Jacob Blesses Manasseh and Ephraim
Genesis 48:8-20 NLT
Jacob Blesses Manasseh and Ephraim
8 Then Jacob looked over at the two boys. “Are these your sons?” he asked.
9 “Yes,” Joseph told him, “these are the sons God has given me here in Egypt.”
And Jacob said, “Bring them closer to me, so I can bless them.”,br>10 Jacob was half blind because of his age and could hardly see. So Joseph brought the boys close to him, and Jacob kissed and embraced them. 11 Then Jacob said to Joseph, “I never thought I would see your face again, but now God has let me see your children, too!”
12 Joseph moved the boys, who were at their grandfather’s knees, and he bowed with his face to the ground. 13 Then he positioned the boys in front of Jacob. With his right hand he directed Ephraim toward Jacob’s left hand, and with his left hand he put Manasseh at Jacob’s right hand. 14 But Jacob crossed his arms as he reached out to lay his hands on the boys’ heads. He put his right hand on the head of Ephraim, though he was the younger boy, and his left hand on the head of Manasseh, though he was the firstborn. 15 Then he blessed Joseph and said,
“May the God before whom my grandfather Abraham
and my father, Isaac, walked—
the God who has been my shepherd
all my life, to this very day,
16 the Angel who has redeemed me from all harm—
may he bless these boys.
May they preserve my name
and the names of Abraham and Isaac.
And may their descendants multiply greatly
throughout the earth.”
17 But Joseph was upset when he saw that his father placed his right hand on Ephraim’s head. So Joseph lifted it to move it from Ephraim’s head to Manasseh’s head. 18 “No, my father,” he said. “This one is the firstborn. Put your right hand on his head.”
19 But his father refused. “I know, my son; I know,” he replied. “Manasseh will also become a great people, but his younger brother will become even greater. And his descendants will become a multitude of nations.”
20 So Jacob blessed the boys that day with this blessing: “The people of Israel will use your names when they give a blessing. They will say, ‘May God make you as prosperous as Ephraim and Manasseh.’” In this way, Jacob put Ephraim ahead of Manasseh.
Examine the Scriptures
Jacob Blesses Manasseh and Ephraim
Genesis 48:8-20 NLT
8 Then Jacob looked over at the two boys. “Are these your sons?” he asked.
Who was asking this question? Jacob the deceiver (and the deceived).
Genesis 27 Jacob Steals Esau’s Blessing
Genesis 29 Laban deceives Jacob.
His question was legitimate. (Verse 10 states that Jacob was half blind.)
9 “Yes,” Joseph told him, “these are the sons God has given me here in Egypt.”
- Once again, Joseph recognized God’s sovereignty.
(this will be addressed again in verses 17-18)
And Jacob said, “Bring them closer to me, so I can bless them.”
10 Jacob was half blind because of his age and could hardly see.
Like his father Isaac, Jacob gave this blessing when his eyesight was failing.
Stages of life can generally be predicted.
So Joseph brought the boys close to him, and Jacob kissed and embraced them. 11 Then Jacob said to Joseph, “I never thought I would see your face again, but now God has let me see your children, too!”
- In the last 17 years of his life, Jacob was blessed in ways he never expected would happen.
God gave Jacob another opportunity to express his love for his family.
Recognize God’s blessings in your life.
12 Joseph moved the boys, who were at their grandfather’s knees, and he bowed with his face to the ground.
- Joseph, the second in command in Egypt, demonstrated great respect to his father.
Exodus 20:12 NLT
12 “Honor your father and mother. Then you will live a long, full life in the land the Lord your God is giving you.
Joseph’s age and position in life did not stop him from showing honor and respect to his father.
This is a great example of practicing a Biblical principle.
13 Then he positioned the boys in front of Jacob. With his right hand he directed Ephraim toward Jacob’s left hand, and with his left hand he put Manasseh at Jacob’s right hand.
When each hand is placed on a different object, the right hand conveys the higher blessing.
- Joseph positioned Manasseh to receive the higher blessing.
14 But Jacob crossed his arms as he reached out to lay his hands on the boys’ heads. He put his right hand on the head of Ephraim, though he was the younger boy, and his left hand on the head of Manasseh, though he was the firstborn.
