TRV
Translation
King James Version
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.
World English Bible Messianic
Now your two sons, who were born to you in the land of Egypt before I came to you into Egypt, are mine; Ephraim and Manasseh, even as Reuben and Simeon, will be mine.
Geneva Bible (1599)
And now thy two sonnes, Manasseh and Ephraim, which are borne vnto thee in the lande of Egypt, before I came to thee into Egypt, shall be mine, as Reuben and Simeon are mine.
Young's Literal Translation
`And now, thy two sons, who are born to thee in the land of Egypt, before my coming unto thee to Egypt, mine they are ; Ephraim and Manasseh, as Reuben and Simeon they are mine;
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Commentary on Genesis 48 verses 1–7
1 ¶ And it came to pass after these things, that one told Joseph, Behold, thy father is sick: and he took with him his two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim.
2 And one told Jacob, and said, Behold, thy son Joseph cometh unto thee: and Israel strengthened himself, and sat upon the bed.
3 And Jacob said unto Joseph, God Almighty appeared unto me at Luz in the land of Canaan, and blessed me,
4 And said unto me, Behold, I will make thee fruitful, and multiply thee, and I will make of thee a multitude of people; and will give this land to thy seed after thee for an everlasting possession.
5 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.
6 And thy issue, which thou begettest after them, shall be thine, and shall be called after the name of their brethren in their inheritance.
7 And 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.
Here, I. Joseph, upon notice of his father's illness, goes to see him; though a man of honour and business, yet he will not fail to show this due respect to his aged father, Gen 48:1. Visiting the sick, to whom we lie under obligations, or may have opportunity of doing good, either for body or soul, is our duty. The sick bed is a proper place both for giving comfort and counsel to others and receiving instruction ourselves. Joseph took his two sons with him, that they might receive their dying grandfather's blessing, and that what they might see in him, and hear from him, might make an abiding impression upon them. Note, 1. It is good to acquaint young people that are coming into the world with the aged servants of God that are going out of it, whose dying testimony to the goodness of God, and the pleasantness of wisdom's ways, may be a great encouragement to the rising generation. Manasseh and Ephraim (I dare say) would never forget what passed at this time. 2. Pious parents are desirous of a blessing, not only for themselves, but for their children. "O that they may live before God!" Joseph had been, above all his brethren, kind to his father, and therefore had reason to expect particular favour from him.
II. Jacob, upon notice of his son's visit, prepared himself as well as he could to entertain him, Gen 48:2. He did what he could to rouse his spirits, and to stir up the gift that was in him; what little was lift of bodily strength he put forth to the utmost, and sat upon the bed. Note, It is very good for sick and aged people to be as lively and cheerful as they can, that they may not faint in the day of adversity. Strengthen thyself, as Jacob here, and God will strengthen thee; hearten thyself and help thyself, and God will help and hearten thee. Let the spirit sustain the infirmity.
III. In recompence to Joseph for all his attentions to him, he adopted his two sons. In this charter of adoption there is, 1. A particular recital of God's promise to him, to which this had reference: "God blessed me (Gen 48:3), and let that blessing be entailed upon them." God had promised him two things, a numerous issue, and Canaan for an inheritance (Gen 48:4); and Joseph's sons, pursuant hereunto, should each of them multiply into a tribe, and each of them have a distinct lot in Canaan, equal with Jacob's own sons. See how he blessed them by faith in that which God had said to him, Heb 11:21. Note, In all our prayers, both for ourselves and for our children, we ought to have a particular eye to, and remembrance of, God's promises to us. 2. An express reception of Joseph's sons into his family: "Thy sons are mine (Gen 48:5), not only my grandchildren, but as my own children." Though they were born in Egypt, and their father was then separated from his brethren, which might seem to have cut them off from the heritage of the Lord, yet Jacob takes them in, and owns them for visible church members. He explains this at Gen 48:16, Let my name be named upon them, and the name of my fathers; as if he had said, "Let them not succeed their father in his power and grandeur here in Egypt, but let them succeed me in the inheritance of the promise made to Abraham," which Jacob looked upon as much more valuable and honourable, and would have them to prize and covet accordingly. Thus the aged dying patriarch teaches these young persons, now that they were of age (being about twenty-one years old), not to look upon Egypt as their home, nor to incorporate themselves with the Egyptians, but to take their lot with the people of God, as Moses afterwards in the like temptation, Heb 11:24-26. And because it would be a piece of self-denial in them, who stood so fair for preferment in Egypt, to adhere to the despised Hebrews, to encourage them he constitutes each of them the head of a tribe. Note, Those are worthy of double honour who, through God's grace, break through the temptations of worldly wealth and preferment, to embrace religion in disgrace and poverty. Jacob will have Ephraim and Manasseh to believe that it is better to be low and in the church than high and out of it, to be called by the name of poor Jacob than to be called by the name of rich Joseph. 3. A proviso inserted concerning the children he might afterwards have; they should not be accounted heads of tribes, as Ephraim and Manasseh were, but should fall in with either the one or the other of their brethren, Gen 48:6. It does not appear that Joseph had any more children; however, it was Jacob's prudence to give this direction, for the preventing of contest and mismanagement. Note, In making settlements, it is good to take advice, and to provide for what may happen, while we cannot foresee what will happen. Our prudence must attend God's providence. 4. Mention is made of the death and burial of Rachel, Joseph's mother, and Jacob's best beloved wife (Gen 48:7), referring to that story, Gen 35:19. Note, (1.) When we come to die ourselves, it is good to call to mind the death of our dear relations and friends, that have gone before us, to make death and the grave the more familiar to us. See Num 27:13. Those that were to us as our own souls are dead and buried; and shall we think it much to follow them in the same path? (2.) The removal of dear relations from us is an affliction the remembrance of which cannot but abide with us a great while. Strong affections in the enjoyment cause long afflictions in the loss.
