Jacob Adopts Joseph's Sons
Study note
Joseph is told that his father is sick, so he brings his two sons to receive Jacob's blessing. Jacob sits up in bed and recalls God's promise at Luz (Bethel), where God told him he would become a great nation. Then Jacob makes an extraordinary declaration: he adopts Ephraim and Manasseh as his own sons, giving them equal status with Reuben and Simeon. This means Joseph effectively receives a double portion of the inheritance through his two sons, who will each become a tribe of Israel. Jacob also remembers Rachel, who died on the road near Bethlehem, showing that his love for her still runs deep.
1 A while later, someone told Joseph, "Your father is very sick." So Joseph took his two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim, and hurried to see him. And 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.
2 When Jacob heard that Joseph had arrived, he pulled together all the strength he had and sat up in his bed. And one told Jacob, and said, Behold, thy son Joseph cometh unto thee: and Israel strengthened himself, and sat upon the bed.
3 Jacob said to Joseph, "God Almighty appeared to me at Luz in the land of Canaan and gave me his blessing." And Jacob said unto Joseph, God Almighty appeared unto me at Luz in the land of Canaan, and blessed me,
4 "He told me, 'I am going to give you many descendants. I will grow your family into a large group of nations, and I will give this land to your children and their children forever.'" And 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.
5 "Now then, your two sons who were born here in Egypt before I arrived -- Ephraim and Manasseh -- I am claiming them as my own. They will be treated the same as Reuben and Simeon." And 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.
6 "But any children you have after them will be counted as yours. When it comes time to divide the land, they will receive their share under Ephraim's or Manasseh's name." And thy issue, which thou begettest after them, shall be thine, and shall be called after the name of their brethren in their inheritance.
7 "I am doing this because when I was coming back from Paddan, your mother Rachel died there on the road in Canaan. We were almost to Ephrath, and I buried her beside the road. Ephrath is the town now called Bethlehem." And as for me, when I came from Padan, 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.
Jacob Blesses Ephraim and Manasseh
Study note
Jacob's eyes are failing, so Joseph brings the boys close. Jacob kisses and embraces them, saying he never expected to see Joseph's face again, and now God has let him see Joseph's children too. Joseph places the boys carefully — Manasseh, the firstborn, at Jacob's right hand for the greater blessing, and Ephraim at his left. But Jacob deliberately crosses his arms, placing his right hand on the younger Ephraim's head. He then speaks a beautiful blessing, calling on the God who has been his shepherd all his life and the Angel who rescued him from all harm to bless these boys.
8 Then Israel noticed Joseph's sons and asked, "Who are these boys?" And Israel beheld Joseph's sons, and said, Who are these?
9 Joseph told his father, "These are my sons. God gave them to me here in Egypt." Jacob said, "Bring them closer to me so I can give them my blessing." And 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.
10 Israel's eyesight had gotten very poor because of his old age, and he could hardly see at all. So Joseph brought the boys right up to him. Jacob kissed them and wrapped his arms around them. Now 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.
11 Israel told Joseph, "I never thought I would see your face again, and now look -- God has even let me meet your children!" And Israel said unto Joseph, I had not thought to see thy face: and, lo, God hath shewed me also thy seed.
12 Joseph lifted the boys off Jacob's lap and bowed low with his face touching the ground. And Joseph brought them out from between his knees, and he bowed himself with his face to the earth.
13 Then Joseph positioned his sons carefully. He put Ephraim on his right side so the boy would be near Israel's left hand, and he put Manasseh on his left side so the boy would be near Israel's right hand. Then he brought them forward. And 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.
14 But Israel surprised everyone. He reached out and crossed his arms, placing his right hand on the head of Ephraim, the younger son, and his left hand on Manasseh's head. He did this deliberately, even though Manasseh was the firstborn. And 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.
15 Then Jacob spoke a blessing over Joseph. He said, "May the God my fathers Abraham and Isaac served faithfully -- the God who has watched over me like a shepherd my whole life --" And 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,
16 The Angel who 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. The 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.
Ephraim Receives the Greater Blessing
Study note
Joseph is upset when he sees his father's right hand on the younger son's head and tries to move it. But Jacob refuses, saying he knows what he is doing. Manasseh will also become a great people, but his younger brother Ephraim will be even greater, and his descendants will become a multitude of nations. This follows the recurring pattern in Genesis of the younger being chosen over the older — Isaac over Ishmael, Jacob over Esau, and now Ephraim over Manasseh. Jacob tells Joseph that God will be with them and will one day bring them back to the land of their fathers. He also gives Joseph one extra portion of land that he took from the Amorites.
17 When Joseph saw his father put his right hand on Ephraim's head, it bothered him. He grabbed his father's hand and tried to move it over to Manasseh's head instead. And 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.
18 Joseph said, "That is not right, Father! This one over here is the firstborn. Your right hand should go on his head." And Joseph said unto his father, Not so, my father: for this is the firstborn; put thy right hand upon his head.
19 But his father would not change his mind. He said, "I know what I am doing, my son. I know. Manasseh will become a great people too. But his younger brother will become even greater, and his descendants will grow into many nations." And 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.
20 So Jacob blessed the boys that day with these words: "When the people of Israel give a blessing, they will say, 'May God make you like Ephraim and Manasseh.'" By saying this, he placed Ephraim ahead of Manasseh in rank. And 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.
21 Then Israel said to Joseph, "I am going to die soon. But God will be with you and will one day bring you back to the land where your fathers lived." And Israel said unto Joseph, Behold, I die: but God shall be with you, and bring you again unto the land of your fathers.
22 "And I am giving you one extra piece of land beyond what your brothers will get. It is the land I took from the Amorites with my own sword and bow." Moreover 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.