Genesis 48:5

King James Version:

(The Lord speaking is red text)

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.

Complete Jewish Bible:

Now your two sons, who were born to you in the land of Egypt before I came to you in Egypt, are mine; Efrayim and M'nasheh will be as much mine as Re'uven and Shim'on are.

Berean Standard Bible:

And now your two sons born to you in Egypt before I came to you here shall be reckoned as mine; Ephraim and Manasseh shall be mine, just as Reuben and Simeon are mine.

American Standard Version:

And now thy two sons, who were born unto thee in the land of Egypt before I came unto thee into Egypt, are mine; Ephraim and Manasseh, even as Reuben and Simeon, shall be mine.

KJV with Strong’s Numbers:

And now thy two^{H8147} sons^{H1121}, Ephraim^{H669} and Manasseh^{H4519}, which were born^{H3205} unto thee in the land^{H776} of Egypt^{H4714} before^{H5704} I came^{H935} unto thee into Egypt^{H4714}, are mine; as Reuben^{H7205} and Simeon^{H8095}, they shall be mine.

Cross-References (KJV):

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Commentary for Genesis 48:5

1. **Themes:**
- **Adoption and Legacy:** Genesis 48:5 reflects the theme of adoption and the passing on of legacy. Jacob (Israel) adopts his grandsons Ephraim and Manasseh, the sons of Joseph, and treats them as his own sons. This act ensures that they will inherit a double portion of the birthright, which is typically reserved for the firstborn.
- **Blessing and Favor:** The verse also highlights the theme of blessing and favor. By adopting Ephraim and Manasseh, Jacob confers upon them the same status and blessings as his own sons, Reuben and Simeon. This is significant because it demonstrates the power of a patriarch's blessing and the importance of lineage in the biblical world.
- **Divine Providence:** The inclusion of Ephraim and Manasseh among Jacob's heirs can be seen as part of God's providential plan for the nation of Israel. It sets the stage for the future tribal structure of Israel, where Ephraim and Manasseh become prominent tribes.

2. **Historical Context:**
- **Famine in Canaan:** This event occurs during a severe famine that affected the entire region, prompting Jacob and his family to move to Egypt where Joseph, sold into slavery years earlier, had risen to a position of power.
- **Joseph's Reunion with Jacob:** The verse is set after the emotional reunion of Joseph with his father, Jacob, and the rest of his family in Egypt. Jacob is nearing the end of his life and is concerned with the distribution of blessings and inheritance among his descendants.
- **Egypt as a New Home:** At this point, the family of Jacob, the future tribes of Israel, have settled in Egypt, which will be their home for the next several generations. The adoption of Ephraim and Manasseh into the lineage foreshadows the growth of the Israelite population in Egypt, which will eventually lead to the events of the Exodus.

In summary, Genesis 48:5 is a pivotal moment in the narrative of the Israelite people, where familial ties, divine promises, and the shaping of Israel's future tribal structure converge in the act of adoption by the patriarch Jacob. This act reflects the broader themes of God's provision and the fulfillment of His promises to the patriarchs.

*This commentary is produced by Microsoft/WizardLM-2-8x22B AI model

Strong's Numbers and Definitions:

Note: H = Hebrew (OT), G = Greek (NT)

1. Strong's Number: H8147
   There are 647 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: שְׁנַיִם
   Transliteration: shᵉnayim
   Pronunciation: shen-ah'-yim
   Description: dual of שֵׁנִי; feminine שְׁתַּיִם; two; also (as ordinal) twofold; both, couple, double, second, twain, [phrase] twelfth, [phrase] twelve, [phrase] twenty (sixscore) thousand, twice, two.
   
2. Strong's Number: H1121
   There are 3654 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: בֵּן
   Transliteration: bên
   Pronunciation: bane
   Description: from בָּנָה; 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.); [phrase] afflicted, age, (Ahoh-) (Ammon-) (Hachmon-) (Lev-) ite, (anoint-) ed one, appointed to, ([phrase]) arrow, (Assyr-) (Babylon-) (Egypt-) (Grec-) ian, one born, bough, branch, breed, [phrase] (young) bullock, [phrase] (young) calf, [idiom] came up in, child, colt, [idiom] common, [idiom] corn, daughter, [idiom] of first, [phrase] firstborn, foal, [phrase] very fruitful, [phrase] postage, [idiom] in, [phrase] kid, [phrase] lamb, ([phrase]) man, meet, [phrase] mighty, [phrase] nephew, old, ([phrase]) people, [phrase] rebel, [phrase] robber, [idiom] servant born, [idiom] soldier, son, [phrase] spark, [phrase] steward, [phrase] stranger, [idiom] surely, them of, [phrase] tumultuous one, [phrase] valiant(-est), whelp, worthy, young (one), youth.
   
