Genesis 48:11
New International Version
Israel said to Joseph, “I never expected to see your face again, and now God has allowed me to see your children too.”

New Living Translation
Then Jacob said to Joseph, “I never thought I would see your face again, but now God has let me see your children, too!”

English Standard Version
And Israel said to Joseph, “I never expected to see your face; and behold, God has let me see your offspring also.”

Berean Standard Bible
“I never expected to see your face again,” Israel said to Joseph, “but now God has let me see your children as well.”

King James Bible
And Israel said unto Joseph, I had not thought to see thy face: and, lo, God hath shewed me also thy seed.

New King James Version
And Israel said to Joseph, “I had not thought to see your face; but in fact, God has also shown me your offspring!”

New American Standard Bible
And Israel said to Joseph, “I never expected to see your face, and behold, God has let me see your children as well!”

NASB 1995
Israel said to Joseph, “I never expected to see your face, and behold, God has let me see your children as well.”

NASB 1977
And Israel said to Joseph, “I never expected to see your face, and behold, God has let me see your children as well.”

Legacy Standard Bible
Then Israel said to Joseph, “I never expected to see your face, and behold, God has let me see your seed as well.”

Amplified Bible
Israel said to Joseph, “I never expected to see your face, but see, God has shown me your children as well.”

Christian Standard Bible
Israel said to Joseph, “I never expected to see your face again, but now God has even let me see your offspring.”

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Israel said to Joseph, “I never expected to see your face again, but now God has even let me see your offspring.”

American Standard Version
And Israel said unto Joseph, I had not thought to see thy face: and, lo, God hath let me see thy seed also.

Contemporary English Version
Jacob turned to Joseph and told him, "For many years I thought you were dead and that I would never see you again. But now God has even let me live to see your children."

English Revised Version
And Israel said unto Joseph, I had not thought to see thy face: and, lo, God hath let me see thy seed also.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Israel said to Joseph, "I never expected to see you again, and now God has even let me see your sons."

Good News Translation
Jacob said to Joseph, "I never expected to see you again, and now God has even let me see your children."

International Standard Version
Then he told Joseph, "I never thought I'd see you again, and now God has allowed me to see your children as well!"

Majority Standard Bible
“I never expected to see your face again,” Israel said to Joseph, “but now God has let me see your children as well.”

NET Bible
Israel said to Joseph, "I never expected to see you again, but now God has allowed me to see your children too."

New Heart English Bible
And Israel said to Joseph, "I did not expect to see your face, but look, God has let me see your offspring as well."

Webster's Bible Translation
And Israel said to Joseph, I had not thought to see thy face: and lo, God hath shown me also thy seed.

World English Bible
Israel said to Joseph, “I didn’t think I would see your face, and behold, God has let me see your offspring also.”
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
and Israel says to Joseph, “I had not thought [possible] to see your face, and behold, God has also showed me your seed.”

Young's Literal Translation
and Israel saith unto Joseph, 'To see thy face I had not thought, and lo, God hath shewed me also thy seed.'

Smith's Literal Translation
And Israel will say to Joseph, To see thy face I thought not; and behold, God caused me to see also thy seed.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And said to his son: I am not deprived of seeing thee: moreover God hath shewed me thy seed.

Catholic Public Domain Version
And he said to his son: “I have not been cheated out of seeing you. Moreover, God has shown me your offspring.”

New American Bible
Then Israel said to Joseph, “I never expected to see your face again, and now God has allowed me to see your descendants as well!”

New Revised Standard Version
Israel said to Joseph, “I did not expect to see your face; and here God has let me see your children also.”
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
And Israel said to Joseph, I had not thought to see your face; and, lo, God has shown me your children also.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And Israel said to Yoseph, “The appearance of your face I had not hoped for, and behold, God has shown me also your sons.”
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
And Israel said unto Joseph: 'I had not thought to see thy face; and, lo, God hath let me see thy seed also.'

