Verse (Click for Chapter) New International Version With bitterness archers attacked him; they shot at him with hostility. New Living Translation Archers attacked him savagely; they shot at him and harassed him. English Standard Version The archers bitterly attacked him, shot at him, and harassed him severely, Berean Standard Bible The archers attacked him with bitterness; they aimed at him in hostility. King James Bible The archers have sorely grieved him, and shot at him, and hated him: New King James Version The archers have bitterly grieved him, Shot at him and hated him. New American Standard Bible “The archers provoked him, And shot at him and were hostile toward him; NASB 1995 “The archers bitterly attacked him, And shot at him and harassed him; NASB 1977 “The archers bitterly attacked him, And shot at him and harassed him; Legacy Standard Bible And the archers bitterly attacked him and shot at him, And they bore a grudge against him; Amplified Bible “The [skilled] archers have bitterly attacked and provoked him; They have shot [at him] and harassed him. Christian Standard Bible The archers attacked him, shot at him, and were hostile toward him. Holman Christian Standard Bible The archers attacked him, shot at him, and were hostile toward him. American Standard Version The archers have sorely grieved him, And shot at him, and persecuted him: Contemporary English Version Enemies attacked with arrows, refusing to show mercy. English Revised Version The archers have sorely grieved him, And shot at him, and persecuted him: GOD'S WORD® Translation Archers provoked him, shot at him, and attacked him. Good News Translation His enemies attack him fiercely And pursue him with their bows and arrows. International Standard Version Even though enemies attacked him, shooting at him and pursuing him viciously, Majority Standard Bible The archers attacked him with bitterness; they aimed at him in hostility. NET Bible The archers will attack him, they will shoot at him and oppose him. New Heart English Bible The archers will attack him with bitterness, and shoot at him, and harass him. Webster's Bible Translation The archers have sorely grieved him, and shot at him, and hated him: World English Bible The archers have severely grieved him, shot at him, and persecuted him: Literal Translations Literal Standard VersionAnd embitter him indeed, they have striven, "" Indeed, archers hate him; Young's Literal Translation And embitter him -- yea, they have striven, Yea, hate him do archers; Smith's Literal Translation This adversary will embitter him, and the lords of the arrows will lie in wait. Catholic Translations Douay-Rheims BibleBut they that held darts provoked him, and quarrelled with him, and envied him. Catholic Public Domain Version But those who held darts, provoked him, and they contend with him, and they envied him. New American Bible Harrying him and shooting, the archers opposed him; New Revised Standard Version The archers fiercely attacked him; they shot at him and pressed him hard. Translations from Aramaic Lamsa BibleA company of men quarreled with him, and being great in numbers, envied him; Peshitta Holy Bible Translated And they contended with him, and they have increased and the Lords of armies envied him: OT Translations JPS Tanakh 1917The archers have dealt bitterly with him, And shot at him, and hated him; Brenton Septuagint Translation Against whom men taking evil counsel reproached him, and the archers pressed hard upon him. Additional Translations ... Audio Bible Context Jacob Blesses His Sons…22Joseph is a fruitful vine—a fruitful vine by a spring, whose branches scale the wall. 23The archers attacked him with bitterness; they aimed at him in hostility. 24Yet he steadied his bow, and his strong arms were tempered by the hands of the Mighty One of Jacob, in the name of the Shepherd, the Rock of Israel,… Cross References Psalm 18:34-35 He trains my hands for battle; my arms can bend a bow of bronze. / You have given me Your shield of salvation; Your right hand upholds me, and Your gentleness exalts me. Psalm 64:3-4 who sharpen their tongues like swords and aim their bitter words like arrows, / ambushing the innocent in seclusion, shooting suddenly, without fear. Psalm 120:3-4 What will He do to you, and what will be added to you, O deceitful tongue? / Sharp arrows will come from the warrior, with burning coals of the broom tree! Psalm 140:3-4 They sharpen their tongues like snakes; the venom of vipers is on their lips. Selah / Guard me, O LORD, from the hands of the wicked. Keep me safe from men of violence who scheme to make me stumble. Isaiah 54:17 No weapon formed against you shall prosper, and you will refute every tongue that accuses you. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their vindication is from Me,” declares the LORD. Jeremiah 20:10-11 For I have heard the whispering of many: “Terror is on every side! Report him; let us report him!” All my trusted friends watch for my fall: “Perhaps he will be deceived so that we may prevail against him and take our vengeance upon him.” / But the LORD is with me like a fearsome warrior. Therefore, my persecutors will stumble and will not prevail. Since they have not succeeded, they will be utterly put to shame, with an everlasting disgrace that will never be forgotten. Lamentations 3:52 Without cause my enemies hunted me like a bird. Zechariah 9:13 For I will bend Judah as My bow and fit it with Ephraim. I will rouse your sons, O Zion, against the sons of Greece. I will make you like the sword of a mighty man. Matthew 5:11-12 Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me. / Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets before you. Matthew 10:22 You will be hated by everyone because of My name, but the one who perseveres to the end will be saved. Luke 6:22-23 Blessed are you when people hate you, and when they exclude you and insult you and reject your name as evil because of the Son of Man. / Rejoice in that day and leap for joy, because great is your reward in heaven. For their fathers treated the prophets in the same way. John 15:18-20 If the world hates you, understand