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Commentary on Genesis 48 verses 8–22
Here is, I. The blessing with which Jacob blessed the two sons of Joseph, which is the more remarkable because the apostle makes such particular mention of it (Heb 11:21), while he says nothing of the blessing which Jacob pronounced on the rest of his sons, though that also was done in faith. Observe here,
1.Jacob was blind for age, Gen 48:10. It is one of the common infirmities of old age. Those that look out at the windows are darkened, Ecc 12:3. It is folly to walk in the sight of our eyes, and to suffer our hearts to go after them, while we know death will shortly close them, and we do not know but some accident between us and death may darken them. Jacob, like his father before him, when he was old, was dim-sighted. Note, (1.) Those that have the honour of age must therewith be content to take the burden of it. (2.) The eye of faith may be very clear even when the eye of the body is very much clouded.
2.Jacob was very fond of Joseph's sons: He kissed them and embraced them, Gen 48:10. It is common for old people to have a very particular affection for their grand-children, perhaps more than they had for their own children when they were little, which Solomon gives a reason for (Pro 17:6), Children's children are the crown of old men. With what satisfaction does Jacob say here (Gen 48:11), I had not thought to see thy face (having many years given him up for lost), and, lo, God has shown me also thy seed! See here, (1.) How these two good men own God in their comforts. Joseph says (Gen 48:9), They are my sons whom God has given me, and, to magnify the favour, he adds, "In this place of my banishment, slavery, and imprisonment." Jacob says here, God has shown me thy seed. Our comforts are then doubly sweet to us when we see them coming from God's hand. (2.) How often God, in his merciful providences, outdoes our expectations, and thus greatly magnifies his favours. He not only prevents our fears, but exceeds our hopes. We may apply this to the promise which is made to us and to our children. We could not have thought that we should have been taken into covenant with God ourselves, considering how guilty and corrupt we are; and yet, lo, he has shown us our seed also in covenant with him.
3.Before he entails his blessing, he recounts his experiences of God's goodness to him. He had spoken (Gen 48:3) of God's appearing to him. The particular visits of his grace, and the special communion we have sometimes had with him, ought never to be forgotten. But (Gen 48:15, Gen 48:16) he mentions the constant care which the divine Providence had taken of him all his days. (1.) He had fed him all his life long unto this day, Gen 48:15. Note, As long as we have lived in this world we have had continual experience of God's goodness to us, in providing for the support of our natural life. Our bodies have called for daily food, and no little has gone to feed us, yet we have never wanted food convenient. He that has fed us all our life long surely will not fail us at last. (2.) He had by his angel redeemed him from all evil, Gen 48:16. A great deal of hardship he had known in his time, but God had graciously kept him from the evil of his troubles. Now that he was dying he looked upon himself as redeemed from all evil, and bidding an everlasting farewell to sin and sorrow. Christ, the Angel of the covenant, is he that redeems us from all evil, Ti2 4:18. Note, [1.] It becomes the servants of God, when they are old and dying, to witness for our God that they have found him gracious. [2.] Our experiences of God's goodness to us are improvable, both for the encouragement of others to serve God, and for encouragement to us in blessing them and praying for them.
4.When he confers the blessing and name of Abraham and Isaac upon them he recommends the pattern and example of Abraham and Isaac to them, Gen 48:15. He calls God the God before whom his fathers Abraham and Isaac walked, that is, in whom they believed, whom they observed and obeyed, and with whom they kept up communion in instituted ordinances, according to the condition of the covenant. Walk before me, Gen 17:1. Note, (1.) Those that would inherit the blessing of their godly ancestors, and have the benefit of God's covenant with them, must tread in the steps of their piety. (2.) It should recommend religion and the service of God to us that God was the God of our fathers, and that they had satisfaction in walking before him.
