20 And he blessed H1288 them that day, H3117 saying, H559 In thee shall Israel H3478 bless, H1288 saying, H559 God H430 make H7760 thee as Ephraim H669 and as Manasseh: H4519 and he set H7760 Ephraim H669 before H6440 Manasseh. H4519
And all the people H5971 that were in the gate, H8179 and the elders, H2205 said, H559 We are witnesses. H5707 The LORD H3068 make H5414 the woman H802 that is come H935 into thine house H1004 like Rachel H7354 and like Leah, H3812 which two H8147 did build H1129 the house H1004 of Israel: H3478 and do H6213 thou worthily H2428 in Ephratah, H672 and be famous H7121 H8034 in Bethlehem: H1035 And let thy house H1004 be like the house H1004 of Pharez, H6557 whom Tamar H8559 bare H3205 unto Judah, H3063 of the seed H2233 which the LORD H3068 shall give H5414 thee of this young woman. H5291
On the west side H3220 shall be the standard H1714 of the camp H4264 of Ephraim H669 according to their armies: H6635 and the captain H5387 of the sons H1121 of Ephraim H669 shall be Elishama H476 the son H1121 of Ammihud. H5989 And his host, H6635 and those that were numbered H6485 of them, were forty H705 thousand H505 and five H2568 hundred. H3967 And by him shall be the tribe H4294 of Manasseh: H4519 and the captain H5387 of the children H1121 of Manasseh H4519 shall be Gamaliel H1583 the son H1121 of Pedahzur. H6301 And his host, H6635 and those that were numbered H6485 of them, were thirty H7970 and two H8147 thousand H505 and two hundred. H3967
And the standard H1714 of the camp H4264 of the children H1121 of Ephraim H669 set forward H5265 according to their armies: H6635 and over his host H6635 was Elishama H476 the son H1121 of Ammihud. H5989 And over the host H6635 of the tribe H4294 of the children H1121 of Manasseh H4519 was Gamaliel H1583 the son H1121 of Pedahzur. H6301
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Genesis 48
Commentary on Genesis 48 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 48
Ge 48:1-22. Joseph's Visit to His Sick Father.
1. one told Joseph, Behold, thy father is sick—Joseph was hastily sent for, and on this occasion he took with him his two sons.
2. Israel strengthened himself, and sat upon the bed—In the chamber where a good man lies, edifying and spiritual discourse may be expected.
3, 4. God Almighty appeared unto me at Luz—The object of Jacob, in thus reverting to the memorable vision at Beth-el [Ge 28:10-15]—one of the great landmarks in his history—was to point out the splendid promises in reserve for his posterity—to engage Joseph's interest and preserve his continued connection with the people of God, rather than with the Egyptians.
4. Behold, I will make thee fruitful—This is a repetition of the covenant (Ge 28:13-15; 35:12). Whether these words are to be viewed in a limited sense, as pointing to the many centuries during which the Jews were occupiers of the Holy Land, or whether the words bear a wider meaning and intimate that the scattered tribes of Israel are to be reinstated in the land of promise, as their "everlasting possession," are points that have not yet been satisfactorily determined.
5. thy two sons, Ephraim and Manasseh—It was the intention of the aged patriarch to adopt Joseph's sons as his own, thus giving him a double portion. The reasons for this procedure are stated (1Ch 5:1, 2).
are mine—Though their connections might have attached them to Egypt and opened to them brilliant prospects in the land of their nativity, they willingly accepted the adoption (Heb 11:25).
9. Bring them, I pray thee, unto me, and I will bless them—The apostle (Heb 11:21) selected the blessing of Joseph's son as the chief, because the most comprehensive, instance of the patriarch's faith which his whole history furnishes.
13. Joseph took them both—The very act of pronouncing the blessing was remarkable, showing that Jacob's bosom was animated by the spirit of prophecy.
21. Israel said unto Joseph, Behold, I die—The patriarch could speak of death with composure, but he wished to prepare Joseph and the rest of the family for the shock.
but God shall be with you—Jacob, in all probability, was not authorized to speak of their bondage—he dwelt only on the certainty of their restoration to Canaan.
22. moreover I have given to thee one portion above thy brethren—This was near Shechem (Ge 33:18; Joh 4:5; also Jos 16:1; 20:7). And it is probable that the Amorites, having seized upon it during one of his frequent absences, the patriarch, with the united forces of his tribe, recovered it from them by his sword and his bow.