Genesis 48 – Jacob Blesses Joseph’s Sons

A. Jacob calls for his sons.

1. (1-4) Jacob remembers God’s promise.

Now it came to pass after these things that Joseph was told, “Indeed your father is sick”; and he took with him his two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim. And Jacob was told, “Look, your son Joseph is coming to you”; and Israel strengthened himself and sat up on the bed. Then Jacob said to Joseph: “God Almighty appeared to me at Luz in the land of Canaan and blessed me, and said to me, ‘Behold, I will make you fruitful and multiply you, and I will make of you a multitude of people, and give this land to your descendants after you as an everlasting possession.’

a. Your father is sick: The previous chapter ended with Jacob bowed down on the head of his bed. His death was drawing near, but he would not die before he prophetically blessed his sons, beginning with his grandsons through Joseph.

b. God Almighty appeared to me at Luz: The place known as Bethel (Genesis 28:19, 35:6) was also called Luz. This was where Jacob first met God. Jacob vividly remembered this outstanding encounter with the Lord.

c. Behold, I will make you fruitful and multiply you: Jacob’s phrasing was like the exact promises God made to Abraham in Genesis 17 (Genesis 17:2, 17:6, 17:8). Abraham was careful to pass down the exact words of covenant God made with him to the inheritors of the covenant, because the exact words of God were important.

2. (5-6) Jacob adopts Joseph’s sons as his own.

And now your two sons, Ephraim and Manasseh, who were born to you in the land of Egypt before I came to you in Egypt, are mine; as Reuben and Simeon, they shall be mine. Your offspring whom you beget after them shall be yours; they will be called by the name of their brothers in their inheritance.

a. As Reuben and Simeon, they shall be mine: Reuben and Simeon were the first and second born sons of Israel (Genesis 29:31-33). Jacob adopted the two sons of Joseph into the family at the highest level, as if they were his own first and second born.

i. Ephraim and Manasseh were something like replacements for Reuben and Simeon, who were in a sense disqualified from positions of status and leadership in Israel’s family because of their sins (Genesis 34:25, 35:22).

b. They shall be mine: Jacob’s adoption of Manasseh and Ephraim explains why there are 12 sons or tribes of Israel, yet often listed in different combinations. Because of this adoption, there were, in some sense, 13 sons of Israel. The 12 were born, but Joseph was divided into two tribes.

i. Therefore as the tribes of Israel are listed through the Old Testament, they can be arranged different ways and still remain a group of 12. There are more than 20 different ways of listing the tribes in the Old Testament.

ii. As a number, 12 is often associated with government or administration in God’s eyes. There were 12 tribes; 12 apostles; 12 princes of Ishmael; 12 pillars on Moses’ altar; 12 stones on the high priest’s breastplate; 12 cakes of showbread; 12 silver platters; silver bowls; and gold pans for the service of the tabernacle; 12 spies to search out the land; 12 memorial stones; 12 governors under Solomon; 12 stones in Elijah’s altar; 12 in each group of musicians and singers for Israel’s worship; 12 hours in a day; 12 months in a year; 12 Ephesian men filled with the Holy Spirit; 12,000 from 12 tribes sealed and preserved through the tribulation; 12 gates of 12 pearls in heaven, and 12 angels at the gates; 12 foundations in the New Jerusalem, each with the names of the 12 apostles of the Lamb; it’s length, breadth, and height are all 12,000 furlongs; and the tree of life in heaven has 12 fruits. The number twelve is special to God.

3. (7) Jacob concludes his testimony with consideration of his soon death.

But as for me, when I came from Padan, Rachel died beside me in the land of Canaan on the way, when there was but a little distance to go to Ephrath; and I buried her there on the way to Ephrath (that is, Bethlehem).”

a. Rachel died beside me in the land of Canaan: With lingering grief, Israel remembered the tragic death of his beloved wife Rachel at the birth of their son Benjamin (Genesis 35:16-18).

b. I buried her there: Rachel’s burial is described in Genesis 35:19-20.

B. Jacob blesses Manasseh and Ephraim.

1. (8-12) Jacob calls for Joseph’s sons, to bless them.

Then Israel saw Joseph’s sons, and said, “Who are these?”

And Joseph said to his father, “They are my sons, whom God has given me in this place.”

And he said, “Please bring them to me, and I will bless them.” Now the eyes of Israel were dim with age, so that he could not see. Then Joseph brought them near him, and he kissed them and embraced them. And Israel said to Joseph, “I had not thought to see your face; but in fact, God has also shown me your offspring!”

So Joseph brought them from beside his knees, and he bowed down with his face to the earth.

a. They are my sons, whom God has given me in this place: it should be remembered that the names of Joseph’s sons were Manasseh (the firstborn) and Ephraim (the younger). The name Manasseh means forgetfulness, and the name Ephraim means fruitfulness (Genesis 41:51-52).

b. He bowed down with his face to the earth: Joseph lived as a high official of Egypt for many years and had no contact with his father during that time. Yet it did not diminish the respect he had towards his father.

