Genesis 47:12 · Bible study
Genesis 47:12 Commentary: Joseph's Provision 'to the Mouth of the Little Ones'
Hebrew · 7 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Explore the Hebrew idiom 'according to the mouth of the little ones' and how Joseph’s care for his family foreshadows Christ’s provision.
Research Summary
- Meaning: Joseph provided for his entire family’s needs during the famine, measured precisely for each household, with special care for the children.
- Key words: nourished (כִּלְכֵּל, to sustain, support), according to the mouth of (לְפִי, literally “to the mouth of,” idiom for proportion), little ones (טַף, infants, small children).
- Main debate: Does the idiom emphasize literal quantity per child, or the tenderness of feeding like infants (Calvin vs. Delitzsch)?
- Theological theme: God’s covenant faithfulness; Joseph as a type of Christ, the provider who sustains his people.
- Best use: Teaching on God’s care in scarcity, honoring family, and the foreshadowing of Christ’s provision in the gospel.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
Joseph also provided his father and brothers and all his father’s household with food for their families.
WEB World English Bible 2000
Joseph provided his father, his brothers, and all of his father’s household with bread, according to the sizes of their families.
KJV King James Version 1769
And Joseph nourished his father, and his brethren, and all his father’s household, with bread, according to their families.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
And Joseph nourished his father, and his brethren, and all his father’s household, with bread, according to their families.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
and Joseph nourisheth his father, and his brethren, and all the house of his father with bread, according to the mouth of the infants.
Darby Darby Bible 1890
And Joseph maintained his father, and his brethren, and all his father's household, with bread, according to the number of the little ones.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
And he nourished them, and all his father's house, allowing food to every one.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Y alimentaba José á su padre y á sus hermanos, y á toda la casa de su padre, de pan, hasta la boca del niño.
E alimentava José a seu pai e a seus irmãos, e a toda a casa de seu pai, de pão, segundo o número de seus filhos.
Joseph fournit du pain à son père et à ses frères, et à toute la famille de son père, selon le nombre des enfants.
Und er versorgte seinen Vater und seine Brüder und das ganze Haus seines Vaters mit Brot, einen jeglichen, nachdem er Kinder hatte.
En Jozef onderhield zijn vader, en zijn broeders, en het ganse huis zijns vaders, met brood, tot den mond der kinderkens toe.
E Giuseppe sostentò suo padre, i suoi fratelli e tutta la famiglia di suo padre, provvedendoli di pane, secondo il numero de’ figliuoli.
I żywił Józef ojca swego i bracią swoję, i wszystek dom ojca swego chlebem aż do najmniejszego.
И снабжал Иосиф отца своего и братьев своих и весь дом отца своего хлебом, по потребностям каждого семейства.
約瑟 用糧食 奉養 他父親 和 他弟兄，並 他父親 全 家的眷屬，都是照各家 的人口奉養他們。
And Joseph took care of his father and his brothers and all his father's people, giving them food for the needs of their families.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · Genesis 47:12
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators across traditions agree that this verse highlights Joseph’s faithful, generous provision for his entire family during the severe famine. The Hebrew phrase "according to the mouth of the little ones" (לְפִי הַטָּף) is the point of focus. Calvin sees it as meaning Joseph fed them "from the greatest to the least," with the little ones mentioned to show that even the most vulnerable were fully supplied. Keil and Delitzsch note that children required much food and that the phrase indicates provision according to each family’s size, based on the number of children. Gill adds that the idiom pictures Joseph nourishing them like infants, placing bread into their mouths so they had no care. The Cambridge Bible agrees, citing Delitzsch: little children are mentioned because people would be less willing to see them in want. All see this as a sign of God’s clemency and Joseph’s uncommon piety. Many also find a typological link to Christ, who sustains his people completely.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- Literal quantity per family: Delitzsch and Keil interpret the phrase as a numerical measure: food distributed according to each household's headcount, especially children.
- Metaphorical of infant-like dependence: Calvin and Gill understand the idiom as a picture of total care: Joseph fed his family as one feeds an infant who cannot even reach for bread.
- Both literal and symbolic: Many modern readers combine both, seeing the literal provision as a sign of the deeper point: God’s people are sustained with the tenderness a parent shows a child.
