 47:9. Jacob’s reply anchors the question in the broader narrative of generational promise.

Why it lands — The passage states a factual question about age before shifting to Jacob’s assessment of his own journey. It asks the reader to measure mortal duration against the steady progression of the patriarchal line.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.