Genesis 48:7 - Exposition

And as for me (literally, and I , the pronoun being emphatic), when I came from Padan ,—literally, in my coming, i.e. while on my journey, from Padam , or Padan-aram. This is the only place where the shorter designation is employed (cf. Genesis 25:20 )— Rachel —the mention to Joseph of his beloved mother could not fail to kindle emotion in his breast, as obviously it had revived a pang of sorrow in that of the old man—" the remembrance of the never-to-be-forgotten one' causing a sudden spasm of feeling" (Delitzsch)— died by me —not for me in the sense of sharing with me my toils and perils, and so bringing on herself the deadly travail which cut her off (Lunge), which is too subtle and metaphysical in its refinement; but either upon me, i.e. as an heavy affliction falling on me (Rosenmüller, Gesenius, Murphy, et alii ); or at my side, i.e. near me (Keil, Wordsworth, 'Speaker's Commentary'); or perhaps to me, meaning, This happened to me, or, I saw Rachel die (Kalisch); or possibly with a touch of tender emotion, Rachel to me, i.e. my Rachel died (Tayler Lewis)— in the land of Canaan in the way, when yet there was but a little way— literally, a length of ground ; the LXX . add ἱππόδρομος, meaning probably such a distance as a horse can go without being over-worked ( vide Genesis 35:16 )— to come unto Ephrath: and I buried her there in the way of Ephrath; the same is Bethlehem.