Genesis 48

Genesis 48:1

10. Jacob’s Blessing of Joseph’s Sons (Chap. 48)48:1-7 When Joseph was told that his father was sick, he hurried to his bedside with Ephraim and Manasseh. The dying patriarch sat up on the bed and adopted his two grandsons as his own. By doing this he arranged that the tribe of Joseph would receive a double portion of the land of Canaan when it would be divided among the tribes years later. Joseph thus received the birthright as far as territory was concerned. Any offspring born to Joseph after them would be Joseph’s, not Jacob’s, and would dwell in the territories allotted to Ephraim or Manasseh. Verse 7 explains why Jacob wanted to adopt Joseph’s sons as his own. They were his grandsons by his beloved wife, Rachel, who he felt had died so prematurely. 48:8-22 Then Jacob blessed the grandsons, giving the birthright to Ephraim, who was the younger. Joseph tried to correct this in favor of Manasseh, the firstborn, but Jacob said that he had done this intentionally. What memories must have gone through his mind as he, by faith, gave the blessing to the younger. Years earlier his own father had unknowingly blessed him, the younger. But now he was blessing the younger, not through ignorance, but because he was in touch with the God who holds the future. Israel had faith that his descendants would one day return to the Promised land. Jacob gave Joseph a mountain slope which he captured from the Amorites. Perhaps this refers to the area containing the well that came to be known as “Jacob’s well” (Joh_4:5).