Matthew Henry (1662–1714) — Commentary on the Whole Bible. This section covers verses 1–7. Public domain.
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Hippolytus of RomeAD 235
ON THE BLESSINGS OF ISAAC AND JACOB 11
This clearly shows [that Jacob makes Ephraim and Manasseh his own]. Since Jacob had twelve sons, to whom the twelve tribes owed their existence, he distributed the two sons of Joseph into two tribes; and so the tribes became thirteen as the tribe of Joseph was divided between his two sons. And therefore Paul himself, the apostle, was related to these events. After being chosen among the tribes, he was counted the thirteenth after the apostles, and so he was sent to the Gentiles as apostle.
Ambrose of MilanAD 397
THE PATRIARCHS 1.2
Joseph was eager to receive the blessing (Gen. XLVIII, 1 et seq.). Finally, he presented his sons Manasseh and Ephraim, whom Jacob blessed. And because he had twelve sons, and the thirteenth was to be the apostle Paul, as if a later chosen one, the thirteenth Tribes of Manasseh and Ephraim were sanctified in both, so that Paul would not be found outside the number of the paternal Tribes, who was an outstanding preacher of the Old and New Testament and could easily prove his inheritance of the paternal blessing.
JeromeAD 420
Hebrew Questions on Genesis
(Verse 5.) And now behold, your two sons, who were born to you in the land of Egypt before I came to you in Egypt, are mine, Ephraim and Manasseh, just as Reuben and Simeon shall be mine. But any children born to you after them shall be yours. They shall be called by the names of their brothers. If anyone doubted that seventy persons, the children of Israel, had entered Egypt, and that at the time when Jacob entered Joseph had not nine but only two sons, this is confirmed in the present chapter. Indeed, Jacob himself speaks, saying that he had two sons, not nine. And what he says, 'Ephraim and Manasseh shall be mine, just as Reuben and Simeon,' that means, just as Reuben and Simeon were two tribes and were called by their own names, so Ephraim and Manasseh shall be two tribes, and they shall produce two peoples, and thus they shall inherit the land of promise, just like my sons. But the remaining sons, he says, whom you will bear after my death, showing that they were not yet born at that time, shall be yours.
Cyril of AlexandriaAD 444
GLAPHYRA ON GENESIS, 6.2
And we the last became the first through faith, and the nation of the Gentiles inherited the glory of the firstborn. They obtained that honor through obedience and faith. And Christ himself testified about them by saying, “A people whom I did not know served me, with their ear’s hearing they obeyed me.” Even though we were born from a mother of different kinds, since the church was called among different nations, Christ is sufficient for us as a mediator, who unites us to God the Father, and ascribes some to the lot of the saints, and gives them the right glory and declares us to be a holy generation. But see how through Jacob’s love for Joseph he placed the sons of Joseph among his own sons. And so we are also beloved in Christ, and after we were born again through him in a spiritual generation, we are received by the Father, as I have already said, and added to the saints who preceded us. In fact, if we have been called children of God the Father, we also must be under the power and control of the one who led us and united us to him, that is, Christ. See how the holy Jacob received Ephraim and Manasseh among his own sons: “As for the offspring born to you after them, they will be yours.” You understand now that even though we are called children of God, nonetheless we will be children of Christ. And this is, I believe, what he says to the Father in another passage: “Those whom you gave me from the world were yours, and you gave them to me, and I have been glorified in them.”