15 Then he blessed Joseph and said,
- When Jacob Blessed Manasseh and Ephraim, Joseph was being blessed.
Notice how much Jacob’s faith had grown over his lifetime.
Genesis 47:9 NLT
9 Jacob replied, “I have traveled this earth for 130 hard years. But my life has been short compared to the lives of my ancestors.”
Notice how Jacob begins this blessing.
“May the God before whom my grandfather Abraham
and my father, Isaac, walked—
-
- Jacob recognized the God of Abraham and Isaac was:
The one true God.
The covenant maker.
the God who has been my shepherd
all my life, to this very day,
-
- In hindsight, Jacob recognized God as his lifetime shepherd.
Jacob could have written parts of the 23rd Psalm.
Psalm 23
A psalm of David.
1 The Lord is my shepherd;
I have all that I need.
3 He renews my strength.
He guides me along right paths,
bringing honor to his name.
6 Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me
all the days of my life,
and I will live in the house of the Lord
forever.
16 the Angel who has redeemed (delivered or saved) me from all harm—
-
- Jacob recognized God as the one who delivered him from all harm.
Psalm 23
4 Even when I walk
through the darkest valley,
I will not be afraid,
for you are close beside me.
Your rod and your staff
protect and comfort me.
may he bless these boys.
- Jacob wanted the God of Abraham and Isaac, the God who was his shepherd, and the God who redeemed (delivered) him to bless Manasseh and Ephraim.
Manasseh and Ephraim were being blessed by a man who had matured into a man of faith.
May they preserve my name
and the names of Abraham and Isaac.
And may their descendants multiply greatly
throughout the earth.”
Jacob blessed both sons.
- Jacob’s blessing was in line with the covenant God made with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
It’s always right to want God’s will to be done. (“May your will be done.”)
17 But Joseph was upset when he saw that his father placed his right hand on Ephraim’s head. So Joseph lifted it to move it from Ephraim’s head to Manasseh’s head. 18 “No, my father,” he said. “This one is the firstborn. Put your right hand on his head.”
Since Jacob was half blind because of his age and could hardly see, Joseph may have thought his father mistakenly took Ephraim for Manasseh.
Back at verse 9, I stated that Joseph recognized God’s sovereignty. Recognizing God’s sovereignty does not mean we always know God will.
- Recognizing that God is sovereign does not mean we know God’s will.
19 But his father refused. “I know, my son; I know,” he replied.
Jacob knew what he was doing.
After a lifetime of discipline, Jacob was learning that God’s ways are not man’s ways. God works differently and sometimes in unconventional ways to fulfill His plans.
Jacob learned that in spite of what man attempted to do God had blessed him, the younger.
- For four consecutive generations the blessing was given to:
Isaac over Ishmael
Jacob over Esau
Joseph over Reuben
Ephraim over Manasseh
“Manasseh will also become a great people, but his younger brother will become even greater. And his descendants will become a multitude of nations.”
- Manasseh was blessed by Jacob, but Ephraim received a greater blessing.
- The tribe of Ephraim became a leading tribe in the Northern kingdom, much superior to the tribe of Manasseh.
Note: Joshua was from the tribe of Ephraim. Joshua led the people of Israel into the Promised Land.
20 So Jacob blessed the boys that day with this blessing: “The people of Israel will use your names when they give a blessing. They will say, ‘May God make you as prosperous as Ephraim and Manasseh.’” In this way, Jacob put Ephraim ahead of Manasseh.
- Jacob intentionally put Ephraim ahead of Manasseh.
Note:
Psalm 78:67-71 NLT
67 But he rejected Joseph’s descendants;
he did not choose the tribe of Ephraim.
68 He chose instead the tribe of Judah,
and Mount Zion, which he loved.
69 There he built his sanctuary as high as the heavens,
as solid and enduring as the earth.
70 He chose his servant David,
calling him from the sheep pens.
71 He took David from tending the ewes and lambs
and made him the shepherd of Jacob’s descendants—
God’s own people, Israel.
- Note: Ultimately the tribe of Judah was chosen over the tribe of Ephraim.
