Genesis 50:23 (DBY)

Passage

And Joseph saw Ephraim's children of the third [generation]; the sons also of Machir the son of Manasseh were born on Joseph's knees.

Nearby Context

Genesis 50:21 And now, fear not: I will maintain you and your little ones. And he comforted them, and spoke consolingly to them.

Genesis 50:22 And Joseph dwelt in Egypt, he and his father's house; and Joseph lived a hundred and ten years.

Genesis 50:23 And Joseph saw Ephraim's children of the third [generation]; the sons also of Machir the son of Manasseh were born on Joseph's knees.

Genesis 50:24 And Joseph said to his brethren, I die; and God will certainly visit you, and bring you up out of this land, into the land that he swore unto Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob.

Genesis 50:25 And Joseph took an oath of the children of Israel, saying, God will certainly visit you; and ye shall carry up my bones hence.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "joseph", "ephraim's", "children", "third", "generation", "sons", "machir", and "manasseh". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "joseph" and "ephraim's", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 22's "And Joseph dwelt in Egypt he and..." into verse 24's "And Joseph said to his brethren I...", so "joseph" and "ephraim's" belong inside that flow. In Genesis context, the local focus is creation, human rebellion, covenant promise, and God's providence.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "joseph" and "ephraim's" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.