Source: Quotations drawn from early Church Fathers and historical Christian theologians (AD 100–1500). Some quotes address the surrounding passage context rather than this verse alone.
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SUMMARY
Genesis 48:5 records Jacob's profound and legally binding declaration to Joseph, formally adopting his two grandsons, Ephraim and Manasseh, as his own sons. This pivotal act elevated them to the status of his direct children, placing them on par with Reuben and Simeon, and thereby granting Joseph a double portion of the inheritance within the burgeoning nation of Israel, significantly shaping the future tribal structure and land allotments.
CONTEXT
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
The verse employs Repetition ("are mine; as Reuben and Simeon, they shall be mine") to emphasize the certainty and legal finality of Jacob's declaration. This rhetorical device underscores the significance of the adoption, leaving no doubt about the elevated status of Ephraim and Manasseh. There is also a strong element of Foreshadowing, as this adoption sets the stage for the future tribal divisions of Israel, where Joseph's descendants will indeed form two prominent tribes, fulfilling the "double portion" concept. Furthermore, the act itself is Symbolic of the transfer of patriarchal authority and the reordering of inheritance based on divine will rather than strict primogeniture, a recurring motif in the Genesis narrative that highlights God's sovereign choice.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Jacob's adoption of Ephraim and Manasseh is a profound act that resonates with several enduring theological themes. It demonstrates God's unwavering commitment to His covenant promises, particularly the promise of a numerous offspring to Abraham (Genesis 12:2), even as the family sojourns in a foreign land. This act ensures the expansion and diversification of Jacob's lineage, laying the groundwork for the twelve tribes of Israel. It also highlights the principle of divine sovereignty, where God works through human decisions and circumstances—even the hardships of Joseph—to accomplish His redemptive plan, ensuring the preservation and growth of His chosen people. The deliberate reordering of primogeniture, granting Joseph a double portion through his sons, underscores God's grace and election, often choosing the unexpected or the younger to fulfill His purposes, a pattern seen throughout biblical history.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
The narrative of Jacob adopting Ephraim and Manasseh offers profound spiritual insights for believers today. It powerfully illustrates God's faithfulness to His covenant promises, demonstrating that His plans are not thwarted by human circumstances or geographical location. Just as Ephraim and Manasseh, born in Egypt, were fully integrated into the covenant family and given a full inheritance, so too are believers, regardless of their background or past, adopted into God's family through faith in Christ. This adoption grants us a new identity, a secure place in God's household, and an eternal inheritance that is far greater than any earthly portion. This passage encourages us to embrace our spiritual adoption, to live as true children of God, and to faithfully steward the spiritual legacy passed down through generations of faith, ensuring that the truth of the Gospel continues to bless future generations.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Why did Jacob adopt Ephraim and Manasseh as his own sons, rather than simply blessing them as grandsons?
Answer: Jacob's adoption of Ephraim and Manasseh was a strategic and deeply symbolic act primarily intended to grant Joseph a "double portion" of the inheritance among his brothers. In ancient Near Eastern customs, the firstborn typically received a double share of the family's estate. However, Reuben, Jacob's actual firstborn by Leah, had forfeited his birthright due to his transgression with Bilhah (Genesis 35:22). By adopting Joseph's two sons and elevating them to the status of his direct children, Jacob effectively ensured that Joseph, his beloved son by Rachel, would receive two tribal allotments in the Promised Land, rather than just one. This meant that Joseph's descendants would form two distinct tribes (Ephraim and Manasseh), thereby granting him the preeminence and expanded inheritance that would have belonged to the firstborn, and ensuring his prominent place within the future nation of Israel. This act also prevented Joseph's lineage from being absorbed into a single tribal entity, further emphasizing his unique contribution and faithfulness.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
While Jacob's adoption of Ephraim and Manasseh in Genesis 48:5 was a physical and legal act within the patriarchal lineage, it beautifully foreshadows the spiritual adoption that is central to the New Covenant. Just as these grandsons, born in a foreign land, were fully brought into Jacob's family and granted full inheritance rights as if they were his direct sons, so too are all who trust in Jesus Christ adopted into God's family. Through faith in Christ, we are no longer strangers or foreigners but fellow citizens with the saints and members of God's household (Ephesians 2:19). This divine adoption grants believers, both Jew and Gentile, the full rights and privileges of sonship, making us co-heirs with Christ (Romans 8:17) and enabling us to cry out, "Abba, Father!" (Romans 8:15 and Galatians 4:5-7). This ultimate fulfillment in Christ transcends physical lineage, demonstrating God's boundless grace in bringing all nations into the spiritual family promised to Abraham through his greater Seed, Jesus Christ.