Genesis 49:23
Genesis 49:23 in Multiple Translations
The archers attacked him with bitterness; they aimed at him in hostility.
The archers have sorely grieved him, and shot at him, and hated him:
The archers have sorely grieved him, And shot at him, and persecuted him:
He was troubled by the archers; they sent out their arrows against him, cruelly wounding him:
The archers viciously attacked him; they shot their arrows at him with hate.
And the archers grieued him, and shotte against him and hated him.
And embitter him — yea, they have striven, Yea, hate him do archers;
The archers have severely grieved him, shot at him, and persecuted him:
The archers have sorely grieved him, and shot at him, and hated him:
But they that held darts provoked him, and quarrelled with him, and envied him.
Their enemies will attack them fiercely, and shoot at them with bows and arrows and pursue them.
Joseph’s enemies hated him, they attacked him and made trouble for him.
Berean Amplified Bible — Genesis 49:23
BAB
Word Study
Hover over any word to see its amplified meaning. Click a word to explore its full definition and translation comparisons.
Amplified text is generated using scripting to tie together English translations for comparison. Always refer to the core BSB translation and original Hebrew/Greek text for accuracy. Anomalies may occur.
Genesis 49:23 Interlinear (Deep Study)
BIB
HEB
וַֽ/יְמָרֲרֻ֖/הוּ
וָ/רֹ֑בּוּ
וַֽ/יִּשְׂטְמֻ֖/הוּ
בַּעֲלֵ֥י
חִצִּֽים
וַֽ/יְמָרֲרֻ֖/הוּ
mârar
H4843
to provoke
Conj | V-Piel-ConsecImperf-3mp | Suff
וָ/רֹ֑בּוּ
râbab
H7232
to multiply ten thousand
Conj | V-Qal-Perf-3cp
וַֽ/יִּשְׂטְמֻ֖/הוּ
sâṭam
H7852
to hate
Conj | V-Qal-ConsecImperf-3mp | Suff
בַּעֲלֵ֥י
baʻal
H1167
master
N-mp
חִצִּֽים
chêts
H2671
arrow
N-mp
Hebrew Word Study
Select any word above to explore its original meaning, root, and usage across Scripture.
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Hebrew Word Reference — Genesis 49:23
וַֽ/יְמָרֲרֻ֖/הוּ
mârar
H4843
"to provoke"
Conj | V-Piel-ConsecImperf-3mp | Suff
The word marar means to be or make something bitter. It can also describe a strong or intense emotion, such as anger or grief. In the Bible, it is used to describe a range of feelings and experiences, from physical bitterness to emotional pain.
Definition: 1) to be bitter 1a) (Qal) to be bitter 1b) (Piel) 1b1) to show bitterness 1b2) to make bitter 1c) (Hiphil) to make bitter, embitter 1d) (Hithpalpel) 1d1) to embitter oneself 1d2) to be enraged 2) (TWOT) to be strong, strengthen
Usage: Occurs in 13 OT verses. KJV: (be, be in, deal, have, make) bitter(-ly, -ness), be moved with choler, (be, have sorely, it) grieved(-eth), provoke, vex. See also: Genesis 49:23; Job 27:2; Isaiah 22:4.
וָ/רֹ֑בּוּ
râbab
H7232
"to multiply ten thousand"
Conj | V-Qal-Perf-3cp
Means to shoot an arrow, used in stories of battles and hunting, such as in the accounts of King David's warriors.
Definition: (Qal) to shoot
Usage: Occurs in 2 OT verses. KJV: shoot. See also: Genesis 49:23; Psalms 18:15.
וַֽ/יִּשְׂטְמֻ֖/הוּ
sâṭam
H7852
"to hate"
Conj | V-Qal-ConsecImperf-3mp | Suff
This verb means to hate or oppose someone, often implying a long-held grudge. It is used in various books of the Bible, including Psalms and Proverbs, to describe animosity.