3. Strong's Number: H669
   There are 313 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: אֶפְרַיִם
   Transliteration: ʼEphrayim
   Pronunciation: ef-rah'-yim
   Description: dual of masculine form of אֶפְרָת; double fruit; Ephrajim, a son of Joseph; also the tribe descended from him, and its territory; Ephraim, Ephraimites.
   
4. Strong's Number: H4519
   There are 133 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: מְנַשֶּׁה
   Transliteration: Mᵉnashsheh
   Pronunciation: men-ash-sheh'
   Description: from נָשָׁה; causing to forget; Menashsheh, a grandson of Jacob, also the tribe descended from him, and its territory; Manasseh.
   
5. Strong's Number: H3205
   There are 403 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: יָלַד
   Transliteration: yâlad
   Pronunciation: yaw-lad'
   Description: a primitive root; to bear young; causatively, to beget; medically, to act as midwife; specifically, to show lineage; bear, beget, birth(-day), born, (make to) bring forth (children, young), bring up, calve, child, come, be delivered (of a child), time of delivery, gender, hatch, labour, (do the office of a) midwife, declare pedigrees, be the son of, (woman in, woman that) travail(-eth, -ing woman).
   
6. Strong's Number: H776
   There are 2739 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: אֶרֶץ
   Transliteration: ʼerets
   Pronunciation: eh'-rets
   Description: from an unused root probably meaning to be firm; the earth (at large, or partitively a land); [idiom] common, country, earth, field, ground, land, [idiom] natins, way, [phrase] wilderness, world.
   
7. Strong's Number: H4714
   There are 602 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: מִצְרַיִם
   Transliteration: Mitsrayim
   Pronunciation: mits-rah'-yim
   Description: dual of מָצוֹר; Mitsrajim, i.e. Upper and Lower Egypt; Egypt, Egyptians, Mizraim.
   
8. Strong's Number: H5704
   There are 97 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: עַד
   Transliteration: ʻad
   Pronunciation: ad
   Description: properly, the same as עַד (used as a preposition, adverb or conjunction; especially with a preposition); as far (or long, or much) as, whether of space (even unto) or time (during, while, until) or degree (equally with); against, and, as, at, before, by (that), even (to), for(-asmuch as), (hither-) to, [phrase] how long, into, as long (much) as, (so) that, till, toward, until, when, while, ([phrase] as) yet.
   
9. Strong's Number: H935
   There are 2307 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: בּוֹא
   Transliteration: bôwʼ
   Pronunciation: bo
   Description: a primitive root; to go or come (in a wide variety of applications); abide, apply, attain, [idiom] be, befall, [phrase] besiege, bring (forth, in, into, to pass), call, carry, [idiom] certainly, (cause, let, thing for) to come (against, in, out, upon, to pass), depart, [idiom] doubtless again, [phrase] eat, [phrase] employ, (cause to) enter (in, into, -tering, -trance, -try), be fallen, fetch, [phrase] follow, get, give, go (down, in, to war), grant, [phrase] have, [idiom] indeed, (in-) vade, lead, lift (up), mention, pull in, put, resort, run (down), send, set, [idiom] (well) stricken (in age), [idiom] surely, take (in), way.
   
10. Strong's Number: H7205
    There are 68 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: רְאוּבֵן
    Transliteration: Rᵉʼûwbên
    Pronunciation: reh-oo-bane'
    Description: from the imperative of רָאָה and בֵּן; see ye a son; Reuben, a son of Jacob; Reuben.
    
11. Strong's Number: H8095
    There are 39 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: שִׁמְעוֹן
    Transliteration: Shimʻôwn
    Pronunciation: shim-one'
    Description: from שָׁמַע; hearing; Shimon, one of Jacob's sons, also the tribe descended from him; Simeon.