5.In blessing them, he crossed hands. Joseph placed them so as that Jacob's right hand should be put on the head of Manasseh the elder, Gen 48:12, Gen 48:13. But Jacob would put it on the head of Ephraim the younger, Gen 48:14. This displeased Joseph, who was willing to support the reputation of his first-born, and would therefore have removed his father's hands, Gen 48:17, Gen 48:18. But Jacob gave him to understand that he know what he did, and that he did it not by mistake, nor in a humour, nor from a partial affection to one more than the other, but from a spirit of prophecy, and in compliance with the divine counsels. Manasseh should be great, but truly Ephraim should be greater. When the tribes were mustered in the wilderness, Ephraim was more numerous than Manasseh, and had the standard of that squadron (Num 1:32, Num 1:33, Num 1:35; Num 2:18, Num 2:20), and is named first, Psa 80:2. Joshua was of that tribe, so was Jeroboam. The tribe of Manasseh was divided, one half on one side Jordan, the other half on the other side, which made it the less powerful and considerable. In the foresight of this, Jacob crossed hands. Note. (1.) God, in bestowing his blessings upon his people, gives more to some than to others, more gifts, graces, and comforts, and more of the good things of this life. (2.) He often gives most to those that are least likely. He chooses the weak things of the world; raises the poor out of the dust. Grace observes not the order of nature, nor does God prefer those whom we think fittest to be preferred, but as it pleases him. It is observable how often God, by the distinguishing favours of his covenant, advanced the younger above the elder, Abel above Cain, Shem above Japheth, Abraham above Nahor and Haran, Isaac above Ishmael, Jacob above Esau; Judah and Joseph were preferred before Reuben, Moses before Aaron, David and Solomon before their elder brethren. See Sa1 16:7. He tied the Jews to observe the birthright (Deu 21:17), but he never tied himself to observe it. Some make this typical of the preference given to the Gentiles above the Jews; the Gentile converts were much more numerous than those of the Jews. See Gal 4:27. Thus free grace becomes more illustrious.
II. The particular tokens of his favour to Joseph. 1. He left with him the promise of their return out of Egypt, as a sacred trust: I die, but God shall be with you, and bring you again, Gen 48:21. Accordingly, Joseph, when he died, left it with his brethren, Gen 50:24. This assurance was given them, and carefully preserved among them, that they might neither love Egypt too much when it favoured them, nor fear it too much when it frowned upon them. These words of Jacob furnish us with comfort in reference to the death of our friends: They die; but God shall be with us, and his gracious presence is sufficient to make up the loss: they leave us, but he will never fail us. Further, He will bring us to the land of our fathers, the heavenly Canaan, whither our godly fathers have gone before us. If God be with us while we stay behind in this world, and will receive us shortly to be with those that have gone before to a better world, we ought not to sorrow as those that have no hope. 2. He bestowed one portion upon him above his brethren, Gen 48:22. The lands bequeathed are described to be those which he took out of the hand of the Amorite with his sword, and with his bow. He purchased them first (Jos 24:32), and, it seems, was afterwards disseized of them by the Amorites, but retook them by the sword, repelling force by force, and recovering his right by violence when he could not otherwise recover it. These lands he settled upon Joseph; mention is made of this grant, Joh 4:5. Pursuant to it, this parcel of ground was given to the tribe of Ephraim as their right, and the lot was never cast upon it; and in it Joseph's bones were buried, which perhaps Jacob had an eye to as much as to any thing in this settlement. Note, It may sometimes be both just and prudent to give some children portions above the rest; but a grave is that which we can most count upon as our own in this earth.
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SUMMARY
Genesis 48:18 captures a pivotal moment when Joseph, observing his aging father Jacob's unconventional blessing of his sons, respectfully intervenes. Joseph attempts to correct Jacob, believing he has mistakenly placed the primary blessing, symbolized by the right hand, upon the younger son Ephraim instead of the traditional firstborn, Manasseh. This exchange underscores the tension between human expectation and divine sovereignty, setting the stage for Jacob's prophetic declaration that defies established custom and reveals God's unique plan for the tribes of Israel.