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And Israel said to Joseph, Behold, I have not been deprived of seeing thy face, and lo! God has showed me thy seed also.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Jacob Blesses Ephraim and Manasseh
10Now Israel’s eyesight was poor because of old age; he could hardly see. Joseph brought his sons to him, and his father kissed them and embraced them. 11“I never expected to see your face again,” Israel said to Joseph, “but now God has let me see your children as well.” 12Then Joseph removed his sons from his father’s knees and bowed facedown.…

Cross References
Genesis 37:33-35
His father recognized it and said, “It is my son’s robe! A vicious animal has devoured him. Joseph has surely been torn to pieces!” / Then Jacob tore his clothes, put sackcloth around his waist, and mourned for his son many days. / All his sons and daughters tried to comfort him, but he refused to be comforted. “No,” he said. “I will go down to Sheol mourning for my son.” So his father wept for him.

Genesis 45:26-28
“Joseph is still alive,” they said, “and he is ruler over all the land of Egypt!” But Jacob was stunned, for he did not believe them. / However, when they relayed all that Joseph had told them, and when he saw the wagons that Joseph had sent to carry him back, the spirit of their father Jacob was revived. / “Enough!” declared Israel. “My son Joseph is still alive! I will go to see him before I die.”

Genesis 46:29-30
Joseph prepared his chariot and went there to meet his father Israel. Joseph presented himself to him, embraced him, and wept profusely. / Then Israel said to Joseph, “Finally I can die, now that I have seen your face and know that you are still alive!”

Genesis 50:20
As for you, what you intended against me for evil, God intended for good, in order to accomplish a day like this—to preserve the lives of many people.

Exodus 3:16
Go, assemble the elders of Israel and say to them, ‘The LORD, the God of your fathers—the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob—has appeared to me and said: I have surely attended to you and have seen what has been done to you in Egypt.

Exodus 4:31
and they believed. And when they heard that the LORD had attended to the Israelites and had seen their affliction, they bowed down and worshiped.

Ruth 4:14-15
Then the women said to Naomi, “Blessed be the LORD, who has not left you this day without a kinsman-redeemer. May his name become famous in Israel. / He will renew your life and sustain you in your old age. For your daughter-in-law, who loves you and is better to you than seven sons, has given him birth.”

1 Samuel 2:1
At that time Hannah prayed: “My heart rejoices in the LORD; my horn is exalted in the LORD. My mouth speaks boldly against my enemies, for I rejoice in Your salvation.

1 Samuel 2:21
So the LORD attended to Hannah, and she conceived and gave birth to three sons and two daughters. Meanwhile, the boy Samuel grew up in the presence of the LORD.

2 Samuel 14:14
For we will surely die and be like water poured out on the ground, which cannot be recovered. Yet God does not take away a life, but He devises ways that the banished one may not be cast out from Him.

Job 42:16-17
After this, Job lived 140 years and saw his children and their children to the fourth generation. / And so Job died, old and full of years.

Psalm 126:1-3
A song of ascents. When the LORD restored the captives of Zion, we were like dreamers. / Then our mouths were filled with laughter, our tongues with shouts of joy. Then it was said among the nations, “The LORD has done great things for them.” / The LORD has done great things for us; we are filled with joy.

Isaiah 25:8-9
He will swallow up death forever. The Lord GOD will wipe away the tears from every face and remove the disgrace of His people from the whole earth. For the LORD has spoken. / And in that day it will be said, “Surely this is our God; we have waited for Him, and He has saved us. This is the LORD for whom we have waited. Let us rejoice and be glad in His salvation.”

Isaiah 38:5
“Go and tell Hezekiah that this is what the LORD, the God of your father David, says: ‘I have heard your prayer; I have seen your tears. Behold, I will add fifteen years to your life.

Jeremiah 31:16-17
This is what the LORD says: “Keep your voice from weeping and your eyes from tears, for the reward for your work will come, declares the LORD. Then your children will return from the land of the enemy. / So there is hope for your future, declares the LORD, and your children will return to their own land.


Treasury of Scripture

And Israel said to Joseph, I had not thought to see your face: and, see, God has showed me also your seed.

I had not.

Genesis 37:33,35
And he knew it, and said, It is my son's coat; an evil beast hath devoured him; Joseph is without doubt rent in pieces…

Genesis 42:36
And Jacob their father said unto them, Me have ye bereaved of my children: Joseph is not, and Simeon is not, and ye will take Benjamin away: all these things are against me.

Genesis 45:26
And told him, saying, Joseph is yet alive, and he is governor over all the land of Egypt. And Jacob's heart fainted, for he believed them not.

God.