that it hated Me first. / If you were of the world, it would love you as its own. Instead, the world hates you, because you are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. / Remember the word that I spoke to you: ‘No servant is greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will persecute you as well; if they kept My word, they will keep yours as well. Acts 7:9 Because the patriarchs were jealous of Joseph, they sold him as a slave into Egypt. But God was with him Acts 9:4-5 He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute Me?” / “Who are You, Lord?” Saul asked. “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,” He replied. Romans 8:35-37 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or distress or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? / As it is written: “For Your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.” / No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. Treasury of Scripture The archers have sorely grieved him, and shot at him, and hated him: Genesis 37:4,18,24,28 And when his brethren saw that their father loved him more than all his brethren, they hated him, and could not speak peaceably unto him… Genesis 39:7-20 And it came to pass after these things, that his master's wife cast her eyes upon Joseph; and she said, Lie with me… Genesis 42:21 And they said one to another, We are verily guilty concerning our brother, in that we saw the anguish of his soul, when he besought us, and we would not hear; therefore is this distress come upon us. Jump to Previous Archers Arrows Attacked Bitterly Bitterness Cruelly Dealt Embitter Fiercely Grieved Harassed Hate Hated Hostility Persecute Provoked Shot Sorely Striven Troubled WoundingJump to Next Archers Arrows Attacked Bitterly Bitterness Cruelly Dealt Embitter Fiercely Grieved Harassed Hate Hated Hostility Persecute Provoked Shot Sorely Striven Troubled WoundingGenesis 49 1. Jacob calls his sons to bless them.3. Their blessing in particular. 29. He charges them about his burial. 33. He dies. The archers attacked him with bitterness; This phrase metaphorically describes the adversaries of Joseph, who faced significant opposition and betrayal from his brothers. The imagery of "archers" suggests those who launch attacks from a distance, indicating the calculated and deliberate nature of the hostility Joseph experienced. In a broader biblical context, this can be seen as a reflection of the spiritual battles faced by believers, where adversaries may attack with malice and intent to harm. The bitterness highlights the deep-seated resentment and envy that Joseph's brothers harbored against him, as seen in Genesis 37:4, where they could not speak peaceably to him. This bitterness is a recurring theme in Scripture, warning against the destructive nature of envy and hatred (James 3:14-16). they aimed at him in hostility. Persons / Places / Events 1. JosephThe primary subject of this verse, Joseph is one of the twelve sons of Jacob. He is known for his dreams, his coat of many colors, and his rise to power in Egypt after being sold into slavery by his brothers. 2. Archers Symbolically represents those who opposed or attacked Joseph. In a broader sense, they can be seen as adversaries or challenges that Joseph faced throughout his life. 3. Jacob The father of Joseph, who is giving his final blessings and prophecies to his sons in Genesis 49. This chapter is often referred to as Jacob's blessings or prophecies over his sons. 4. Egypt The place where Joseph rose to power and where he faced many of his trials and triumphs. It serves as the backdrop for much of Joseph's account. 5. Bitterness and Hostility These terms describe the nature of the attacks against Joseph, highlighting the emotional and relational challenges he faced. Teaching Points Endurance Through TrialsJoseph's life exemplifies enduring faith and integrity despite facing severe opposition and hostility. Believers are encouraged to remain steadfast in their faith when facing adversities. God's Sovereignty Despite the bitterness and hostility Joseph faced, God's sovereign plan was at work. This teaches us to trust in God's overarching plan for our lives, even when circumstances seem dire. Forgiveness and Reconciliation Joseph's eventual reconciliation with his brothers demonstrates the power of forgiveness. Christians are called to forgive those who have wronged them, following Joseph's example. Spiritual Warfare The "archers" can be seen as a metaphor for spiritual attacks. Believers are reminded to put on the full armor of God to withstand such attacks. Faithfulness in Leadership Joseph's rise to leadership in Egypt, despite his trials, shows the importance of faithfulness and integrity in positions of influence.(23) The archers.--Naturally Jacob next describes the sorrows of Joseph's youth, but in poetical terms, so as not to wound the feelings of his brethren, or rouse up thoughts of vengeance in Joseph's own mind. Thus be compares him to a warrior, too mighty for his enemies to close with in open conflict, but whom they harass from a distance. "Hated him" would be better translated, laid snares for him, were guilty of treachery and deceit. Hebrew The archersבַּעֲלֵ֥י (ba·‘ă·lê) Noun - masculine plural construct Strong's 1167: A master, a husband, owner attacked him with bitterness, וַֽיְמָרֲרֻ֖הוּ (way·mā·ră·ru·hū) Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural | third person masculine singular Strong's 4843: To be, bitter and aimed וָרֹ֑בּוּ (wā·rōb·bū) Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person common plural Strong's 7232: To multiply ten thousand times in hostility. וַֽיִּשְׂטְמֻ֖הוּ (way·yiś·ṭə·mu·hū) Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural | third person masculine singular Strong's 7852: To bear a grudge or cherish animosity against Links Genesis 49:23 NIVGenesis 49:23 NLT Genesis 49:23 ESV Genesis 49:23 NASB Genesis 49:23 KJV Genesis 49:23 BibleApps.com Genesis 49:23 Biblia Paralela Genesis 49:23 Chinese Bible Genesis 49:23 French Bible Genesis 49:23 Catholic Bible OT Law: Genesis 49:23 The archers have sorely grieved him shot (Gen. Ge Gn) |