48.1-22

Genesis

Jacob followed Esau in birth, although barely, as they were twins. Yet despite being born second, he came to possess the blessing and birthright of his father, Isaac. As Jacob nears death, Joseph comes to him. Joseph is the firstborn of the wife Jacob loved, Rachel. As Jacob prepares Joseph for passing the inheritance promised to him and his fathers by God Almighty (אֵל שַׁדַּיEl Shaddai, v3), he again laments the passing of the one he identifies as his own kin (vv 6-7). Jacob tells Joseph that his sons Ephraim and Manasseh will be to him as Reuben and Simeon. These two were the eldest of his offspring, by his wife Leah, but are hereby replaced in the inheritance. This is further evidenced by Joseph's receipt of a double inheritance portion for his two sons, which would have gone to the firstborn (v22). As Jacob blesses Joseph and his sons, despite being aged to the point of blindness, he knows to whom he is imparting the blessing of the firstborn when he crosses his hands (v14) to transpose Joseph's intention (v17). But Jacob knows well of the younger serving the elder (v19; Gen 25:23). There is a curiosity about the blessing that Jacob issues to the seed that does not carry the line of David or the Messiah. Why will Israel pronounce a blessing saying, "May God make you like Ephraim and Manasseh!"(v20)? Looking to the New Testament, we may consider Christ's actions. Jesus came to a city called Ephraim before His crucifixion. "Jesus therefore walked no more openly among the Jews; but went thence unto a country near to the wilderness, into a city called Ephraim, and there continued with his disciples." (John 11:54). The city of Ephraim no longer exists, but in its place is now a small village named Taybeh. The name of the village was changed from Ephraim to Taybeh around 1187, by the Islamic leader Saladin. Taybeh, but today, it is the last all-Christian village in the Holy Land. The village has no mosque and is home to three distinct Christian communities: Roman Catholics, Greek Orthodox, and Melkite Greek Catholics. Though the line of the Messiah continued through Judah, the line of the church (here) appears to have continued in Ephraim (and Manasseh). Take this blessing for yourself and others today! "May God make YOU (אַתָּה attah) like Ephraim." (v20)

CHAPTER 48

Israel Blesses Manasseh and Ephraim

1 Now it happened after these things that Joseph was told, “Behold, your father is sick.” So he took his two sons Manasseh and Ephraim with him.
2 Then it was told to Jacob, “Behold, your son Joseph has come to you,” so Israel strengthened himself and sat up in the bed.
3 Then Jacob said to Joseph, “God Almighty appeared to me at Luz in the land of Canaan and blessed me,
4 and He said to me, ‘Behold, I will make you fruitful and multiply, and I will make you an assembly of peoples, and I will give this land to your seed after you for an everlasting possession.’
5 “So now your two sons, who were born to you in the land of Egypt before I came to you in Egypt, are mine; Ephraim and Manasseh shall be mine, as Reuben and Simeon are.
6 “But your kin that have been born after them shall be yours; they shall be called by the names of their brothers in their inheritance.
7 “Now as for me, when I came from Paddan, Rachel died, to my sorrow, in the land of Canaan on the journey, when there was still some distance to go to Ephrath; and I buried her there on the way to Ephrath (that is, Bethlehem).”
8 Then Israel saw Joseph’s sons and said, “Who are these?”
9 And Joseph said to his father, “They are my sons, whom God has given me here.” So he said, “Bring them to me, please, that I may bless them.”
10 Now the eyes of Israel were so dim from age that he could not see. Then Joseph brought them close to him, and he kissed them and embraced them.
11 Then Israel said to Joseph, “I never expected to see your face, and behold, God has let me see your seed as well.”
12 Then Joseph took them from his knees and bowed with his face to the ground.
13 And Joseph took them both, Ephraim with his right hand toward Israel’s left, and Manasseh with his left hand toward Israel’s right, and brought them close to him.
14 But Israel stretched out his right hand and laid it on the head of Ephraim, who was the younger, and his left hand on Manasseh’s head, crossing his hands, although Manasseh was the firstborn.
15 And he blessed Joseph and said,
“May the God before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac walked,
The God who has been my shepherd throughout my life to this day,
16 The angel who has redeemed me from all evil,
Bless these boys;
And may my name live on in them,
And the names of my fathers Abraham and Isaac;
And may they grow into a multitude in the midst of the earth.”
17 But Joseph saw that his father set his right hand on Ephraim’s head, and it was displeasing in his sight; so he took hold of his father’s hand to remove it from Ephraim’s head to Manasseh’s head.
18 And Joseph said to his father, “Not so, my father, for this one is the firstborn. Place your right hand on his head.”
19 But his father refused and said, “I know, my son, I know; he also will become a people, and he also will be great. However, his younger brother shall be greater than he, and his seed shall become the fullness of nations.”
20 And he blessed them that day, saying,
“By you Israel will pronounce blessing, saying,
‘May God make you like Ephraim and Manasseh!’”
Thus he put Ephraim before Manasseh.
21 Then Israel said to Joseph, “Behold, I am about to die, but God will be with you and will bring you back to the land of your fathers.
22 “And I give you one portion more than your brothers, which I took from the hand of the Amorite with my sword and my bow.”