Jacob ¹  said, “Swear to me that you will do so.” ²  So Joseph ³  gave him his word. ⁴  Then Israel bowed down ⁵  at the head of his bed. ⁶ 

biblegateway Gen 47:31

He said, "Swear to me." So he swore to him. Then Israel bowed in worship at the head of the bed.

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

"Swear to me," he said. So Joseph swore to him. Then Israel bowed down in prayer with his face at the head of his bed.

biblegateway Gen 47:31

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

And he said, "Swear to me"; and he swore to him. Then Israel bowed himself upon the head of his bed.

bibleoremus Gen 47:31

And he said, "Swear to me"; and he swore to him. Then Israel bowed himself on the head of his bed.

“Swear that you will,” said Jacob. So he gave him his oath, and Israel bowed in worship by the head of his bed.

biblegateway Gen 47:31

Then he said, "Swear to me." And he swore to him. So Israel bowed himself on the head of the bed.

And he said, Swear unto me. And he sware unto him. And Israel bowed himself upon the bed’s head.

biblegateway Gen 47:31

Jacob ¹  said, “Swear to me that you will do so.” ²  So Joseph ³  gave him his word. ⁴  Then Israel bowed down ⁵  at the head of his bed. ⁶ 

¹ tn Heb “he”; the referent (Jacob) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

² tn Heb “swear on oath to me.” The words “that you will do so” have been supplied in the translation for clarity.

³ tn Heb “he”; the referent (Joseph) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

⁴ tn Heb “swore on oath to him.”

⁵ sn 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.

⁶ tc The MT reads מִטָּה (mittah, “bed, couch”). The LXX 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 LXX reading was used in turn by the writer of the Letter to the Hebrews (Heb 11:21).