Genesis 49 · Verse 23

Genesis 49:23

The archers have sorely grieved him, and shot at him, and hated him:
Genesis 49:23, King James Version

Genesis 49:23 in other translations

BSBThe archers attacked him with bitterness; they aimed at him in hostility.
WEBThe archers have severely grieved him, shot at him, and persecuted him:
ASVThe archers have sorely grieved him, And shot at him, and persecuted him:
YLTAnd embitter him--yea, they have striven, Yea, hate him do archers;
DARBYThe archers have provoked him, And shot at, and hated him;
BBEHe was troubled by the archers; they sent out their arrows against him, cruelly wounding him:
WebsterThe archers have sorely grieved him, and shot at him, and hated him:

What does Genesis 49:23 mean?

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 23 The chief archers - בעלי חצים baaley chitstsim, the masters of arrows - Joseph's brethren, who either used such weapons, while feeding their flocks in the deserts, for the protection of themselves and cattle, or for the purpose of hunting; and who probably excelled in archery. It may however refer to the bitter speeches and harsh words that they spoke to and of him, for they hated him, and could not speak peaceably to him, Gen 37:4. Thus they sorely afflicted him, and were incessantly scolding or finding fault.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Genesis 49:22-27

The blessing of Joseph is very full. What Jacob says of him, is history as well as prophecy. Jacob reminds him of the difficulties and fiery darts of temptations he had formerly struggled through. His faith did not fail, but through his trials he bore all his burdens with firmness, and did not do anything unbecoming. All our strength for resisting temptations, and bearing afflictions, comes from God; his grace is…

Read the full comment on Genesis 49:22-27 →

Genesis 49:23 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.

וַֽיְמָרֲרֻ֖הוּvay.ma.ra.Ru.huand they showed bitterness to himH4843
וָרֹ֑בּוּva.Ro.buand they shotH7232
וַֽיִּשְׂטְמֻ֖הוּvai.yis.te.Mu.huand they bear a grudge himH7852
בַּעֲלֵ֥יba.'a.Leimasters ofH1167
חִצִּֽים\׃chi.TzimarrowsH2671

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

Cross references for Genesis 49:23

  • Genesis 37:24

    And they took him, and cast him into a pit: and the pit was empty, there was no water in it.

  • Psalms 118:13

    Thou hast thrust sore at me that I might fall: but the Lord helped me.

  • Psalms 64:3

    Who whet their tongue like a sword, and bend their bows to shoot their arrows, even bitter words:

  • Genesis 37:28

    Then there passed by Midianites merchantmen; and they drew and lifted up Joseph out of the pit, and sold Joseph to the Ishmeelites for twenty pieces of silver: and they brought Joseph into Egypt.

  • Genesis 37:4

    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.

  • John 16:33

    These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.

  • Genesis 37:18

    And when they saw him afar off, even before he came near unto them, they conspired against him to slay 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. But he refused, and said unto his master’s wife, Behold, my master wotteth not what is with me in the house, and he hath committed all that he hath to my hand; There is none greater in this house than I; neither hath he kept back any thing from me but thee, because thou art his wife: how then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God? And it came to pass, as she spake to Joseph day by day, that he hearkened not unto her, to lie by her, or to be with her. …

  • Acts 14:22

    Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God.

  • 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.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
37:4,18,24,28; 39:7-20; 42:21; Ps 64:3; 118:13; Joh 16:33; Ac 14:22

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

Context

  • Genesis 49:22

    Joseph is a fruitful bough, even a fruitful bough by a well; whose branches run over the wall:

  • Genesis 49:23

    The archers have sorely grieved him, and shot at him, and hated him:

  • Genesis 49:24

    But his bow abode in strength, and the arms of his hands were made strong by the hands of the mighty God of Jacob; (from thence is the shepherd, the stone of Israel:)

Read all of Genesis 49

Genesis 49:23 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Y causáronle amargura, y asaeteáronle, y aborreciéronle los archeros:
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Les archers l’ont provoqué amèrement, et ont tiré contre lui, et l’ont haï;
German
Elberfelder 1871		Und es reizen ihn und schießen, und es befehden ihn die Bogenschützen;
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Sed exasperaverunt eum et jurgati sunt, invideruntque illi habentes jacula.