EPHRAIM IS SET BEFORE MANASSEH GENESIS 48:1-22

www.biblestudyworkshop.org 1 EPHRAIM IS SET BEFORE MANASSEH GENESIS 48:1-22

www.biblestudyworkshop.org 2 Text: EPHRAIM IS SET BEFORE MANASSEH Genesis 48:1-22, 1. After these things Joseph was told, Your father is weakening. So he took his two sons Manasseh and Ephraim with him. 2. When Jacob was told, Your son Joseph has just come to you, Israel regained strength and sat up on his bed. 3. Jacob said to Joseph, The sovereign God appeared to me at Luz in the land of Canaan and blessed me. 4. He said to me, I am going to make you fruitful and will multiply you. I will make you into a group of nations, and I will give this land to your descendants as an everlasting possession. 5. Now, as for your two sons, who were born to you in the land of Egypt before I came to you in Egypt, they will be mine. Ephraim and Manasseh will be mine just as Reuben and Simeon are. 6. Any children that you father after them will be yours; they will be listed under the names of their brothers in their inheritance. 7. But as for me, when I was returning from Paddan, Rachel died to my sorrow in the land of Canaan. It happened along the way, some distance from Ephrath. So I buried her there on the way to Ephrath (that is, Bethlehem). 8. When Israel saw Joseph s sons, he asked, Who are these? 9. Joseph said to his father, They are the sons God has given me in this place. His father said, Bring them to me so I may bless them. 10. Now Israel s eyes were failing because of his age; he was not able to see well. So Joseph brought his sons near to him, and his father kissed them and embraced them. 11. Israel said to Joseph, I never expected to see you again, but now God has allowed me to see your children too.

www.biblestudyworkshop.org 3 12. So Joseph moved them from Israel s knees and bowed down with his face to the ground. 13. Joseph positioned them; he put Ephraim on his right hand across from Israel s left hand, and Manasseh on his left hand across from Israel s right hand. Then Joseph brought them closer to his father. 14. Israel stretched out his right hand and placed it on Ephraim s head, although he was the younger. Crossing his hands, he put his left hand on Manasseh s head, for Manasseh was the firstborn. 15. Then he blessed Joseph and said, May the God before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac walked the God who has been my shepherd all my life long to this day, 16. the Angel who has protected me from all harm bless these boys. May my name be named in them, and the name of my fathers Abraham and Isaac. May they grow into a multitude on the earth. 17. When Joseph saw that his father placed his right hand on Ephraim s head, it displeased him. So he took his father s hand to move it from Ephraim s head to Manasseh s head. 18. Joseph said to his father, Not so, my father, for this is the firstborn. Put your right hand on his head. 19. But his father refused and said, I know, my son, I know. He too will become a nation and he too will become great. In spite of this, his younger brother will be even greater and his descendants will become a multitude of nations. 20. So he blessed them that day, saying, By you will Israel bless, saying, May God make you like Ephraim and Manasseh. So he put Ephraim before Manasseh. 21.Then Israel said to Joseph, I am about to die, but God will be with you and will bring you back to the land of your fathers. 22. As one who is above your brothers, I give to you the mountain slope, which I took from the Amorites with my sword and my bow. (NET) Commentary:

www.biblestudyworkshop.org 4 Israel was old and blind. The time was drawing near that he would die. He had already made Joseph promise that he would not bury him in Egypt. In Genesis 47:28-31 we read, And Jacob lived in the land of Egypt seventeen years: so the whole age of Jacob was an hundred forty and seven years. And the time drew nigh that Israel must die: and he called his son Joseph, and said unto him, If now I have found grace in thy sight, put, I pray thee, thy hand under my thigh, and deal kindly and truly with me; bury me not, I pray thee, in Egypt: But I will lie with my fathers, and thou shalt carry me out of Egypt, and bury me in their buryingplace. And he said, I will do as thou hast said. And he said, Swear unto me. And he sware unto him. And Israel bowed himself upon the bed's head. Joseph heard that his father was sick so he went to visit him. He took his sons, Ephraim and Manasseh, with him to see Israel. Israel blessed both Ephraim and Manasseh, sons of Joseph. He told Joseph that that these two boys would be counted as his sons. Israel adopted these boys as his own sons and he blessed them. He gave a blessing to both, but Ephraim, the youngest son, received the greater blessing. This was an intentional act on Israel s part. Israel explained the special blessing that he was giving Joseph. And Israel said unto Joseph, Behold, I die: but God shall be with you, and bring you again unto the land of your fathers. Moreover I have given to thee one portion above thy brethren, which I took out of the hand of the Amorite with my sword and with my bow. (Genesis 48:21-22) Remembering God s promises Genesis 48:1-4: Plans had already been made by Israel for his burial. Joseph promised to take him back and bury him in Canaan with his fathers. (Genesis 47:30) And it came to pass after these things. The events of this chapter followed the making of those plans. Israel was now an old man on his dying bed. He was suffering an experience that is common to all. He is an old pilgrim, nearing the end of his earthly journey. Joseph heard that his father was very ill. He and he his sons, Manasseh and Ephraim went to visit him. When Jacob learned that Joseph had come he mustered the strength to sit up and talk to him. He reminded Joseph how that God had appeared to him at Luz or Bethel and how God had blessed him. He

