“By faith Iacob when hee was a dying, blessed both the sonnes of Ioseph, and worshipped leaning vpon the top of his staffe.”
1611 King James Version (KJV)
11:21 Jacob when dying - That is, when near death. Bowing down on the top of his staff - As he sat on the side of his bed. #Gen 48:16|; Gen 47:31
Heb 11:21 By faith Jacob, when he was dying, blessed both the sons of Joseph. See Ge 48:8-22. In his blessing he foresaw that both Ephraim and Manasseh would be tribes of Israel, and that the younger would be the ancestor of the greater tribe. [Leaning] upon the top of his staff. See Ge 47:31. The Hebrew word "mittah" as originally written may mean either staff or bed, that on which one rests. In our English version of Genesis "bed" has been preferred. The Septuagint, followed here, says "staff". It means that the sick old man raised from his couch and leaned his weight on his staff while conferring the blessing.