What is clear: Regardless of the idiom’s nuance, the verse clearly asserts that Joseph fully provided for his entire family during the famine, with special attention to the children, demonstrating God’s faithfulness to Jacob’s household.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Interpretation of "according to the mouth of the little ones" | The phrase describes provision that is exactly matched to each family’s needs, with children specifically mentioned as the basis for the measure. | Calvin and Gill stress the image of feeding like infants, suggesting the family had no care and were fed as dependent children. Delitzsch and Keil focus on literal quantity: food was given according to the number of children because children need more and people are reluctant to see them suffer. Both readings find support in the Hebrew idiom. |
| Joseph as a type of Christ | Joseph’s role as provider for his family in a time of famine is seen by many Christian commentators as a foreshadowing of Christ, who provides spiritual sustenance for his people. | Gill and Matthew Henry explicitly develop a typology, noting Joseph’s rejection, exaltation, and provision for his brothers. Calvin, while noting Joseph’s piety, does not develop a strong typology. Some modern scholars see Joseph more as a model of faithful obedience within a family narrative than a direct type of Christ. |
| The scope of Joseph’s provision | Joseph provided bread (food) for his father, brothers, and all the household, everyone in Jacob’s extended family was included. | Some read "bread" narrowly as grain; others as comprehensive sustenance for all needs, since the Hebrew לֶחֶם can mean food in general. Lange and Keil note the double accusative construction in Hebrew, which may imply both food and the act of nourishing. |
Historical & Cultural Context
Genesis 47 sits at the climax of the Joseph narrative. The seven-year famine is at its height. Egypt and Canaan are desperate: people have exhausted their money, livestock, and land (vv13-20). Joseph’s policies have consolidated Pharaoh’s power, yet for his own family Joseph works differently. Earlier Pharaoh commanded that Jacob and his sons be given the best of the land, the region of Rameses (likely the fertile eastern delta known as Goshen). Keil and Delitzsch explain that Goshen, in the province of el-Sharkiyeh, was still the most productive part of Egypt. The family settled there as shepherds, separated from the main population (Gen 46:34).
Verse 12 shows Joseph fulfilling his promise at Gen 45:11: "There I will provide for you." The famine forced everyone to bargain for grain, but Jacob’s household received bread without strings attached. The contrast is sharp: the Egyptians sold everything they had, while Israel’s family was sustained freely. This reflects God’s covenant faithfulness to Abraham’s descendants. Joseph himself had once been sold into slavery by his brothers; now he sustains them and their children. The verse closes the story of Joseph’s reconciliation with a picture of generous, measured care.
Textual Notes
The consulted sources note no significant variants for Genesis 47:12. The Hebrew text is stable across manuscripts, with the key phrase לְפִי הַטָּף appearing consistently. The variations in English translations (e.g., “according to their families,” “according to the number of the little ones”) stem from how to render the idiom, not from underlying textual differences.
Reception History
Jewish exegetes have traditionally read this verse as a prime example of filial piety: Joseph honored his father and provided for his brothers, fulfilling the commandment of Exodus 20:12. In early Christian tradition, the Church Fathers saw Joseph as a clear type of Christ: the one rejected by his brothers who later sustains them. The phrase “mouth of the little ones” was often applied to the Eucharist as spiritual food for the youngest believers. During the Reformation, Calvin and Luther focused on God’s providence, how God uses human instruments to care for his covenant people even in exile. Modern readings emphasize the social dimension: care for the vulnerable as a mark of faithful community.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- Joseph's provision is personal and generous. He doesn't just give food, he gives bread according to each family’s size. Every child, every adult is accounted for.
- The little ones are the measure of care. The idiom "to the mouth of the little ones" shows that the smallest and weakest determine the supply. God's people are sustained with the same tenderness a parent shows an infant.
- Joseph foreshadows the greater Provider. Just as Joseph sustained his family through famine, Christ sustains his people spiritually. We are fed from his hand and have no anxiety about our deepest needs.
Five-point outline
- Joseph's honorable provision (v12a): He nourished his father, brothers, and all the household, fulfilling the fifth commandment to honor parents (Ex 20:12).
- Bread for the family: The famine touched everyone, but Jacob’s house received bread from Joseph. This was not earned; it was a gift of relationship.
- According to the mouth of the little ones (v12b): The idiom emphasizes both the quantity (enough for every child) and the quality (tender, infant-like care).
- Contrast with Egypt’s experience: While the Egyptians gave up land and freedom, Israel’s family lived as protected guests in Goshen.
- Joseph as a type of Christ: The one who was rejected becomes the provider for his repentant brothers. Christ, rejected by his own, now feeds all who come to him.
Illustration hooks
- A father who works double shifts to make sure his children never go hungry, especially the youngest who can’t ask for food.
