Genesis48
King James Version · Public Domain
1And it came to pass after these things, that one told Joseph, Behold, thy father is sick: and he took with him his two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim.
2And one told Jacob, and said, Behold, thy son Joseph cometh unto thee: and Israel strengthened himself, and sat upon the bed.
3And Jacob said unto Joseph, God Almighty appeared unto me at Luz in the land of Canaan, and blessed me,
4And said unto me, Behold, I will make thee fruitful, and multiply thee, and I will make of thee a multitude of people; and will give this land to thy seed after thee for an everlasting possession.
5And now thy two sons, Ephraim and Manasseh, which were born unto thee in the land of Egypt before I came unto thee into Egypt, are mine; as Reuben and Simeon, they shall be mine.
6And thy issue, which thou begettest after them, shall be thine, and shall be called after the name of their brethren in their inheritance.
7And as for me, when I came from Paddan, Rachel died by me in the land of Canaan in the way, when yet there was but a little way to come unto Ephrath: and I buried her there in the way of Ephrath; the same is Beth–lehem.
8And Israel beheld Joseph's sons, and said, Who are these?
9And Joseph said unto his father, They are my sons, whom God hath given me in this place. And he said, Bring them, I pray thee, unto me, and I will bless them.
10Now the eyes of Israel were dim for age, so that he could not see. And he brought them near unto him; and he kissed them, and embraced them.
11And Israel said unto Joseph, I had not thought to see thy face: and, lo, God hath shewed me also thy seed.
12And Joseph brought them out from between his knees, and he bowed himself with his face to the earth.
13And Joseph took them both, Ephraim in his right hand toward Israel's left hand, and Manasseh in his left hand toward Israel's right hand, and brought them near unto him.
14And Israel stretched out his right hand, and laid it upon Ephraim's head, who was the younger, and his left hand upon Manasseh's head, guiding his hands wittingly; for Manasseh was the firstborn.
15And he blessed Joseph, and said, God, before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac did walk, the God which fed me all my life long unto this day,
16The Angel which redeemed me from all evil, bless the lads; and let my name be named on them, and the name of my fathers Abraham and Isaac; and let them grow into a multitude in the midst of the earth.
17And when Joseph saw that his father laid his right hand upon the head of Ephraim, it displeased him: and he held up his father's hand, to remove it from Ephraim's head unto Manasseh's head.
18And Joseph said unto his father, Not so, my father: for this is the firstborn; put thy right hand upon his head.
19And his father refused, and said, I know it, my son, I know it: he also shall become a people, and he also shall be great: but truly his younger brother shall be greater than he, and his seed shall become a multitude of nations.
20And he blessed them that day, saying, In thee shall Israel bless, saying, God make thee as Ephraim and as Manasseh: and he set Ephraim before Manasseh.
21And Israel said unto Joseph, Behold, I die: but God shall be with you, and bring you again unto the land of your fathers.
22Moreover I have given to thee one portion above thy brethren, which I took out of the hand of the Amorite with my sword and with my bow.
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