By faith Jacob, when he was dying, blessed both the sons of Joseph; and worshiped, leaning upon the top of his staff.
All Commentaries on Hebrews 11:21 Go To Hebrews 11
George Leo Haydock
AD 1849
Jacob. Worshipping the top of Joseph's rod, or staff of command, or of his sceptre. See Genesis xlvii. Jacob, by bowing to Joseph and his sceptre, acknowledged and reverenced the power of Joseph, whom Pharao called the saviour of the world: and it is probable that Jacob, by the spirit of prophecy, knew Joseph to be a figure of Christ, and his power to be a figure of the spiritual power of the Messias. (Witham)
The apostle here follows the ancient Greek Bible of the seventy interpreters, (which translates in this manner, Genesis xlvii. 31.) and alleges this fact of Jacob, in paying a relative honour and veneration to the top of the rod or sceptre of Joseph, as to a figure of Christ's sceptre and kingdom, as an instance and argument of his faith. But some translators, who are no friends to this relative honour, have corrupted the text, by translating it, he worshipped, leaning upon the top of his staff; as if this circumstance of leaning upon his staff were any argument of Jacob's faith, or worthy the being thus particularly taken notice of by the Holy Spirit: (Challoner) Besides, if Jacob's staff, and not Joseph's rod or sceptre, had been spoken of, the Greek would have been autou, suæ, not autou, ejus: but this relative honour or worship is not pleasing to them.
