And Joseph saw Ephraim’s children of the third generation. The children also of Machir the son of Manasseh were counted as Joseph’s own.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This verse highlights Joseph's profound connection not just to his own sons, but to his grand-nephews as well, showing a broader family embrace that extends beyond immediate lineage. The phrase "brought up upon Joseph's knees" signifies adoption and the patriarch's active role in raising and acknowledging these children as part of his own legacy, underscoring a deep sense of family responsibility and love that transcends generations and even direct kinship lines.
And Joseph saw Ephraim’s children of the third generation. The children also of Machir the son of Manasseh were counted as Joseph’s own.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This verse appears towards the end of the book of Genesis, immediately following Jacob's death and burial, and Joseph's gracious reassurance to his brothers. It highlights Joseph's longevity and the flourishing state of his descendants, bridging the narrative toward the future Exodus from Egypt.
Joseph lived to see his family flourish, a testament to God's faithfulness. What does this mean for understanding generational blessings?
Genesis 50:23 highlights Joseph's extended family, noting he saw "Ephraim's children of the third generation." This signifies a profound blessing of numerous descendants, showing God fulfilling His promise of making Abraham's lineage vast.
A Pattern of Providence
This verse also points to the fulfillment of Jacob's prophetic blessing over his grandsons, Ephraim and Manasseh (Genesis 48). Jacob famously placed his right hand on Ephraim, the younger, signifying that Ephraim's lineage would become greater than Manasseh's. Joseph witnessing Ephraim's third-generation descendants before his death suggests this blessing was already unfolding, showcasing God's intentional plan and His honor for His promises.
Adoption and Inclusion
The phrase "were brought up upon Joseph's knees" signifies more than just seeing grandchildren. It implies adoption, nurturing, and public acknowledgment within the family. This practice, where a grandfather would lift a child onto his knees, symbolized claiming them as his own. This shows how Joseph, as the patriarch, embraced and integrated the children of Machir (Manasseh's son) into his own lineage, mirroring the way he himself was favored by Jacob and how God adopts us into His family.
As Joseph's life nears its end, his focus isn't on Egypt, but on a promise yet to be fulfilled. What can we learn from his final commands?
The end of Genesis 50 reveals Joseph not just as a successful leader, but as a man of unwavering faith, even in death. His instruction to his brothers to carry his bones out of Egypt (Genesis 50:25) is a powerful act of hope.
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A Symbol of Promised Deliverance
By demanding his bones be taken to Canaan, Joseph was doing more than ensuring his final resting place. He was leaving a tangible sign for his family that their time in Egypt was temporary. This act served as a constant reminder of God's covenant promise to return them to the Promised Land. It was a prophetic declaration that, even in death, he believed in God's future deliverance.
Faith Beyond His Lifetime
This final command demonstrates a profound belief in the resurrection and God's ultimate plan. Joseph's faith wasn't limited to his own life; it extended to future generations. He trusted that God would indeed 'visit' them and bring them out, as he told them (Genesis 50:24-25). His embalmed body, awaiting its journey, became a testament to the unseen realities of God's kingdom and the certainty of His Word.
This verse marks the peaceful end of Joseph's long life, occurring during the period of Israel's prosperity in Egypt before the Exodus. It highlights the fulfillment of Jacob's prophecy regarding Ephraim's prominence and underscores the deep familial bonds and ancestral connection to the land of promise that Joseph maintained throughout his life.
c. 1655 BC
Joseph sold into slavery
Joseph's jealous brothers sell him to Ishmaelite traders, initiating the events that lead to his rise in Egypt.
c. 1635 BC
Joseph interprets Pharaoh's dreams
After years of hardship and imprisonment, Joseph accurately predicts and advises on a coming famine, leading to his appointment as ruler of Egypt.
c. 1628 BC
Jacob's family moves to Egypt
Famine drives Joseph's brothers to Egypt, where they eventually reconcile with Joseph, and their entire family settles in the land of Goshen.
c. 1620 BC
Jacob blesses his grandsons
Jacob, on his deathbed, adopts Joseph's sons, Ephraim and Manasseh, giving them a prominent place among his descendants and deliberately crossing his hands to favor the younger, Ephraim.
c. 1610 BC
Death of Jacob
Jacob dies in Egypt, and Joseph orchestrates a grand funeral procession back to Canaan for his burial, demonstrating the family's deep respect for their patriarch and their connection to the promised land.
c. 1575 BC— this verse
Death of Joseph
Joseph lives to see multiple generations of his family flourish in Egypt and, true to his faith, makes his brothers swear to carry his bones with them when they eventually leave Egypt for Canaan.
This verse speaks of a child being laid on a grandparent's lap, mirroring the intimate gesture of Joseph embracing his great-grandchildren, signifying blessing and continuation of the family line.
Psalm 128:6This psalm describes the blessing of seeing one's grandchildren, which directly parallels Joseph's joy in seeing Ephraim's third generation, highlighting God's favor on the faithful.
Proverbs 17:6This proverb states that grandchildren are the crown of the aged, reinforcing the idea that Joseph's grandchildren and great-grandchildren are a testament to his long and fruitful life, a sign of God's blessing.
Isaiah 44:3This prophecy promises God's spirit on descendants, showing a divine enablement for future generations. Joseph's blessing of his great-grandchildren and Machir's children reflects this divine promise of spiritual and familial flourishing.
calvinGenesis 50:1-26: "And Joseph fell upon his father's face, and wept upon him, and kissed him."
- Et viderunt habitatores terrae Chenaaneaei luctum in area Atad, et dixerunt, Luctus gravis est iste Aegyptiis: idcirco vocatum fuit nomen ejus Abel -- Misraim, (id est luctus Aegyptorum,) qui est trand Jordanem.
12 And his sons did unto him according as he commanded them:
- Fecerunt ergo filii ejus ei sic, quemadmodum praeceperat eis.
13 For his sons carried him into the land of Canaan, and bu…
clarkeGenesis 50:23: "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."
Were brought up upon Joseph's knees - They were educated by him, or under his direction; his sons and their children continuing to acknowledge him as patriarch, or head of the family, as long as he lived.
This verse highlights Joseph's profound connection not just to his own sons, but to his grand-nephews as well, showing a broader family embrace that extends beyond immediate lineage. The phrase "brought up upon Joseph's knees" signifies adoption and the patriarch's active role in raising and acknowledging these children as part of his own legacy, underscoring a deep sense of family responsibility and love that transcends generations and even direct kinship lines.
This verse appears towards the end of the book of Genesis, immediately following Jacob's death and burial, and Joseph's gracious reassurance to his brothers. It highlights Joseph's longevity and the flourishing state of his descendants, bridging the narrative toward the future Exodus from Egypt.
This verse appears towards the end of the book of Genesis, immediately following Jacob's death and burial, and Joseph's gracious reassurance to his brothers. It highlights Joseph's longevity and the flourishing state of his descendants, bridging the narrative toward the future Exodus from Egypt.
"And Joseph saw Ephraim’s children of the third generation. The children also of Machir the son of Manasseh were counted as Joseph’s own." — This verse highlights Joseph's profound connection not just to his own sons, but to his grand-nephews as well, showing a broader family embrace that extends beyond immediate lineage. The phrase "brou…
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Last reviewed October 2026