^47:29The time⁴⁶ for Israel to die approached, so he called for his son Joseph and said to him, “If now I have found favor in your sight, put your hand under my thigh⁴⁷ and show me kindness and faithfulness.⁴⁸ Do not bury me in Egypt, ^47:30but when I rest⁴⁹ with my fathers, carry me out of Egypt and bury me in their burial place.” Joseph⁵⁰ said, “I will do as you say.”

^47:31Jacob⁵¹ said, “Swear to me that you will do so.”⁵² So Joseph⁵³ gave him his word.⁵⁴ Then Israel bowed down⁵⁵ at the head of his bed.⁵⁶

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Footnotes

46 Heb “days.”
47 On the expression put your hand under my thigh see Gen 24:2.
48 Or “deal with me in faithful love.”
49 Heb “lie down.” Here the expression “lie down” refers to death.
50 Heb “he”; the referent (Joseph) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
51 Heb “he”; the referent (Jacob) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
52 Heb “swear on oath to me.” The words “that you will do so” have been supplied in the translation for clarity.
53 Heb “he”; the referent (Joseph) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
54 Heb “swore on oath to him.”
55 The Hebrew verb normally means “bow down,” especially in worship or prayer. Here it might simply mean “bend low,” perhaps from weakness or approaching death. The narrative is ambiguous at this point and remains open to all these interpretations.
56 The reads מִטָּה (mittah, “bed, couch”). The reads the word as מַטֶּה (matteh, “staff, rod”) and interprets this to mean that Jacob bowed down in worship while leaning on the top of his staff. The reading was used in turn by the writer of the Letter to the Hebrews (Heb 11:21).

In other versions

ESVEnglish Standard Version

And when the time drew near that Israel must die, he called his son Joseph and said to him, “If now I have found favor in your sight, put your hand under my thigh and promise to deal kindly and truly with me. Do not bury me in Egypt, but let me lie with my fathers. Carry me out of Egypt and bury me in their burying place.” He answered, “I will do as you have said.” And he said, “Swear to me”; and he swore to him. Then Israel bowed himself upon the head of his bed.

NIVNew International Version (2011)

When the time drew near for Israel to die, he called for his son Joseph and said to him, “If I have found favor in your eyes, put your hand under my thigh and promise that you will show me kindness and faithfulness. Do not bury me in Egypt, but when I rest with my fathers, carry me out of Egypt and bury me where they are buried.”

“I will do as you say,” he said.

“Swear to me,” he said. Then Joseph swore to him, and Israel worshiped as he leaned on the top of his staff.

CSBChristian Standard Bible

When the time approached for him to die, he called his son Joseph and said to him, “If I have found favor with you, put your hand under my thigh and promise me that you will deal with me in kindness and faithfulness. Do not bury me in Egypt. When I rest with my ancestors, carry me away from Egypt and bury me in their burial place.”

Joseph answered, “I will do what you have asked.”

And Jacob said, “Swear to me.” So Joseph swore to him. Then Israel bowed in thanks at the head of his bed.

NLTNew Living Translation

As the time of his death drew near, Jacob called for his son Joseph and said to him, “Please do me this favor. Put your hand under my thigh and swear that you will treat me with unfailing love by honoring this last request: Do not bury me in Egypt. When I die, please take my body out of Egypt and bury me with my ancestors.”

So Joseph promised, “I will do as you ask.”

“Swear that you will do it,” Jacob insisted. So Joseph gave his oath, and Jacob bowed humbly at the head of his bed.

LEBThe Lexham English Bible

When the time of Israel’s death drew near, he called to his son, to Joseph. And he said to him, “If I have found favor in your eyes, please put your hand under my thigh, that you might vow to deal kindly and faithfully with me. Please do not bury me in Egypt, but let me lie with my ancestors. Carry me out of Egypt and bury me in their burial site.” And he said, “I will do according to your word.” Then he said, “Swear to me.” And he swore to him. Then Israel bowed himself on the head of the bed.

KJV 1900King James Version

And the time drew nigh that Israel must die: and he called his son Joseph, and said unto him, If now I have found grace in thy sight, put, I pray thee, thy hand under my thigh, and deal kindly and truly with me; bury me not, I pray thee, in Egypt: But I will lie with my fathers, and thou shalt carry me out of Egypt, and bury me in their buryingplace. And he said, I will do as thou hast said. And he said, Swear unto me. And he sware unto him. And Israel bowed himself upon the bed’s head.

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