My third grandchild was on the way! Surely by now, I had this whole grandma thing down. I can rock a baby to sleep, my living room is childproof, and I can sing any number of nursery songs on demand. BUT, I was missing one vital ingredient. Fortunately, my morning Bible reading landed in 2 Timothy 1 where it talks about Timothy’s grandma, Lois. It made me wonder if there were other Bible verses about grandparents and after some research, I discovered there are many verses on the subject of grandparenting.
24 verses to be exact.
Turns out, the Lord has quite a bit to say to us about the role of grandparents in the family. And, He has some important work for us to do. But first, let’s look at the blessings.
6 Bible verses that show family is a blessing.
I don’t have to tell you what a blessing a grandbaby is. It’s love at first sight. All you have to do is let your little one crawl into your lap for a book. Their soft, soft hair and those little plump feet. How can you help but give them a squeeze?
1. Job 42:16 NKJV
After this Job lived one hundred and forty years,
and saw his children and grandchildren for four generations.
One of Job’s rewards for succeeding in his time of trial was that he got to see his grandchildren. Can’t you just picture him at the fatted calf roast watching the grandkids running and playing – his heart full of joy?
Similarly, Joseph’s family had a reward when they were reunited in Egypt. Here Israel (also known as Jacob) says to his son Joseph:
2. Genesis 48:11 ESV
And Israel said to Joseph, “I never expected to see your face, and behold,
God has let me see your offspring also.”
Joseph as Grandpa Extrodinnare:
Later in Genesis, Joseph (father of Ephraim and Manasseh) was blessed in the same way as Jacob. By seeing his grandkids!
3. Genesis 50:23 ESE
And Joseph saw Ephraim’s children of the third generation.
The children also of Machir the son of Manasseh were counted as Joseph’s own.
I’ll bet Joseph was squeezing the chubby feet of that third generation.
4. Psalm 128:5-6 NKJV
The LORD bless you out of Zion,
And may you see the good of Jerusalem
All the days of your life.
Yes, may you see your children’s children.
Peace be upon Israel!
5. Proverbs 17:6 ESV
Children’s children are the crown of old men,
And theglory of children is their father.
Amen to that! They are a crown and a joy.
Look! One about grandmas.
This next passage that definitely touches my grandma’s heart from the book of Ruth. After their trial in Moab, Naomi and her daughter-in-law, Ruth, move to Jerusalem. Ruth marries Boaz – they have a son – and guess who becomes babysitter #1?
6. Ruth 4:16 ESV
Then Naomi took the child and laid him on her lap and became a nurse to him.
Such a happy ending.
Obviously, I’ve never had an ordeal like Naomi and Ruth but I know the satisfaction of holding a newborn as they snuggle up under my chin and I am grateful every day for this experience.
For those of us whose phones are FULL of pictures of our grandchildren (just ask!) we know the joy they bring to our lives. Even so, we aren’t meant to stand on the sidelines and cheer. There is work we are given to kindle faith in the minds and hearts of our grandkids. Work I don’t intend to leave undone.
Our work as grandparents.
To help our grandchildren reach the faith that they are going to need, we will need to be intentional and brave. Example by example, we can offer them the truth from our lives and the Bible.
Of course, you may not want to expose every wart, but I think our grandkids need to hear how we got in trouble or had doubts, and what happened when God met us in our weak spot. God is all about redemption, whether it’s in the Old Testament or our lives this week. The stories can be positive, too. Tell them how Jesus led you to a church or a job that wouldn’t have happened otherwise and what the good outcome was.
We are not called to be bystanders when it comes to the education of our grandchildren as these next 10 Bible verses about grandparents show.
Bible verses about grandparents’ work.
7. Psalm 71:18 ESV
So even to old age and gray hairs,
O God, do not forsake me,
until I proclaim your might to another generation,
your power to all those to come.
The author of Psalm 71 is unknown but was apparently on in years, and look what he’s asking of God. He wants time to pass on the stories of his faith.
In contrast to the anonymous author of Psalm 71, the author of Psalm 145 is well known, none other than King David.
8. Psalm 145:4 ESV
One generation shall commend your works to another,
and shall declare your mighty acts.
Here’s a verse I bet you’ve heard before:
9. Proverbs 22:6 ESV
Train up a child in the way he should go;
even when he is old he will not depart from it.
Obviously, this applies to parents first – these same parents who are trying to work full time, keep the house clean and wrestle the kids into the car to go to Target. You can forgive them for being distracted. However, we can be the calm in the chaos, staying alert for teachable moments.
Skipping ahead to the New Testament, Paul commends Timothy’s mom and grandma for passing on their faith to Timothy.
10. 2 Timothy 1:5 ESV
I am reminded of your sincere faith, a faith that dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and now, I am sure, dwells in you as well.
Well done, ladies.
Grandparents’ work, personally.
Here are some Bible verses about grandparents that show specific events that God wanted them to pass along.
First, we have Asha the author of Psalm 78 who was instructed to share the history of the Israelites in the desert. It includes lines about when the people were in God’s favor and when they were not. The point was for the descendants to be obedient to God instead of rebellious.
