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Jacob Becomes an Old Man
Genesis 47:27 So Israel dwelt in the land of Egypt, in the country of Goshen; and they had possessions there and grew and multiplied exceedingly.
Genesis 47:28 And Jacob lived in the land of Egypt seventeen years. So the length of Jacob’s life was one hundred and forty-seven years.
Genesis 47:29 When the time drew near that Israel must die, he called his son Joseph and said to him, “Now if I have found favor in your sight, please put your hand under my thigh, and deal kindly and truly with me. Please do not bury me in Egypt,
Genesis 47:30 but let me lie with my fathers; you shall carry me out of Egypt and bury me in their burial place.” And he said, “I will do as you have said.”
Genesis 47:31 Then he said, “Swear to me.” And he swore to him. So Israel bowed himself on the head of the bed.
Jacob’s Blessing of Joseph’s Sons
Genesis 48:1 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.
Genesis 48:2 And Jacob was told, “Look, your son Joseph is coming to you”; and Israel strengthened himself and sat up on the bed.
Genesis 48:3 Then Jacob said to Joseph: “God Almighty appeared to me at Luz in the land of Canaan and blessed me, :4 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.’
Genesis 48:5 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. :6 Your offspring whom you beget after them shall be yours; they will be called by the name of their brothers in their inheritance.:7 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).”
After summarizing God’s affirmation of the Abrahamic Covenant to himself, Jacob/Israel, in gratitude for Joseph’s great generosity and preservation of God’s people, formally proclaimed adoption of Joseph’s sons on a par with Joseph’s brothers in their inheritance, thus granting to Rachel’s two sons (Joseph and Benjamin) 3 tribal territories in the Land (cf. v. 16). This may explain why the new name, Israel, was used throughout the rest of the chapter.
Genesis 48:8 Then Israel saw Joseph’s sons, and said, “Who are these?”
Blind Jacob asked for identification of Joseph’s sons before he would pronounce their blessings. Perhaps, at this point, he recollected the time of blessing before his own father and the trick played on blind Isaac (27:1–29).
Genesis 48:9 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.”
Genesis 48:10 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.
Genesis 48:11 And Israel said to Joseph, “I had not thought to see your face; but in fact, God has also shown me your offspring!”
Genesis 48:12 So Joseph brought them from beside his knees, and he bowed down with his face to the earth.
Genesis 48:13 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.
Genesis 48:14 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.
Intentionally crossing his hands, Jacob altered what Joseph expected to happen and placed his right hand on the youngest, not on the firstborn.
When Joseph attempted to correct Jacob’s mistake (vv. 17, 18), he learned that Jacob knew exactly what he was doing (vv. 19, 20).
The patriarchal blessing took on prophetic significance with such action and words, since Ephraim would be the most influential of the two to the extent that Ephraim would become a substitute name for Israel.
Genesis 48:15 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,
With hands on the sons’ heads, Jacob uttered the prayer-wish for Joseph, which indicated by his wording that these two would be taking his son’s place under Abraham and Isaac.
Genesis 48:16 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.”
This is the first mention of God as redeemer, deliverer, or Savior.
Genesis 48:17 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.
Genesis 48:18 And Joseph said to his father, “Not so, my father, for this one is the firstborn; put your right hand on his head.”
Genesis 48:19 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.”
Ephraim did indeed become the dominant tribe of the 10 northern tribes, eventually being used as the national designate for the 10 tribes in the prophets (Is 7:2, 5, 9, 17; Hos 9:3–16).
Genesis 48:20 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.
Genesis 48:21 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.
Dying Jacob gave voice to his undying trust in God’s taking his descendants back to Canaan.
Genesis 48:22 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.”
Jacob’s history does not record any conquest of Amorite land. He did purchase property from the children of Hamor (Ge 33:19) but that was not by conquest. At some time this military event had actually occurred, but for some unknown reason it finds no other mention in God’s revelation.
Jacob’s Prophecy Concerning His Sons
Genesis 49:1 And Jacob called his sons and said, “Gather together, that I may tell you what shall befall you in the last days: :2 “Gather together and hear, you sons of Jacob, And listen to Israel your father.
Macdonald, Farstad Grady Scott, Hindson, E. MacArthur, J. F., Jr. (2006).
