Free Bible Commentary
“Genesis 48:1-7”
Categories: Genesis“Now it came about after these things that Joseph was told, ‘Behold, your father is sick.’ So he took his two sons Manasseh and Ephraim with him. When it was told to Jacob, ‘Behold, your son Joseph has come to you,’ Israel collected his strength and sat up in the bed. Then Jacob said to Joseph, ‘God Almighty appeared to me at Luz in the land of Canaan and blessed me, and He said to me, “Behold, I will make you fruitful and numerous, and I will make you a company of peoples, and will give this land to your descendants after you for an everlasting possession.” Now 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 shall be mine, as Reuben and Simeon are. But your offspring that have been born after them shall be yours; they shall be called by the names of their brothers in their inheritance. Now as for me, when I came from Paddan, Rachel died, to my sorrow, in the land of Canaan on the journey, when there was still some distance to go to Ephrath; and I buried her there on the way to Ephrath (that is, Bethlehem).’”
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“Joseph was told, ‘Behold, your father is sick.” (verse 1) Some unnamed person informed Joseph that his father was coming to the end of his earthly journey. This is a call that we all hate to get, but it is a bittersweet comfort when we can fly to the side of a cherished ailing loved one and be there with them as they draw life’s last fleeting breath. According to Nahum Sarna, “This is the first reference to illness in the Bible.” Unfortunately it is far from the last, and illnesses in our lifetime is a far too common theme that we all must deal with and suffer through for ourselves, and worse still, for the ones we love the most. Cling to the Good Shepherd’s hand and fear no evil as He directs your steps through the valley of the shadow of death. The bright and shining land of bliss awaits His faithful children on the other side of eternity.
“So he took his two sons Manasseh and Ephraim with him.” (verse 1) Joseph must have sensed or known that this sickness was unto death, so he took his sons with him to see and honor their remarkable grandfather one last time before he departed for realms beyond. In all likelihood, Jacob had previously informed Joseph that he would be conferring special blessings upon Ephraim and Manasseh on his deathbed, so this was all probably planned in advanced and Joseph was just awaiting the word. “When it was told to Jacob, ‘Behold, your son Joseph has come to you,’ Israel collected his strength and sat up in the bed.” (verse 2) It took all of the old, ailing patriarch’s power to sit up straight in his bed, but he mustered all his strength in respect for Joseph’s position and for the solemn consecration he was about to impart upon him and his sons.
“Then Jacob said to Joseph, ‘God Almighty appeared to me at Luz in the land of Canaan and blessed me, and He said to me, “Behold, I will make you fruitful and numerous, and I will make you a company of peoples, and will give this land to your descendants after you for an everlasting possession.”’” (verses 3-4) “The appearance of God to Jacob which is mentioned here is a reference either to Genesis 28:19 or Genesis 35:9-13, or possibly both. Luz was the original name of the place, but Jacob changed the name to Bethel. All of the patriarchs realized that the promise of the land of Canaan to their seed was to have its fulfillment in the far distant future. It is of that sacred promise which Jacob spoke in this final interview with Joseph.” (James Burton Coffman)
“Now 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 shall be mine, as Reuben and Simeon are.” (verse 5) Jacob had been deprived of his beloved Joseph for the majority of the young man’s life, so he formally adopted the two children born to him during the period of their estrangement. He gave them the official status of sonship on a level equal to that of his first and second born sons, Reuben and Simeon. “Now as for me, when I came from Paddan, Rachel died, to my sorrow, in the land of Canaan on the journey.” (verse 7) “It is quite natural that, on his deathbed, Jacob should recall his beloved wife who had died so young and for whom he had endured so much. Moreover, it was probably because she had been deprived of the opportunity to bear more children that her two grandchildren are adopted by Jacob as a substitute for those whom her death had robbed of the possibility of life.” (Nahum Sarna)
“Reuben and Simeon were the two firstborn sons of Jacob, and the proposal here is that Ephraim and Manasseh would be placed on a parity with them, and thus reckoned among the other sons of Jacob, ranking them among the patriarchs. But Jacob made it clear that any other sons of Joseph would not be accorded that distinction. There were doubtless many reasons why Jacob had decided to do this. The incest of Reuben and his irresponsibility had clearly disqualified him to receive the double portion according to the rules of primogeniture, and Simeon too, in the massacre of the Shechemites had showed a disposition that was incompatible with any thought of transferring the birthright to him. Jacob therefore decided to give Joseph the double portion, one of the principal benefits pertaining to the birthright, an honor that Jacob surely felt that Joseph was qualified to receive. Not only was Joseph the firstborn of Rachel, the only wife that Jacob ever decided to marry, but, additionally, he was the savior of the whole nation in being the instrument through whom God had preserved the covenant people through the famine.” (James Burton Coffman)
Please read Genesis 48:8-16 for tomorrow.
Have a wonderful day!
-Louie Taylor
