Bible Strands
Genesis 48:15
Then he blessed Joseph and said: “May the God before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac walked, the God who has been my shepherd all my life to this day,
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — Israel addresses Joseph while laying his hands on Joseph’s sons Ephraim and Manasseh. The declaration occurs during a patriarchal blessing immediately after Jacob crosses his hands to place his right hand on the younger son.
The words — The term הִתְהַלְּכ֨וּ (hit.ha.le.Khu) literally means "they walked about," describing the manner in which Abraham and Isaac lived before God. אֲבֹתַ֤/י ('a.vo.Ta/i) identifies these patriarchs as "my fathers," grounding the blessing in ancestral lineage.
The thread — The motif of walking before God appears in Genesis 17:1, where Abram is commanded to walk before the Lord and be blameless. The New Testament echoes this pattern in Colossians 2:6, urging believers to continue walking in Christ, while Hebrews 11:21 records Jacob’s faithful blessing as he leaned on his staff.
Why it lands — The text identifies God as the sustained shepherd of Jacob’s life and the God of his ancestors, establishing a continuity of divine faithfulness across generations. It requires the reader to recognize that covenant blessing depends on God’s historical provision rather than human lineage alone.
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.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
And he blessed Joseph, and said, God, before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac did walk, the God which fed me all my life long unto this day,
Cross-references
- Genesis 17:1 When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the LORD appeared to him and said, “I am God Almighty. Walk before Me and be blameless.
- Colossians 2:6 Therefore, just as you have received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to walk in Him,
- Hebrews 11:21 By faith Jacob, when he was dying, blessed each of Joseph’s sons and worshiped as he leaned on the top of his staff.
- Genesis 5:22 And after he had become the father of Methuselah, Enoch walked with God 300 years and had other sons and daughters.
- Genesis 6:9 This is the account of Noah. Noah was a righteous man, blameless in his generation; Noah walked with God.
- Genesis 24:20 And she quickly emptied her jar into the trough and ran back to the well to draw water, until she had drawn water for all his camels.
- Genesis 27:4 Then prepare a tasty dish that I love and bring it to me to eat, so that I may bless you before I die.”
- Genesis 28:3 May God Almighty bless you and make you fruitful and multiply you, so that you may become a company of peoples.
- Genesis 28:20 Then Jacob made a vow, saying, “If God will be with me and watch over me on this journey, and if He will provide me with food to eat and clothes to wear,
- Genesis 28:22 And this stone I have set up as a pillar will be God’s house, and of all that You give me I will surely give You a tenth.”