2. (13-14) Jacob puts the favored hand on the second-born, despite Joseph’s efforts.

And Joseph took them both, Ephraim with his right hand toward Israel’s left hand, and Manasseh with his left hand toward Israel’s right hand, and brought them near him. Then Israel stretched out his right hand and laid it on Ephraim’s head, who was the younger, and his left hand on Manasseh’s head, guiding his hands knowingly, for Manasseh was the firstborn.

a. Ephraim with his right hand toward Israel’s left hand: In the Bible, the right hand has the idea of the favored position, because generally speaking, the right hand is the hand of strength and skill.

i. The right hand is associated with God’s strength (Exodus 15:6), favor (Psalm 16:11), and help (Psalm 20:6). This is why Jesus is described as sitting at the right hand of God the Father (Mark 14:62). The right hand was the position of favor and exaltation.

b. Guiding his hands knowingly: Israel knew exactly what he intended to do. By placing his right hand on Ephraim’s head, he intended to grant a greater blessing to the younger. This was against normal custom and expectation.

3. (15-16) The blessing of Jacob upon Manasseh and Ephraim.

And he blessed Joseph, and said:

“God, before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac walked,
The God who has fed me all my life long to this day,
The Angel who has redeemed me from all evil,
Bless the lads;
Let my name be named upon them,
And the name of my fathers Abraham and Isaac;
And let them grow into a multitude in the midst of the earth.”

a. God, before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac walked: Israel granted the blessing in deep awareness of the covenant that came from God’s promise to his grandfather Abraham and his father Isaac.

b. And he blessed Joseph: In blessing Joseph’s sons, it could be rightly said that Israel blessed their father Joseph. Israel gave the same blessing to both sons, but the son of the right hand received a greater proportion of the blessing.

i. “Our text tells us that Jacob blessed Joseph, and we perceive that he blessed him through blessing his children; which leads us to the next remark, that no choicer favor could fall upon ourselves than to see our children favored of the Lord. Joseph is doubly blessed by seeing Ephraim and Manasseh blessed.” (Spurgeon)

ii. This was fulfilled in Israel’s history. Both tribes were blessed, but Ephraim was greater as a tribe, even to the point where the name Ephraim was used to refer to the entire kingdom of the northern tribes of Israel (Isaiah 7:8, 7:17, 11:13).

c. The God who has fed me all my life long to this day: Jacob’s testimony was a testimony of grace, not of personal merit. Jacob did not say how faithful he was to God, but how faithful God was to him.

i. The phrase, the God who has fed me is literally, “The God who has shepherded me.” This is the first mention in the Bible of God as a shepherd to His people.

ii. “The old man’s voice faltered as he said, ‘The God which fed me all my life long.’ The translation would be better if it ran, ‘The God which shepherded me all my life long.’” (Spurgeon)

4. (17-20) Jacob answers Joseph’s objection about the order of blessing.

Now when Joseph saw that his father laid his right hand on the head of Ephraim, it displeased him; so he took hold of his father’s hand to remove it from Ephraim’s head to Manasseh’s head. And Joseph said to his father, “Not so, my father, for this one is the firstborn; put your right hand on his head.”

But his father refused and said, “I know, my son, I know. He also shall become a people, and he also shall be great; but truly his younger brother shall be greater than he, and his descendants shall become a multitude of nations.”

So he blessed them that day, saying, “By you Israel will bless, saying, ‘May God make you as Ephraim and as Manasseh!’” And thus he set Ephraim before Manasseh.

a. This one is the firstborn; put your right hand on his head: As the two sons of Joseph stood before Israel, the older (Manasseh) was before Israel’s right hand, and the younger (Ephraim) was before Israel’s left hand. Joseph positioned them intentionally so the older could receive the right-hand blessing, according to custom. Yet Israel deliberately crossed his arms and put his right hand on Ephraim’s head and his left hand on Manasseh’s head.

b. For this one is the firstborn…. truly his younger brother shall be greater than he: Ephraim was not the firstborn, but God chose him to take the position of firstborn. Jeremiah 31:9 later described this: For I am a Father to Israel, and Ephraim is My firstborn.

i. This shows how the idea of firstborn in the Bible is often a position of pre-eminence, not necessarily meaning “first out of the womb.” For example, David had the status of firstborn, even though he was the youngest among many brothers (1 Samuel 16:11, Psalm 89:27).

ii. Jesus has the pre-eminent position of firstborn (Colossians 1:15), though this does not mean Jesus was literally the first “born” creature of God, because Jesus was not created. Yet Jesus Christ has the preeminence and exalted status associated with a firstborn son.

5. (21-22) Jacob makes a personal bequest to Joseph.

