Genesis48
English Standard Version
1 , was , , your is . So he with him his , and .
2And it was to , Your has to you. Then summoned his and in .
3And to , to me at in the of and me,
4and to me, , I will make you and you, and I will of you a of and will to your you for an .
5And your , who were to you in the of I to you in , are mine; and shall be mine, as and are.
6And the that you them shall be yours. They shall be the of their in their .
7As for me, when I from , to my sorrow in the of on the , there was to to , and I there on the to (that is, ).
8When , he , are ?
9 to his , They are my , has me . And he , Bring them to , , that I may them.
10Now the of were , so that he . So Joseph brought them him, and he them and them.
11And to , I to your ; and , has let me your .
12Then them his , and he himself with his to the .
13And them , in his toward , and in his toward , and brought them him.
14And his and it on the of , who was the , and his on the of , his (for was the ).
15And he and , The my and , the who has been my all my to ,
16the who has me , the ; and in them let my be , and the of my and ; and let them into a in the of the .
17When that his his the of , it him, and he his to it .
18And to his , this , my ; this is the , your his .
19But his and , I , my , I . He shall become a , and he also shall be . , his shall be he, and his shall become a of .
20So he them that , , By you will pronounce , , you as and as . Thus he .
21Then to , , I am about to , but will be with you and will bring you to the of your .
22Moreover, I have to you than to your that I from the of the with my and with my .
Study Guide
Public-domain commentary and original-language notes for Genesis 48.
Chapter Summary
In this chapter: Joseph visits his dying father. (1–7). Jacob blesses Joseph's sons. (8–22).
vv1-7
The death-beds of believers, with the prayers and counsels of dying persons, are suited to make serious impressions upon the young, the gay, and the prosperous: we shall do well to take children on such occasions, when it can be done properly. If the Lord please, it is very desirable to bear our dying testimony to his truth, to his faithfulness, and the pleasantness of his ways. And one would wish so to live, as to give energy and weight to our dying exhortations. All true believers are blessed at their death, but all do not depart equally full of spiritual consolations. Jacob adopted Joseph's two sons. Let them not succeed their father, in his power and grandeur in Egypt; but let them succeed in the inheritance of the promise made to Abraham. Thus the aged dying patriarch teaches these young persons to take their lot with the people of God. He appoints each of them to be the head of a tribe. Those are worthy of double honour, who, through God's grace, break through the temptations of worldly wealth and preferment, to embrace religion in disgrace and poverty. Jacob will have Ephraim and Manasseh to know, that it is better to be low, and in the church, than high, and out of it.
vv8-22
The two good men own God in their comforts. Joseph says, They are my sons whom God has given me. Jacob says, God hath showed me thy seed. Comforts are doubly sweet to us when we see them coming from God's hand. He not only prevents our fears, but exceeds our hopes. Jacob mentions the care the Divine providence had taken of him all his days. A great deal of hardship he had known in his time, but God kept him from the evil of his troubles. Now he was dying, he looked upon himself as redeemed from all sin and sorrow for ever. Christ, the Angel of the covenant, redeems from all evil. Deliverances from misery and dangers, by the Divine power, coming through the ransom of the blood of Christ, in Scripture are often called redemption. In blessing Joseph's sons, Jacob crossed hands. Joseph was willing to support his first-born, and would have removed his father's hands. But Jacob acted neither by mistake, nor from a partial affection to one more than the other; but from a spirit of prophecy, and by the Divine counsel. God, in bestowing blessings upon his people, gives more to some than to others, more gifts, graces, and comforts, and more of the good things of this life. He often gives most to those that are least likely. He chooses the weak things of the world; he raises the poor out of the dust. Grace observes not the order of nature, nor does God prefer those whom we think fittest to be preferred, but as it pleases him. How poor are they who have no riches but those of this world! How miserable is a death-bed to those who have no well-grounded hope of good, but dreadful apprehensions of evil, and nothing but evil for ever!
Key Words
אַחַר: properly, the hind part; generally used as an adverb or conjunction, after (in various senses)
דָּבָר: a word; by implication, a matter (as spoken of) or thing; adverbially, a cause
יוֹסֵף: Joseph, the name of seven Israelites
אָמַר: to say (used with great latitude)
הִנֵּה: lo!
אָב: father, in a literal and immediate, or figurative and remote application
חָלָה: properly, to be rubbed or worn; hence (figuratively) to be weak, sick, afflicted; or (causatively) to grieve, make sick; also to stroke (in flattering), entreat
לָקַח: to take (in the widest variety of applications)
שְׁנַיִם: two; also (as ordinal) twofold
בֵּן: a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship, including grandson, subject, nation, quality or condition, etc., (like father or brother), etc.)
Cross References
Genesis 48Explains that Reuben's birthright was given to the sons of Joseph, establishing the double inheritance.
Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole, JFB
New Testament commentary highlights Jacob's blessing of Joseph's sons as a prime example of enduring faith.
Supported by JFB
Joseph echoes Jacob's dying words: 'I die: and God will surely visit you, and bring you out'
John explicitly mentions the parcel of ground that Jacob gave to his son Joseph near Sychar
Supported by JFB
Refers to God's appearance to Jacob at Luz (Bethel) to bless him with the covenant.
Supported by JFB
The covenant promise repeated here by Jacob regarding the multiplication of his seed and the land.
Supported by JFB
Joseph's bones are buried in the very parcel of ground Jacob gave him at Shechem
Explains how the birthright was given to Joseph, explaining the double portion Jacob bestows here
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
The birth of Manasseh and Ephraim in Egypt before Jacob's arrival, whom Jacob now adopts.
Supported by Matthew Poole, John Calvin
The historical account of Rachel's death and burial on the way to Ephrath (Bethlehem).
Supported by Matthew Poole
Moses' blessing echoes Jacob's prophecy, noting the relative greatness of Ephraim's ten thousands.
Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole
Moses carries out Joseph's bones, fulfilling the promise of returning to the ancestral land
Records Jacob's original purchase of the parcel of ground at Shechem from Hamor's sons
Supported by JFB
Parallel where Isaac's eyes were dim with age, similarly affecting a paternal covenant blessing.
Supported by Matthew Poole
The command to walk before God, echoing Jacob's mention of his fathers' walk.
Supported by John Calvin
Hosea recounts Jacob's encounter with the Angel at Bethel, illuminating the identity of the redeeming Angel.
Supported by John Calvin
God's promise at Bethel to be with Jacob and keep him, fulfilling the redemption from evil.
Supported by JFB
The Angel of His presence saved them, parallel to the redeeming Angel invoked by Jacob.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Jacob remembers God's Bethel promise to be with him and bring him back to Canaan
Supported by JFB
The law of the double portion (two shares) given to the firstborn, clarifying Joseph's portion
Joseph's descendants demand more territory, referencing the mountain country and the Amorites
The census in the wilderness demonstrates Ephraim's tribe outnumbering Manasseh's, fulfilling Jacob's prophecy.
Supported by Matthew Poole
New Testament commentary on Jacob blessing both the sons of Joseph by faith
Supported by JFB
Shows the preceding event of Jacob's illness and his preparation on his bed.
Supported by Matthew Poole