What Does Genesis 46:19 Mean in the King James?

The sons of Rachel Jacob’s wife; Joseph, and Benjamin.

Genesis 46:19 · KJV

The analysis reads the King James wording.

King James Version The King James Version, first published in 1611. Selah Verse shows the standard text.

THE KEY

Joseph’s name carries the sense “may he add,” and the verse names him through Rachel, holding a mother’s line and continuation together.

THE MEANING

Your life is held in relationships that shape its story. Joseph and Benjamin are named as Rachel’s sons, while Rachel herself is named in relation to Jacob. The verse keeps these bonds and each person’s name visible together.

WHAT THIS UNDOES

This undoes the belief that a family line belongs only to its father: Rachel is named as the mother of these sons.

THE ROOT

יוֹסֵף

Yosef

GROWS FROM

יסף

Add, increase, or continue.

Joseph’s name carries the sense “may he add,” from ⁨יסף⁩ (yasaf, add or continue). The name in this family list holds continuation within a person’s identity.

ALSO GROWS

yasaf: He added or continued.

יָסַף

The name Joseph echoes this verb’s sense of addition and continuation.

hosif: He added or increased.

הוֹסִיף

This form makes the root’s sense of adding explicit in the name Joseph.

בְּנֵי

Benei

GROWS FROM

בנה

Build.

The Hebrew word for “sons” is related to ⁨בנה⁩ (banah, build). The verse’s language for children carries an image of building a family line within the word itself.

ALSO GROWS

ben: Son.

בֵּן

This is the singular form behind the verse’s word for sons.

banah: He built.

בָּנָה

Its shared root links the word for a son with the act of building.

THE PATTERN

A family line is carried forward through named relationships, with each generation held in relation to those before it.

And she called his name Joseph; and said, The LORD shall add to me another son.

Genesis 30:24 · KJVRachel’s naming of Joseph joins his name to the hope of another child.

And the women her neighbours gave it a name, saying, There is a son born to Naomi; and they called his name Obed: he is the father of Jesse, the father of David.

Ruth 4:17 · KJVObed’s name is placed within a chain of relationships that carries the family line forward.

Abraham begat Isaac; and Isaac begat Jacob; and Jacob begat Judas and his brethren;

Matthew 1:2 · KJVThe genealogy carries identity forward by naming each generation through its relationships.

THE THREAD

And she called his name Joseph; and said, The LORD shall add to me another son.

Genesis 30:24 · KJV

Genesis 30:24 connects Joseph’s name to ⁨יסף⁩ (yasaf, add or continue). Here, Joseph’s name still carries that sense as he is named among Rachel’s sons.

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