CONTEXT
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
The passage employs several significant literary devices. Symbolism is prominent, most notably with the "right hand" (yâmîyn), which throughout Scripture consistently symbolizes power, authority, and the superior blessing. Jacob's deliberate crossing of his hands and Joseph's insistence on the "right hand" for the firstborn highlight its crucial symbolic weight in the transfer of patriarchal blessing. There is also Foreshadowing, as Jacob's unconventional choice here anticipates the recurring biblical theme of God choosing the unexpected or the younger over the elder, a pattern seen throughout Israel's history (e.g., David over his older brothers, Solomon over Adonijah). Furthermore, the scene presents a subtle Irony: Joseph, who himself was elevated by God despite being a younger son and sold into slavery, now advocates for the traditional birthright, unaware that Jacob's actions are guided by a divine wisdom that transcends human custom, mirroring God's own unconventional choices.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
This passage powerfully illustrates God's sovereign freedom to choose and bless according to His own will, often subverting human norms and expectations, such as the established order of birthright. Joseph's well-intentioned intervention, rooted in cultural custom, is met with Jacob's divinely inspired counter-action, revealing that God's ways are higher than human ways, and His blessings are bestowed based on His perfect wisdom, not human logic or perceived entitlements. This sets a significant precedent for understanding divine election and the nature of God's grace throughout salvation history.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Genesis 48:18 offers a profound lesson on the interplay between human custom, personal expectation, and divine will. Joseph's respectful yet firm intervention highlights our natural inclination to operate within established norms and what appears logically "right." However, Jacob's subsequent, divinely guided action reminds us that God's ultimate plan often transcends and even subverts our human frameworks. This passage calls us to cultivate a posture of humility and trust in God's supreme wisdom, recognizing that His choices are not limited by our expectations, our traditions, or what seems "fair" according to human logic. Just as Jacob's blessing of Ephraim defied conventional wisdom but fulfilled God's sovereign purpose, we too must learn to embrace and trust God's providence, even when His path deviates from our understanding. This requires a willingness to surrender our plans and preferences to His perfect will, knowing that His blessings are sovereignly bestowed for His greater glory and our ultimate good, often in ways we could never anticipate.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Why did Jacob choose the younger son, Ephraim, over the firstborn, Manasseh?
Answer: Jacob's decision to place his right hand, symbolizing the primary blessing, on Ephraim rather than Manasseh was not an error or a sign of senility, nor was it a mere arbitrary choice. Genesis 48:19 explicitly states that Jacob knew what he was doing, prophesying that "his younger brother shall be greater than he, and his seed shall become a multitude of nations." This act demonstrates God's sovereignty over human custom and His freedom to choose whom He wills, often elevating the unexpected or the "lesser" to fulfill His purposes. This pattern is seen throughout biblical history, from Abel and Cain to David and beyond, and it underscores that God's blessings are not bound by human systems of merit or birth order but by His divine wisdom and purpose.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
The narrative of Jacob choosing the younger Ephraim over the elder Manasseh, despite human custom and Joseph's protest, powerfully prefigures God's consistent pattern of choosing the unexpected, the "lesser," or those outside the conventional order to fulfill His redemptive purposes. This finds its ultimate and most profound fulfillment in Christ. Jesus, though the eternal Son of God, came in humble circumstances, born not into a royal palace but a manger, and was rejected by the religious establishment of His day, who expected a different kind of Messiah (John 1:10-11). Yet, through His sacrificial death and resurrection, He became the "firstborn among many brethren" (Romans 8:29) and the source of true blessing for all nations, not just Israel (Galatians 3:8). God's favor is extended through Him not based on human merit, birthright, or adherence to tradition, but on His sovereign grace, making the last first and the humble exalted (Matthew 19:30). Just as Ephraim was exalted over Manasseh by divine decree, so too is God's kingdom built upon those whom the world might deem insignificant, yet who are chosen and empowered by His sovereign hand, culminating in the preeminence of Christ, the true and ultimate "firstborn" over all creation (Colossians 1:15-18).