Vincent Word Studies - Hebrews 11:21 - 11:21

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Vincent Word Studies - Hebrews 11:21 - 11:21


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This Chapter Verse Commentaries:

When he died (ἀποθνήσκων)

Rend. “when dying.” It is quite superfluous to explain this as emphasizing the strength in contrast with the weakness of approaching death; or that, in the birth of Joseph's two sons before Jacob's death, Jacob discerned a monition to adopt them into the direct line of his own sons. The meaning is simply that these events took place in Jacob's last hours.

Blessed each (ἕκαστον εὐλόγησεν)

See Gen 48:17-20. Each son received a separate and distinct blessing, although Joseph had expected only one common blessing for both. Jacob's discernment of faith appeared in this, as in the precedence assigned to the younger son.

And worshipped leaning on the top of his staff (καὶ προσεκύνησεν ἐπὶ τὸ ἄκρον τῆς ῥάβδου αὐτοῦ)

From the lxx of Gen 47:31. It seems to have been loosely included by our writer among the incidents of Jacob's last hours (ἀποθνήσκων), although it belongs to a different part of the narrative. The promise given by Joseph to remove his father's remains to the family sepulchre may have been regarded as preparatory to the blessing, or introduced in order to emphasize the devotional character of the entire proceeding. The words upon the head of his staff are from the lxx; the Hebrew being “Jacob bowed himself upon the head of the bed.” Comp. 1Ki 1:47. According to its vowel-points the same Hebrew word signifies either staff or bed. The lxx has chosen the former, and renders by ῥάβδος staff. According to the Hebrew, the meaning is that Jacob, having been sitting during the conversation, lay down when it was finished, probably overcome by weakness, and breathing a prayer as he fell back on his pillow.