Ephesians 3:20
Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,

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Genesis 48
1. Joseph with his sons visits his sick father.
2. Jacob strengthens himself to bless them.
3. He repeats God's promise.
5. He takes Ephraim and Manasseh as his own sons.
7. He tells Joseph of his mother's grave.
8. He blesses Ephraim and Manasseh.
17. He prefers the younger before the elder.
21. He prophesies their return to Canaan.














Israel said to Joseph
The name "Israel" here refers to Jacob, who was renamed Israel after wrestling with God (Genesis 32:28). This name signifies his role as the patriarch of the Israelites, the chosen people of God. The use of "Israel" instead of "Jacob" emphasizes the covenantal and spiritual aspect of this encounter. Jacob's address to Joseph, his beloved son, is filled with emotion and significance, as Joseph was thought to be dead for many years. This moment is a fulfillment of God's promises and a testament to His faithfulness.

I never expected to see your face again
This phrase captures the depth of Jacob's previous despair and the overwhelming joy of this reunion. The Hebrew root for "expected" (שָׂבַר, sabar) conveys a sense of hope or anticipation. Jacob had resigned himself to the belief that Joseph was lost forever, highlighting the miraculous nature of their reunion. This reflects the broader biblical theme of God's ability to restore and redeem what seems lost, a powerful reminder of His sovereignty and grace.

but now God has allowed me
The phrase underscores the providence and sovereignty of God in the unfolding of events. The Hebrew word for "allowed" (רָאָה, ra'ah) can also mean "to see" or "to perceive," indicating that it is by God's will and vision that Jacob is granted this blessing. This acknowledgment of divine intervention is a central theme in the narrative, reminding believers of God's active role in their lives and His ability to bring about unexpected blessings.

to see your children as well
Jacob's joy is compounded by the sight of Joseph's children, Ephraim and Manasseh. This not only signifies the continuation of his lineage but also the fulfillment of God's promise to make his descendants numerous. The presence of Joseph's children symbolizes hope and the future of the Israelite nation. In a broader theological context, this moment foreshadows the inclusion of Gentiles into God's covenant family, as Ephraim and Manasseh, born in Egypt, are fully integrated into the tribes of Israel.

Verse 11. - And Israel said unto Joseph, I had not thought to see thy face: and, lo, God (Elohim) hath showed me also thy seed. The first half of Israel s utterance is rendered by the LXX. "Ιδοὺ τοῦ  ῞προωσ´που σου οὐκ ἐστερήθην

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
“I never
לֹ֣א (lō)
Adverb - Negative particle
Strong's 3808: Not, no

expected
פִלָּ֑לְתִּי (p̄il·lā·lə·tî)
Verb - Piel - Perfect - first person common singular
Strong's 6419: To judge, to intercede, pray

to see
רְאֹ֥ה (rə·’ōh)
Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct
Strong's 7200: To see

your face again,”
פָנֶ֖יךָ (p̄ā·ne·ḵā)
Noun - common plural construct | second person masculine singular
Strong's 6440: The face

Israel
יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ (yiś·rā·’êl)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3478: Israel -- 'God strives', another name of Jacob and his desc

said
וַיֹּ֤אמֶר (way·yō·mer)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 559: To utter, say

to
אֶל־ (’el-)
Preposition
Strong's 413: Near, with, among, to

Joseph,
יוֹסֵ֔ף (yō·w·sêp̄)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3130: Joseph -- 'he increases', a son of Jacob, also the name of several Israelites

“but now
וְהִנֵּ֨ה (wə·hin·nêh)
Conjunctive waw | Interjection
Strong's 2009: Lo! behold!

God
אֱלֹהִ֖ים (’ĕ·lō·hîm)
Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 430: gods -- the supreme God, magistrates, a superlative

has let me see
הֶרְאָ֥ה (her·’āh)
Verb - Hifil - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 7200: To see

your children
זַרְעֶֽךָ׃ (zar·‘e·ḵā)
Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singular
Strong's 2233: Seed, fruit, plant, sowing-time, posterity

as well.”
גַּ֥ם (gam)
Conjunction
Strong's 1571: Assemblage, also, even, yea, though, both, and


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OT Law: Genesis 48:11 Israel said to Joseph I didn't think (Gen. Ge Gn)
Genesis 48:10
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