Genesis 45 · Verse 26

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.
Genesis 45:26, King James Version

Genesis 45:26 in other translations

BSB“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.
WEBThey told him, saying, “Joseph is still alive, and he is ruler over all the land of Egypt.” His heart fainted, for he didn’t believe them.
ASVAnd they told him, saying, Joseph is yet alive, and he is ruler over all the land of Egypt. And his heart fainted, for he believed them not.
YLTand they declare to him, saying, ‘Joseph is yet alive,' and that he is ruler over all the land of Egypt; and his heart ceaseth, for he hath not given credence to them.
DARBYAnd they told him, saying, Joseph is still alive, and he is governor over all the land of Egypt. And his heart fainted, for he did not believe them.
BBEAnd they said to him, Joseph is living, and is ruler over all the land of Egypt. And at this word Jacob was quite overcome, for he had no faith in it.
WebsterAnd 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.

What does Genesis 45:26 mean?

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 26 Jacob's heart fainted - Probably the good news so overpowered him as to cast him into a swoon. He believed them not - he thought it was too good news to be true; and though it occasioned his swooning, yet on his recovery he could not fully credit it. See a similar case, Luk 24:41 (note).

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Genesis 45:25-28

To hear that Joseph is alive, is too good news to be true; Jacob faints, for he believes it not. We faint, because we do not believe. At length, Jacob is convinced of the truth. Jacob was old, and did not expect to live long. He says, Let my eyes be refreshed with this sight before they are closed, and then I need no more to make me happy in this world. Behold Jesus manifesting himself as a Brother and a Friend to…

Read the full comment on Genesis 45:25-28 →

Genesis 45:26 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

וַיַּגִּ֨דוּvai.ya.Gi.duand they toldH5046
ל֜וֹloto him
לֵאמֹ֗רle.Mor<to> sayingH559
ע֚וֹדodstillH5750
יוֹסֵ֣ףyo.SefJosephH3130
חַ֔יChai[is] aliveH2416
וְכִֽי\־ve.khi-and thatH3588
ה֥וּאhu'heH1931
מֹשֵׁ֖לmo.Shel[is] rulingH4910
בְּכָל\־be.kholover allH3605
אֶ֣רֶץ'E.retz[the] land ofH776
מִצְרָ֑יִםmitz.Ra.yimEgyptH4714
וַיָּ֣פָגvai.Ya.fogand it grew numbH6313
לִבּ֔וֹli.Boheart hisH3820
כִּ֥יkiforH3588
לֹא\־lo'-notH3808
הֶאֱמִ֖יןhe.'e.Minhe believedH539
לָהֶֽם\׃la.Hem<to> them

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Genesis 45:26

  • Genesis 44:28

    And the one went out from me, and I said, Surely he is torn in pieces; and I saw him not since:

  • Genesis 37:35

    And all his sons and all his daughters rose up to comfort him; but he refused to be comforted; and he said, For I will go down into the grave unto my son mourning. Thus his father wept for him.

  • Job 29:24

    If I laughed on them, they believed it not; and the light of my countenance they cast not down.

  • Luke 24:34

    Saying, The Lord is risen indeed, and hath appeared to Simon.

  • Luke 24:41

    And while they yet believed not for joy, and wondered, he said unto them, Have ye here any meat?

  • Genesis 45:8-9

    So now it was not you that sent me hither, but God: and he hath made me a father to Pharaoh, and lord of all his house, and a ruler throughout all the land of Egypt. Haste ye, and go up to my father, and say unto him, Thus saith thy son Joseph, God hath made me lord of all Egypt: come down unto me, tarry not:

  • Psalms 105:21

    He made him lord of his house, and ruler of all his substance:

  • Job 9:16

    If I had called, and he had answered me; yet would I not believe that he had hearkened unto my voice.

  • Psalms 126:1

    A Song of degrees. When the Lord turned again the captivity of Zion, we were like them that dream.

  • Genesis 42:38

    And he said, My son shall not go down with you; for his brother is dead, and he is left alone: if mischief befall him by the way in the which ye go, then shall ye bring down my gray hairs with sorrow to the grave.

  • Luke 24:11

    And their words seemed to them as idle tales, and they believed them not.

  • Jonah 2:7

    When my soul fainted within me I remembered the Lord: and my prayer came in unto thee, into thine holy temple.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Joseph.
Lu 24:34
and he is.
8,9; Ps 105:21
And Jacob's. Heb. And his.
37:35; 42:36,38; 44:28; Jon 2:7
he believed.
Job 9:16; 29:24; Ps 126:1; Lu 24:11,41

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Genesis 45:25

    And they went up out of Egypt, and came into the land of Canaan unto Jacob their father,

  • 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.

  • Genesis 45:27

    And they told him all the words of Joseph, which he had said unto them: and when he saw the wagons which Joseph had sent to carry him, the spirit of Jacob their father revived:

Read all of Genesis 45

Genesis 45:26 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909
Y diéronle las nuevas, diciendo: José vive aún; y él es señor en toda la tierra de Egipto. Y su corazón se desmayó; pues no los creía.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885
et ils lui rapportèrent, disant: Joseph vit encore; et même c’est lui qui gouverne tout le pays d’Égypte. Mais son cœur resta froid, car il ne les crut pas.
German
Elberfelder 1871
Und sie berichteten ihm und sprachen: Joseph lebt noch, und er ist Herrscher über das ganze Land Ägypten. Da erstarrte sein Herz, denn er glaubte ihnen nicht.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate
Et nuntiaverunt ei, dicentes: Joseph filius tuus vivit: et ipse dominatur in omni terra Ægypti. Quo audito Jacob, quasi de gravi somno evigilans, tamen non credebat eis.