Verse Lens · Expanded explanation
Genesis 47:31 Explained in Context
Use this verse as a doorway into the larger passage—not as an isolated saying.
Verse 31. 31And he said, Swear unto me. And he sware unto him. And Israel bowed himself upon the bed’s head.
King James Version — public domain in the United States · Bible text and permissions
Quick Meaning
Joseph swears to fulfill the burial request, and Israel bows in response. The KJV follows the Masoretic reading that he bows at the bed's head; the Septuagint reads the top of his staff, the wording used in Hebrews 11:21. Either way, the oath is secured and Jacob responds in faith.
Read It With
- Genesis 47:27–31
Read verse 31 with verses 29–30, Genesis 48:2, 49:33, and Hebrews 11:21. The oath gives the preceding request formal assurance, nearby verses place Jacob on a bed, and Hebrews preserves the ancient Greek staff reading while emphasizing faith and worship.
Why This Verse Appears Here
Jacob turns Joseph's promise into a formal oath and responds by bowing, closing the first death-bed episode before the blessing of Joseph's sons.
Read Genesis 47:31–31 together
Why these verses belong together: The formal oath and Jacob's closing bow belong together, with the Masoretic bed and Septuagint staff readings preserved openly.
Verse 31. 31 And he said, Swear unto me. And he sware unto him. And Israel bowed himself upon the bed’s head.
Follow the Context
- Israel settles, gains holdings, bears fruit, and multiplies greatly in Goshen (47:27).
- Jacob lives seventeen years in Egypt and reaches a total age of 147 (47:28).
- As death approaches, Israel summons Joseph, asks for steadfast and faithful treatment, and requires the hand-under-thigh oath that he not be buried in Egypt (47:29).
- Jacob asks to lie with his fathers and to be carried out of Egypt into their burial place; Joseph promises to act as requested (47:30).
- Jacob insists on an oath, Joseph swears, and Israel bows at the bed's head in the Masoretic/KJV reading or on the staff's top in the Septuagint reading followed by Hebrews 11:21 (47:31).
Phrase-by-Phrase Explanation
“swear unto me”
In plain language: Jacob requires a formal oath.
Joseph's general promise becomes solemnly secured.
Why it matters: The duty must be completed after Jacob cannot enforce it himself.
How certain? very strong“worshipped / bowed”
In plain language: Israel bows down, plausibly in worship or grateful relief.
The action closes the oath scene.
Why it matters: The exact posture is not fully described, but worship of Joseph is not stated.
How certain? very strong“upon the bed's head / top of his staff”
In plain language: Two ancient readings name either Jacob's bed or staff.
The KJV follows the Masoretic bed; the Greek and Hebrews preserve staff.
Why it matters: Honesty requires keeping both readings visible without exaggerating their doctrinal effect.
How certain? very strongWhat This Verse Is Not Saying
The Masoretic bed reading does not erase the ancient Septuagint staff reading.
Hebrews 11:21 does not require the KJV text of Genesis to be silently changed or dismissed.
Jacob's bowing does not mean he worships Joseph or treats Joseph as divine.
The variant does not make the burial oath, Jacob's faith, or the passage's central movement unknowable.
What Remains True
Faith can respond with worship before the promised future is visible, while truthful teaching keeps textual uncertainty open rather than hiding it.
How It Can Shape Life
- When translations differ materially, state which wording is displayed, explain the ancient evidence and practical effect, and keep confidence tied to what remains clear across the readings.
Teach It Back
Explain Genesis 47:31's contribution to Genesis 47:27–31. Include why the nearby verses are required, what the verse clearly says, and one conclusion it does not justify.
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Continue in Context
The full thought-unit study remains the final contextual authority for this Verse Lens.
Read Genesis 47:27–31 — Jacob Makes Joseph Swear to Bury Him in CanaanSources used for this Verse Lens
How certain is this explanation? very strong
Where care is needed
The consonantal Hebrew permits bed or staff vocalization. The KJV accurately follows the Masoretic bed reading, while the Septuagint and Hebrews preserve staff; the earliest intended vocalization cannot be established with absolute certainty from the consonants alone.
The verb commonly describes bowing and can imply worship, but the precise physical posture and immediate emotional nuance are not fully stated.
These are the sources used directly for this lens. Language, grammar, disagreements, and the complete source shelf remain attached to the full thought-unit research record.
Biblical text
King James (Authorized) Version — eng-kjv2006
eBible.org and CrossWire Bible Society
USFM archive eng-kjv2006_usfm.zip; source files dated 2026-08-19; downloaded 2026-08-24; archive SHA-256 aec1b3b26c622fd3d963d2bbac963016b9513246ffbfa20da00bb100372ea007; normalized corpus SHA-256 09aef51d90488aa7b9722b3fd9a93f4b25f6bf2064c5fd798fb39673c300ddf2.
Supports: Displayed text, settlement, lifespan, oath, burial, canonical land-and-bones movement, and New Testament reception.
Exact location: Genesis 47:27–31 with 23:1–20; 28:10–22; 35:16–20; 46:1–7; 48:1–22; 49:29–50:14; 50:22–26; Exodus 13:19; Joshua 24:32; and Hebrews 11:21–22 in the pinned standardized 1769 KJV
Open source ↗hebrew text morphology and lemma data
Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible — Genesis
Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible Project
Open Scriptures, Version 2.2 released 2021; repository inspected 2026
Supports: Settlement, multiplication, oath, death, burial, bowing, and bed/staff lexical and grammatical evidence.
Exact location: WLC Genesis 47:27–31, especially vayye'ahazu, vayyifru, vayyirbu, hesed ve'emet, tahat yereki, shakhav im avot, vayyishtahu, and the consonants h-m-t-h in verse 31
Open source ↗Translation and textual notes
NET Bible — Genesis with translators' notes
Biblical Studies Press
Biblical Studies Press, Digital edition accessed 2026
Supports: Translation, syntax, and textual-variant cross-checks.
Exact location: NET Genesis 47:27–31 translator and textual notes, especially possession, kindness and faithfulness, oath wording, bowing, and the Masoretic bed / Septuagint staff difference
Open NET Genesis 47 ↗open doctoral narrative and deathbed study
The Death of Jacob: Narrative Conventions in Genesis 47.28–50.26
Kerry D. Lee
University of Edinburgh PhD thesis, 2014
Supports: Complete narrative-convention analysis and a fully inspected argument for the scene's place in Genesis 47:28–50:26.
Exact location: The Death of Jacob, pages 44–62 and 229–241, especially Genesis 47:28–31 preparation, summons, oath, executor duty, denouement, bed/staff discussion, and whole death-bed structure
Open source ↗