Genesis 47:31

Plain English Version

Jacob said, “Make me that strong promise.” So Joseph put his hand under Jacob’s leg, and he made him that strong promise. Then Jacob put his face down towards his bed, to thank God.

Cross References

Genesis 21:24

So Abraham made that promise to Abimelek. He said those words in the way that Abimelek wanted.

Genesis 24:2

Abraham had workers that looked after everything he owned. One of those workers was older than all the other workers, and he was in charge of all the other workers too. One day, Abraham talked to that oldest worker. He said, “I want you to make me a strong promise. So come here and put your hand under my leg.” You see, in Abraham’s culture, people sometimes made promises to each other that way. The person that made the promise, they put their hand under the other person’s leg, and that showed that they had to keep their promise.

Genesis 24:26

Then Abraham’s worker knew that Rebekah was Abraham’s relative, and he knew that God picked her to be Isaac’s wife. So he got down on his knees and put his face near the ground, to thank God and show him respect.

Genesis 24:3

Abraham said to the worker, “I want you to make this promise with God listening. His name is Yahweh, and he is the boss of heaven and earth. Promise me that you will not get a wife for my son Isaac from this country that we are living in. Don’t get him a wife from the Canaan people that live here.

Genesis 31:53

I’m asking the gods of our grand-fathers to watch us and judge us. I’m asking the God of your grand-father Abraham, and the god of my grand-father Nahor and their father Terah. Those gods will keep on watching us, and they will know if one of us does the wrong thing.” Then Jacob made a strong promise to Laban. He said, “I promise that I will not go past these stones into your country, to hurt you. I’m making this promise with God listening. He is the one that my father Isaac respected.”

Genesis 47:29

This story is about some things that happened before Jacob died. Jacob knew that he was going to die soon, so he sent somebody to get his son Joseph. Then Jacob said to Joseph, “I am going to ask you to put your hand under my leg, and make me a strong promise.” You see, in that culture, people sometimes made promises to each other that way. The person that made the promise put their hand under the other person’s leg, and that showed that they had to keep their promise. Then Jacob said to Joseph, “I know that you love me, so I want you to promise that you will be good to me, and do the right thing. When I die, don’t bury my body here in Egypt country.

Genesis 50:25

Then Joseph got his brothers to make a strong promise. He said, “You have to promise that you will not leave my body here in Egypt country. When God takes our mob back to Canaan country, they have to take my body with them.”

Genesis 50:5

‘My father talked to me before he died. He said, “I am going to die very soon. After I die, I want you to take my body to Canaan country, and put it in that grave that I got ready for myself.” And my father got me to promise that I will do that. So now, please let me go to Canaan country, so that I can bury my father there, just like he said. Then I will come back here.’ ”