Genesis 48:7-207And 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 Bethlehem. 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 showed 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. (Genesis 48:7‑20)
Jacob’s strength was failing fast, but he found a special pleasure in having a visit alone with Joseph before calling the other sons. Furthermore, he resolutely applied himself to bestowing his special favors on this “son of his love,” as well as to Ephraim and Manasseh. And he said, “Bring them, I pray thee, unto me, and I will bless them.” verse 9. Joseph brought them forward in such a manner that Manasseh, his eldest, would be under his father’s right hand, and Ephraim under his left. For in the manner of pronouncing a blessing it was important that the right hand rest upon the head of the elder who had the first place. But see what took place!
“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.” verse 14. In this position the blessings were pronounced: “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, 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.” vv. 15,16. Joseph was displeased to see this apparent error on his father’s part and sought to correct the position of his hands over the boys’ heads. But “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. 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.” vv. 19,20.
Such was this affecting and instructive incident: Jacob clear, where Isaac had been dim; Jacob clearer than Joseph, who had beyond other men been given of God insight into divine things. How deep the self-judgment Israel must have passed through as he remembered the blessing he had once stolen by his own guile. Could not, would not, the Lord have somehow to His own glory without His servant’s shame, have crossed Isaac’s hands to make good His word of promise to Jacob? How sad not to have trusted Him! But Jacob was deceitful no more; he even steadfastly opposed the will of his beloved Joseph, in subjection to God who surely directed him. What a change through grace!
“The God which fed me all my life... which redeemed me from all evil.” Israel thus expressed as never before, that he owed all things to God. But there was more than that here. God’s sovereignty was displayed in this disposition of the future of the sons, as well as the nation of Israel that should follow them. Israel may not have realized it, but he was but the vessel through whom God foretold what His sovereign will had established from the beginning. Joseph was to have the double portion; Judah to precede the line of royalty leading to the Messiah Himself; and Levi to be the forerunner of the priesthood, all in accordance with God’s own designs.
ML 01/14/1968