Definition: 1) to hate, oppose oneself to, bear a grudge, retain animosity against, cherish animosity against 1a) (Qal) to cherish animosity against
Usage: Occurs in 6 OT verses. KJV: hate, oppose self against. See also: Genesis 27:41; Job 16:9; Psalms 55:4.
בַּעֲלֵ֥י
baʻal
H1167
"master"
N-mp
Means master or owner, often referring to a husband or leader, as seen in the book of Genesis and Exodus.
Definition: : master/leader 1) owner, husband, lord 1a) owner 1b) a husband 1c) citizens, inhabitants 1d) rulers, lords 1e) (noun of relationship used to characterise-ie, master of dreams)
Usage: Occurs in 79 OT verses. KJV: [phrase] archer, [phrase] babbler, [phrase] bird, captain, chief man, [phrase] confederate, [phrase] have to do, [phrase] dreamer, those to whom it is due, [phrase] furious, those that are given to it, great, [phrase] hairy, he that hath it, have, [phrase] horseman, husband, lord, man, [phrase] married, master, person, [phrase] sworn, they of. See also: Genesis 14:13; 1 Samuel 23:11; Proverbs 1:17.
חִצִּֽים
chêts
H2671
"arrow"
N-mp
An arrow is a sharp object shot from a bow, used for hunting or battle, like those used by archers in the book of Judges. It can also symbolize God's powerful judgment.
Definition: arrow
Usage: Occurs in 42 OT verses. KJV: [phrase] archer, arrow, dart, shaft, staff, wound. See also: Genesis 49:23; Psalms 91:5; Psalms 7:14.
Study Notes — Genesis 49:23
Show Verse Quote Highlights
- Context
- Cross References
- Genesis 49:23 Summary
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Reflection Questions
- Gill's Exposition on Genesis 49:23
- Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Genesis 49:23
- Matthew Poole's Commentary on Genesis 49:23
- Trapp's Commentary on Genesis 49:23
- Ellicott's Commentary on Genesis 49:23
- Adam Clarke's Commentary on Genesis 49:23
- Cambridge Bible on Genesis 49:23
- Whedon's Commentary on Genesis 49:23
- Sermons on Genesis 49:23
Context — Jacob Blesses His Sons
21Naphtali is a doe set free that bears beautiful fawns.
22Joseph is a fruitful vine— a fruitful vine by a spring, whose branches scale the wall.
23The archers attacked him with bitterness; they aimed at him in hostility.
24Yet he steadied his bow, and his strong arms were tempered by the hands of the Mighty One of Jacob, in the name of the Shepherd, the Rock of Israel, 25by the God of your father who helps you, and by the Almighty who blesses you, with blessings of the heavens above, with blessings of the depths below, with blessings of the breasts and womb.Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Genesis 37:24 | and they took him and threw him into the pit. Now the pit was empty, with no water in it. |
| 2 | Psalms 64:3 | who sharpen their tongues like swords and aim their bitter words like arrows, |
| 3 | Psalms 118:13 | I was pushed so hard I was falling, but the LORD helped me. |
| 4 | Genesis 37:28 | So when the Midianite traders passed by, his brothers pulled Joseph out of the pit and sold him for twenty shekels of silver to the Ishmaelites, who took him to Egypt. |
| 5 | Genesis 42:21 | Then they said to one another, “Surely we are being punished because of our brother. We saw his anguish when he pleaded with us, but we would not listen. That is why this distress has come upon us.” |
| 6 | Acts 14:22 | strengthening the souls of the disciples and encouraging them to continue in the faith. “We must endure many hardships to enter the kingdom of God,” they said. |
| 7 | Genesis 39:7–20 | and after some time his master’s wife cast her eyes upon Joseph and said, “Sleep with me.” But he refused. “Look,” he said to his master’s wife, “with me here, my master does not concern himself with anything in his house, and he has entrusted everything he owns to my care. No one in this house is greater than I am. He has withheld nothing from me except you, because you are his wife. So how could I do such a great evil and sin against God?” Although Potiphar’s wife spoke to Joseph day after day, he refused to go to bed with her or even be near her. One day, however, Joseph went into the house to attend to his work, and not a single household servant was inside. She grabbed Joseph by his cloak and said, “Sleep