11. Psalm 78:4-6 ESV
We will not hide them from their children,
but tell to the coming generation
the glorious deeds of the LORD, and his might,
and the wonders that he has done.
He established a testimony in Jacob
and appointed a law in Israel,
which he commanded our fathers
to teach to their children,
that the next generation might know them,
the children yet unborn,
and arise and tell them to their children.
Without a doubt, Moses was a guy with some great stories to tell. I can just hear his grandchildren begging to hear the story about the plagues, one more time.
12. Exodus 10:1-2 NIV
Then the LORD said to Moses, “Go to Pharaoh, for I have hardened his heart and the hearts of his officials so that I may perform these signs of mine among them that you may tell your children and grandchildren how I dealt harshly with the Egyptians and how I performed my signs among them, and that you may know that I am the LORD.”
13. Finally, Moses also had a firsthand report of receiving the 10 commandments and speaking to God in person! In Deuteronomy 4:9, Moses encourages the Israelites to teach their grandchildren about that day and the lessons they learned in the wilderness.
Moses has a song that mentions our work.
Hidden in our list of Bible verses about grandparents is a song with the catchy title “Deuteronomy 32”. Today, we have Amazing Grace and Mighty to Save but back then they had Deuteronomy 32.
In this song, Moses is warning his generaton about their unfaithfulness to God. He advises them to ask their elders what God has done for them in the past. It’s an old song with a relevant message for we grandparents today. Let’s prevent future generations from going astray by doing our job and keeping God’s good works in the forefront of our family’s story.
14. Deuteronomy 32:7 ESV
Remember the days of old;
consider the years of many generations;
ask your father, and he will show you,
your elders, and they will tell you.
Bible verses about grandparents: generational curses.
There are two places in the book of Exodus where God talks about generational curses. It starts in chapter 20 where God forbids worshiping any idol.
15. Exodus 20:5-6 ESV
You shall not bow down to them or serve them, for I the LORD your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and the fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing steadfast love to thousands of those who love me and keep my commandments.
16. Next in Exodus 34:6-7 God repeats Himself on this matter. Moses had broken the tablets with the 10 commandments on them and God was giving Moses some instructions before a duplicate set of commandments was carved. (No copy and paste commands back then. Ha ha.)
It seems harsh to me to think of God cursing future generations except that these are people who hated God. I don’t know what those curses looked like back then, but when you look at family patterns of addiction, anger, and even depression you can see how it plays out today.
Fortunately, though, there are also generational blessings.
Bible verses about grandparents: generational blessings.
17. Psalm 37:25 ESV
I have been young, and now am old, yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken or his children begging for bread.
18. Psalm 100:5 ESV
For the LORD is good;
his steadfast love endures forever,
and his faithfulness to all generations.
19. Psalm 103:17-18 ESV
But the steadfast love of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear him,
and his righteousness to children’s children,
to those who keep his covenant
and remember to do his commandments.
Generational blessing in action.
20. Genesis 45:10 ESV
You shall dwell in the land of Goshen, and you shall be near me, you and your children and your children’s children, and your flocks, your herds, and all that you have.
Genesis chapter 45 takes place at the end of Jacob’s life after he and his family moved to Egypt to be near Joseph (and Joseph’s provision). In verse 15, Jacob blesses his son Joseph. Then in verses 17-22 Joseph blesses his grandsons but not in the traditional way. I don’t know when we got away from bestowing official blessings, but I think we should revive this tradition.
Bible verses about grandparenting “best practices”.
21. Proverbs 13:22 ESV
A good man leaves an inheritance to his children’s children,
but the sinner’s wealth is laid up for the righteous.
22. Titus 2:2-4 ESV
Older men are to be sober-minded, dignified, self-controlled, sound in faith, in love, and in steadfastness.
Older women likewise are to be reverent in behavior, not slanderers or slaves to much wine. They are to teach what is good and so train the young women to love their husbands and children,
Bible verses about grandparents with a promise.
23. Psalm 92:12-15 NKJV
The righteous shall flourish like a palm tree,
He shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon.
Those who are planted in the house of the LORD
Shall flourish in the courts of our God.
They shall still bear fruit in old age;
They shall be fresh and flourishing,
To declare that the LORD is upright;
He is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in Him.
—
And finally…
Verse#24
Moses is speaking to the Israelites a little before they head into the Promised Land. Notice the blessing for obeying at the end: that your days may be long. I’m all for that!
24. Deuteronomy 6:1-2 ESV
“Now this is the commandment—the statutes and the rules—that the LORD your God commanded me to teach you, that you may do them in the land to which you are going over, to possess it, that you may fear the LORD your God, you and your son and your son’s son, by keeping all his statutes and his commandments, which I command you, all the days of your life, and that your days may be long.
I’m so glad I found these Bible verses about grandparents because there’s obviously more to grandparenting than just taking the kids to the park. There is important work for us to do. Passing on our faith, praying for blessings, being a good example. Work that must not be left undone. I guess I better get busy.
The list of these 24 Bible verses is available to download as a PDF. Click here.
Want to read more?
Try Prayers for our grandchilren’s protect and online safety