Tanach · Rishonim on Tanach · Ibn Ezra · Torah

Ibn Ezra on Genesis 47:31/אבן עזרא על בראשית מ״ז:ל״א

אוישתחו ישראל. שחלק כבוד למלכות, והנכון בעיני שנתן שבח שם, ואין זה כהשתחוית אברהם, כי שם מפורש לבני חת:

1AND ISRAEL BOWED DOWN. He payed homage to Joseph because he held royal position. However, I believe it means he bowed to God in praise. Our verse is different from the verse which records the bowing of Abraham (Gen. 23:7), for in the latter case it is explicitly stated that Abraham bowed to the children of Heth.²⁵. However, here Scripture does not explicitly state that Jacob bowed down to Joseph. Hence we may interpret that Jacob bowed to God. Cf. I.E.’s comments on Gen. 23:6 and the notes thereto.