Then Israel said to Joseph, “Behold, I am dying, but God will be with you and bring you back to the land of your fathers. Moreover I have given to you one portion above your brothers, which I took from the hand of the Amorite with my sword and my bow.”

a. Behold, I am dying: This was truly a passing of the torch from Israel to Joseph. Israel was the last of the three great patriarchs to walk the earth.

i. “If Abraham dies, there is Isaac; and if Isaac dies, there is Jacob; and if Jacob dies, there is Joseph; and if Joseph dies, Ephraim and Manasseh survive. The Lord shall never lack a champion to bear his standard high among the sons of men. Only let us pray God to raise up more faithful ministers day and night. We have plenty of a sort, but, oh, for more that will weigh out sixteen ounces to the pound of gospel in such a way that people will receive it. We have too much of fine language, too much of florid eloquence, and little full and plain gospel preaching, but God will keep up the apostolic succession, never fear of that. When Stephen is dying, Paul is not far off. When Elijah is taken up, he leaves his mantle behind him.” (Spurgeon)

b. One portion above your brothers: Two tribes descended from Joseph, while one tribe descended from each of his eleven brothers. Therefore Joseph had one portion more than they had.

c. Which I took from the hand of the Amorite: Apparently, while still in Canaan, Jacob battled for control of a portion of land from the Amorites, and he deeded the land to Joseph and his descendants. The descendants of Joseph would possess this land some 400 years later.

d. God will be with you and bring you back to the land of your fathers: This completed a wonderful work regarding Jacob’s recognition of God’s presence in his life. The way God spoke to Jacob regarding His presence, and the way Jacob understood the presence of God in his life becomes a description of the believer in various stages of spiritual maturity.

· The phrase, I am with you from Genesis 28:15 shows that God gives the young believer every possible assurance of His presence and grace.

· The phrase, I will be with you from Genesis 31:3 shows that God expects the growing believer to trust He will be with him, even when he only has the promise of His presence.

· The phrase, God… has been with me from Genesis 31:5 shows that God gives a glorious testimony to the mature believer, able to say how God has been with him, even when he hasn’t felt His presence in the way he perhaps had wished.

· The phrase, God will be with you in Genesis 48:21 shows that God gives the mature believer the opportunity to encourage others with the promise of God’s presence.

Joseph as a Picture of Jesus

Joseph is one of the most remarkable portraits of Jesus, the Messiah, in all the Bible. In many ways, his life illustrated the future life and work of Jesus. Here are a few ways in which the life of Joseph points toward the person and work of Jesus Christ.

1. Joseph was a shepherd.

2. Joseph was loved by his father.

3. Joseph was sent to his brethren.

4. Joseph was hated by his brothers.

5. Joseph prophesied his own coming glory.

6. Joseph was rejected by his brothers.

7. Joseph endured unjust punishment from his brothers.

8. Joseph was sentenced to the pit.

9. Joseph was condemned to the pit, though a leader knew he should go free.

10. Joseph was sold for pieces of silver.

11. Joseph was handed over to the Gentiles.

12. Joseph was regarded as dead but raised out of the pit.

13. Joseph went to Egypt.

14. Joseph was made a servant.

15. Joseph was tempted severely but did not sin.

16. Joseph was falsely accused.

17. Joseph was made no defense in the face of false accusations.

18. Joseph was cast into prison and numbered with sinners and criminals.

19. Joseph endured unjust punishment from Gentiles.

20. Joseph was associated with two other criminals; one criminal was pardoned, and the other criminal was not.

21. Joseph showed compassion.

22. Joseph brought a message of deliverance in prison.

23. Joseph wanted to be remembered.

24. Joseph was shown to have divine wisdom.

25. Joseph was recognized as having the Spirit of God.

26. Joseph was betrayed by friends.

27. Joseph was glorified after his humility.

28. Joseph was honored among Gentiles while still despised or forgotten by his brethren.

29. Joseph was given a Gentile bride.

30. Joseph was 30 years old when he began his great life’s work.

31. Joseph blessed the world with bread.

32. Joseph became the only source of bread for the world.

33. The world was instructed to go to Joseph and do whatever he said to do.

34. Joseph was given the name “God Speaks and He Lives.”

35. Joseph’s brethren were compelled to leave their own land.

36. In his second appearing, Joseph did not first go to his brothers; they came to him.

37. Joseph knew his brethren even while unknown and unrecognized by them.

38. Joseph blessed his brethren without their knowledge.

39. Joseph wanted all of his brethren to come to him.

40. There was a significant time gap between Joseph’s initial relationship with his brothers and his second relationship to his brothers.

41. Joseph gave his brothers a way of deliverance through substitution.

42. Joseph’s “second coming” to his brothers had two appearances. Joseph made himself known to his brethren at his second appearing to them.

43. Joseph was revealed as a man of compassion.

44. Joseph’s brothers repented of rejecting him, with great amazement and tears.

45. Joseph allowed no fellowship (as in eating together) with his brothers until they repented, and he revealed himself to them.

46. Joseph’s brethren went forth to proclaim his glory.

47. Joseph made provision for his brethren.

48. Joseph prepared a place for his brethren, and he received them there.

49. Joseph brought Jew and Gentile together in the land.

“There is scarcely any personal type in the Old Testament which is more clearly and fully a portrait of our Lord Jesus Christ than is the type of Joseph.” (Charles Spurgeon)

©1996–present The Enduring Word Bible Commentary by David Guzik