Bible Strands
Genesis 50:23
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.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — The narrator records Joseph’s final years in Egypt, situated between his father’s death and his own impending deathbed address to his brothers.
The words — The verb וַיַּרְא (va.Yar') literally means "he saw," indicating Joseph’s physical observation of his descendants. The term שִלּוּשִׁים (shi.le.Shim) specifies "a third generation," marking the measured extent of his lineage.
The thread — The pattern of patriarchs observing extended descendants appears in Job 42:16, where Job sees his children and grandchildren to the fourth generation. The later settlement of Machir’s line is documented in Numbers 32:39 as they take possession of Gilead.
Why it lands — The verse states a demographic fact about Joseph’s household in Egypt without attaching covenantal weight to it. Readers must separate this factual record from the theological promise Joseph delivers to his brothers in Genesis 50:24.
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 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.
Cross-references
- Numbers 32:39 The descendants of Machir son of Manasseh went to Gilead, captured it, and drove out the Amorites who were there.
- Genesis 30:3 Then she said, “Here is my maidservant Bilhah. Sleep with her, that she may bear children for me, so that through her I too can build a family.”
- Job 42:16 After this, Job lived 140 years and saw his children and their children to the fourth generation.
- Genesis 48:19 But his father refused. “I know, my son, I know!” he said. “He too shall become a people, and he too shall be great; nevertheless, his younger brother shall be greater than he, and his offspring shall become a multitude of nations.”
- Numbers 32:33 So Moses gave to the Gadites, to the Reubenites, and to the half-tribe of Manasseh son of Joseph the kingdom of Sihon king of the Amorites and the kingdom of Og king of Bashan—the land including its cities and the territory surrounding them.
- Joshua 17:1 Now this was the allotment for the tribe of Manasseh as Joseph’s firstborn son, namely for Machir the firstborn of Manasseh and father of the Gileadites, who had received Gilead and Bashan because Machir was a man of war.
- Psalms 128:6 that you may see your children’s children. Peace be upon Israel!
- Genesis 49:12 His eyes are darker than wine, and his teeth are whiter than milk.