The Meaning of Genesis 46:30 Explained

Genesis 46:30

KJV: And Israel said unto Joseph, Now let me die, since I have seen thy face, because thou art yet alive.

YLT: and Israel saith unto Joseph, 'Let me die this time, after my seeing thy face, for thou art yet alive.'

Darby: And Israel said to Joseph, Now let me die, after I have seen thy face, since thou still livest.

ASV: And Israel said unto Joseph, Now let me die, since I have seen thy face, that thou art yet alive.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And Israel  said  unto Joseph,  Now  let me die,  since  I have seen  thy face,  because thou [art] yet  alive. 

What does Genesis 46:30 Mean?

Context Summary

Genesis 46:28-34 - Pharaoh Welcome's Joseph's Relatives
What a meeting between father and son! If the old man were sitting in the corner of the lumbering wagon, weary with the long journey, how he must have started up when they said, "Joseph is coming!" What pathos there is in the expression, "wept a good while," as though the long-pent-up streams took a long time to exhaust themselves. Had Joseph been less noble he might have shrunk from introducing his lowly relatives to the mighty Pharaoh! But such thoughts were submerged in the great love which claimed that withered, aged, halting man as his father. Let us never be ashamed of our Savior, who has done more for us than even Jacob for his sons. This confession that the days of his pilgrimage had been few and evil is set to a sad minor chord; and to the superficial gaze Esau had enjoyed a much more prosperous career; but when Jacob stood before Pharaoh the mighty monarch recognized his moral supremacy, and bent beneath his benediction. Surely the less is blessed of the greater. Here was the harvest of his tears! [source]

Chapter Summary: Genesis 46

1  Jacob is comforted by God at Beersheba
5  Thence he with his company goes into Egypt
8  The number of his family that went into Egypt
28  Joseph meets Jacob
31  He instructs his brothers how to answer Pharaoh

What do the individual words in Genesis 46:30 mean?

And said Israel to Joseph let me die now since I have seen - your face because still [you are] alive
וַיֹּ֧אמֶר יִשְׂרָאֵ֛ל אֶל־ יוֹסֵ֖ף אָמ֣וּתָה הַפָּ֑עַם אַחֲרֵי֙ רְאוֹתִ֣י אֶת־ פָּנֶ֔יךָ כִּ֥י עוֹדְךָ֖ חָֽי

וַיֹּ֧אמֶר  And  said 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
יִשְׂרָאֵ֛ל  Israel 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יִשְׂרָאֵל  
Sense: the second name for Jacob given to him by God after his wrestling with the angel at Peniel.
יוֹסֵ֖ף  Joseph 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יׄוסֵף  
Sense: the eldest son of Jacob by Rachel.
אָמ֣וּתָה  let  me  die 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect Cohortative, first person common singular
Root: מוּת  
Sense: to die, kill, have one executed.
הַפָּ֑עַם  now 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: פַּעַם  
Sense: stroke, beat, foot, step, anvil, occurrence.
אַחֲרֵי֙  since 
Parse: Preposition
Root: אַחַר 
Sense: after the following part, behind (of place), hinder, afterwards (of time).
רְאוֹתִ֣י  I  have  seen 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct, first person common singular
Root: רָאָה 
Sense: to see, look at, inspect, perceive, consider.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
פָּנֶ֔יךָ  your  face 
Parse: Noun, common plural construct, second person masculine singular
Root: לִפְנֵי 
Sense: face.
כִּ֥י  because 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: כִּי 
Sense: that, for, because, when, as though, as, because that, but, then, certainly, except, surely, since.
עוֹדְךָ֖  still 
Parse: Adverb, second person masculine singular
Root: עֹוד  
Sense: a going round, continuance adv.
חָֽי  [you  are]  alive 
Parse: Adjective, masculine singular
Root: חַי 
Sense: living, alive.

What are the major concepts related to Genesis 46:30?

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