with me!” But leaving his cloak in her hand, he escaped and ran outside. When she saw that he had left his cloak in her hand and had run out of the house, she called her household servants. “Look,” she said, “this Hebrew has been brought to us to make sport of us. He came to me so he could sleep with me, but I screamed as loud as I could. When he heard me scream for help, he left his cloak beside me and ran out of the house.” So Potiphar’s wife kept Joseph’s cloak beside her until his master came home. Then she told him the same story: “The Hebrew slave you brought us came to me to make sport of me, but when I screamed for help, he left his cloak beside me and ran out of the house.” When his master heard the story his wife told him, saying, “This is what your slave did to me,” he burned with anger. So Joseph’s master took him and had him thrown into the prison where the king’s prisoners were confined. While Joseph was there in the prison, |
| 8 | Genesis 37:18 | Now Joseph’s brothers saw him in the distance, and before he arrived, they plotted to kill him. |
| 9 | Genesis 37:4 | When Joseph’s brothers saw that their father loved him more than any of them, they hated him and could not speak a kind word to him. |
| 10 | John 16:33 | I have told you these things so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take courage; I have overcome the world!” |
Genesis 49:23 Summary
This verse tells us that Joseph was attacked by people who were filled with hatred and bitterness towards him. But even in the midst of this opposition, God was with Joseph and helped him to overcome (as we see in Genesis 49:24-25). This reminds us that God is always with us, even when we face difficult times, and that He can help us to trust in Him and forgive those who have wronged us (as seen in Matthew 6:14-15 and Luke 6:27-36). We can learn from Joseph's example to trust in God's faithfulness and provision, even when things seem impossible.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who are the archers that attacked Joseph with bitterness?
The archers represent the enemies of Joseph, who were filled with hatred and hostility towards him, as seen in the story of Joseph's life in Genesis 37:1-36 and Genesis 50:15-21.
What does it mean to be attacked with bitterness?
Being attacked with bitterness means to be met with intense anger, resentment, and hostility, which is the opposite of the love and kindness shown by God in Deuteronomy 7:9 and Psalm 103:8.
How does this verse relate to the rest of Joseph's story?
This verse is part of the larger story of Joseph's life, which is a testament to God's faithfulness and provision, as seen in Genesis 37-50, and is a reminder that God is always with us, even in the midst of trials and tribulations, as promised in Isaiah 43:2 and Romans 8:28.
What can we learn from Joseph's experience of being attacked by archers?
We can learn that even in the face of opposition and hostility, God is our Rock and our Shepherd, who helps and strengthens us, as seen in Psalm 23:1-4 and Genesis 49:24-25.
Reflection Questions
- How have I experienced bitterness or hostility in my own life, and how can I trust God to help me through those times?
- What are some ways that I can show love and kindness to those who may be attacking me with bitterness, just as God shows love and kindness to us?
- How can I apply the lesson of Joseph's story to my own life, and trust God to be my Rock and Shepherd in times of trouble?
- What are some ways that I can cultivate a spirit of forgiveness and mercy towards those who have wronged me, just as Joseph forgave his brothers in Genesis 50:15-21?
Gill's Exposition on Genesis 49:23
The archers have sorely grieved him, and shot at him, and hated him.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Genesis 49:23
The archers have sorely grieved him, and shot at him, and hated him: The archers have sorely grieved him ... The image is here changed to that of a warrior engaged in a deadly contest.
Matthew Poole's Commentary on Genesis 49:23
i.e. His adversaries, as well his own brethren as his master and mistress; with their scoffs, and slanders, and injuries, which in the Scripture are oft compared to arrows.