- A church that quietly fills backpacks with groceries for every child in the congregation during a recession, no questions asked.
- The image of a foster parent who measures each child’s needs individually, making sure the quiet one, the picky eater, the one with allergies are all cared for.
Questions your congregation is asking
- How can I trust God to provide for my family when the economy looks as bleak as a famine?
- Does this story mean that God cares more for Israel than for others? Or does it point to a bigger plan?
- What does it look like to be fed "like a little one" in my faith? Am I willing to be that dependent?
Leading a Discussion
This verse shows us the conclusion of Joseph’s promise to his brothers: he will provide for them in Egypt. But it’s the phrase "according to the mouth of the little ones" that gives the account its tenderness. God’s care through Joseph is not generic; it is measured, personal, and reaches the smallest members of the family. As you discuss, consider how this picture of provision speaks to your own experience of being sustained by God in seasons of scarcity.
Discussion questions
- What does the phrase "according to the mouth of the little ones" tell you about Joseph’s priorities? Why mention the children specifically?
- Read Genesis 45:11. How does this verse fulfill Joseph’s earlier promise? What does it say about his character that he kept his word?
- Compare how Joseph treats his family (v12) with how he treats the Egyptians in the surrounding verses (vv13-20). What is different and why?
- In what way is Joseph a "type" of Christ? What does the New Testament tell us about Jesus as our provider?
- Have you ever experienced a time when God provided for you in a way that felt as careful and personal as “feeding little ones”?
- The word “bread” (לֶחֶם) here means both literal food and, more broadly, provision. How does this widen your understanding of what God supplies?
- How can your group or church reflect Joseph’s care for the most vulnerable among you, especially children and families under stress?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Genesis 45:11 | There I will provide for you; for there are yet five years of famine; lest you come to poverty, you, and your household, and all that you have.”’ |
| Genesis 47:1 | Then Joseph went in and told Pharaoh, and said, “My father and my brothers, with their flocks, their herds, and all that they own, have come out of the land of Canaan; and behold, they are in the land of Goshen.” |
| Genesis 47:21 | As for the people, he moved them to the cities from one end of the border of Egypt even to the other end of it. |
| Genesis 47:24 | It will happen at the harvests, that you shall give a fifth to Pharaoh, and four parts will be your own, for seed of the field, for your food, for them of your households, and for food for your little ones.” |
| Exodus 20:12 | “Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land which Yahweh your God gives you. |
| Ruth 4:15 | He shall be to you a restorer of life and sustain you in your old age; for your daughter-in-law, who loves you, who is better to you than seven sons, has given birth to him.” |
| Matthew 15:4 | For God commanded, ‘Honor your father and your mother,’ and, ‘He who speaks evil of father or mother, let him be put to death.’ |
| Matthew 15:6 | he shall not honor his father or mother.’ You have made the commandment of God void because of your tradition. |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
7 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Calvin's Commentaries Reformed 1564
Calvin reads the phrase to mean Joseph fed every single member of Jacob's household, from the greatest down to the smallest child. He sees this inclusive care as proof of both God's extraordinary mercy and Joseph's uncommon attention, since even the littlest ones were fully supplied during the famine.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The margin reads literally "according to the number of their little ones." Delitzsch observes that children are singled out because they require more food and because people would be less willing to see them suffer need. This emphasizes care for the most vulnerable.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva Bible highlights that Joseph provided for every member of his father’s household, including even the youngest infants. This detail underscores the completeness of his care, showing that no one was left behind or neglected during the famine. The provision extended to all ages, reflecting a thorough and compassionate administration of resources.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill highlights the Hebrew phrase behind "according to their families," which can also mean "according to the mouth of an infant." He sees Joseph feeding his family with such full and constant provision that they had no more care for food than nursing babies do, making Joseph a clear type of Christ.
Keil & Delitzsch OT Commentary Protestant 1876
Keil-Delitzsch explains that Joseph settled his family in the best part of Egypt, called Raëmses, which was the same district as Goshen. They note that Joseph provided bread according to the mouth of the little ones, meaning he gave for each family based on the number of its children.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange stresses that Jacob's halt at Beersheba to seek divine sanction reveals the crucial distinction between human confidence and God's assurance. The migration into Egypt was a bold undertaking that required the promise of a return to Canaan. The number 70 marks the family as the holy seed of God's people.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry observes that Jacob, though he describes his days as few and evil, does not come before Pharaoh as a supplicant but as a patriarch who blesses him. This underscores the spiritual dignity of God's people, who can bestow blessing even while depending on worldly rulers for provision.