Trapp's Commentary on Genesis 49:23
Genesis 49:23 The archers have sorely grieved him, and shot [at him], and hated him:Ver. 23. The archers have sorely grieved him.] These were his barbarous brethren, that sold him; his adulterous mistress, that, harlot-like, hunted for his precious life; his injurious master, that, without any desert of his, imprisoned him; the tumultuating Egyptians, that, pined with hunger, perhaps, "spoke of stoning him," as 1 Samuel 30:6; and the envious courtiers and enchanters, that spoke evil of him before Pharaoh, to bring him out of favour, as the Jerusalemy Targum addeth. All these "arrow masters," as the Hebrew here hath it, set against Joseph, and shot at him as their butt-mark; willing to have abused him, but that God’ s grace, providence, and unchangeable decree (called here Joseph’ s "bow" and "strength," Genesis 49:24) would not permit them; as those cruel Turks did one John de Chabas, a Frenchman, at the taking of Tripolis in Barbary. They brought him into the town; and when they had cut off his hands and nose, put him alive into the ground, up to the waist, and there, for their pleasure, shot at him with their arrows, and afterwards cut his throat. Turk. Hist., fol. 756.
Ellicott's Commentary on Genesis 49:23
(23) The archers.—Naturally Jacob next describes the sorrows of Joseph’s youth, but in poetical terms, so as not to wound the feelings of his brethren, or rouse up thoughts of vengeance in Joseph’s own mind. Thus be compares him to a warrior, too mighty for his enemies to close with in open conflict, but whom they harass from a distance. “Hated him” would be better translated, laid snares for him, were guilty of treachery and deceit.
Adam Clarke's Commentary on Genesis 49:23
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, Genesis 37:4. Thus they sorely afflicted him, and were incessantly scolding or finding fault.
Cambridge Bible on Genesis 49:23
23. The archers] The simile changes. Joseph’s prosperity has attracted the attacks of jealous foes. He is beset by the archers. This verse used to be explained as containing a reference to the persecution of Joseph by his brethren. But, apart from the question whether such a topic would here be suitably introduced, the allusions throughout the song are tribal, and not personal. The enemies of Ephraim and Manasseh may have been the Canaanites (Joshua 17:16), or the Midianites (Judges 1:6), or the nomad Arab tribes (1 Chronicles 5:19). Or, if Joseph be identified with the tribes of the northern kingdom, and a later date be possible, the reference may be to the attacks delivered from the north by the Syrians, e.g. 1 Kings 20. “Grieved” = Old English for “harassed by hostile action.”
Whedon's Commentary on Genesis 49:23
23. Imbittered… shot… hated — This verse depicts Joseph as persecuted by his brethren, and by Potiphar’s wife. His soul had been terribly imbittered; he had been a shining mark for archers who hated him, and sought his ruin.
Sermons on Genesis 49:23
| Sermon | Description | |
|---|---|---|
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It All Began With a Thirsty Woman by Carter Conlon | In this sermon, the speaker addresses a group of business people and initially intends to talk about the needs of orphans in Africa. However, he feels compelled to discuss a debt t |
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And the Lord Was With Joseph - Part 2 by Steve Mays | In this sermon, Pastor Steve Mays discusses the theme of serving God in the face of rejection and adversity. He emphasizes that even when life is difficult, God is always good. Usi |
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The Biblical Theology of the Tongue by Mack Tomlinson | This sermon delves into the biblical theology of the tongue, emphasizing the power of words to either speak truth or error, highlighting the struggle with words that we all face. I |
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The Taming of the Tongue by Leonard Ravenhill | Leonard Ravenhill emphasizes the profound impact of the tongue, likening it to a sword that can inflict deep wounds and damage relationships. He reflects on the various types of to |
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Believing With All Your Heart by Erlo Stegen | Erlo Stegen emphasizes the necessity of believing with all one's heart for baptism, illustrating that partial commitment to Christ can lead to spiritual downfall, much like a man w |
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Taking Time to Wait on God - Part 2 by Derek Prince | In this sermon, the speaker discusses the four main functions of a head in relation to the body. The first function is to receive input, where every part of the body has the right |
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Taking Time to Wait on God by Derek Prince | In this sermon, the speaker emphasizes the importance of having a personal relationship with Jesus and being able to hear Him speak. The speaker discusses the four main functions o |