www.biblestudyworkshop.org 5 also remembered and reminded Joseph of the promises God had made to him. 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. (Genesis 48:4) God promised Jacob, (1) That He would make him fruitful, (2) That He would multiply him, (3) That He would make of him a multitude of people, and (4) That He would give the land of Canaan to his descendants after him for an everlasting possession. God kept each of these promises. How wonderful it is that at the end of his life Jacob had has mind and heart focused on God and upon His great promises. Israel adopted Ephraim and Manasseh Genesis 48:5-7: Joseph had two sons who were born to him before his family came to Egypt. These sons were Ephraim and Manasseh. Israel accepted Joseph s sons as his own sons. He said, I accept them as my own, just as Reuben and Simeon are mine. Joseph received the double portion in that each of his sons received an inheritance as a tribe in Israel. This birthright of the firstborn was forfeited by Reuben because of his sins. Now the sons of Reuben the firstborn of Israel, (for he was the firstborn; but, forasmuch as he defiled his father's bed, his birthright was given unto the sons of Joseph the son of Israel: and the genealogy is not to be reckoned after the birthright. (1 Chronicles 5:1) The connecting link in the line of the Messiah was also lost by Reuben s sinful deed. That part of the blessing was transferred to Judah. Judah, thou art he whom thy brethren shall praise: thy hand shall be in the neck of thine enemies; thy father's children shall bow down before thee. Judah is a lion's whelp: from the prey, my son, thou art gone up: he stooped down, he couched as a lion, and as an old lion; who shall rouse him up? The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto him shall the gathering of the people be. (Genesis 49:8-10) Jacob told Joseph that any other sons he had would be counted as his own. They would not receive a separate inheritance, but they would be counted with Ephraim and Manasseh. No other sons of Joseph would become heads of separate tribes. In what must have been an emotional moment Jacob talked to Joseph about his mother. He said, And as

www.biblestudyworkshop.org 6 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. (Genesis 48:7) He said, My Rachel died. However, if they both died in the Lord all is still well. Ephraim and Manasseh were blessed by Israel Genesis 48:8-20: Jacob s sight was not good so he did not, at first, recognize Joseph s sons. He asked, Who are these boys? If you have good sight, you are a blessed person. Joseph s answer showed his faith in the working of God. He answered, They are my sons. God has given them to me here in Egypt. Israel requested that his grandsons be brought close to his bedside. When the boys were brought to Israel he kissed them and embraced them. It was a great experience for Jacob to be with these boys. He thought Joseph was dead and that he would never see him again and now not only does he see Joseph, he also sees Joseph s children. If Joseph bowed before Pharaoh it was a matter of duty as he was subject to him. When I see him bowing with his face to the earth before a poor, old, blind father, I see the admiration, love and respect he had for his father. Joseph deliberately brought the boys before his father so that his father s right hand would be on Manasseh, the oldest son and his left hand on Ephraim. However, Jacob wittingly crossed his hands and put his right hand on Ephraim and his left hand on Manasseh. Joseph wanted to change the position of his hands, but Jacob refused. He knew what he was doing. He had blessings to give to both of Joseph s sons and to Joseph also. He reminded Joseph what God had done for him. He said God Redeemed him from evil. This is the first time the word redeem or redeemed is used in our Bible. (Genesis 48:16) Jacob s prayer was, The Angel which redeemed me from all evil, bless the lads; and let my name be named on them, and the name of my fathers Abraham and Isaac; and let them grow into a multitude in the midst of the earth. Manasseh s descendants would become a strong people, but Ephraim would be greater. Joseph would be blessed by people wishing prosperity to others by saying, May God make thee as fruitful as Ephraim, and multiply thee as Manasseh! (Genesis 48:20)

www.biblestudyworkshop.org 7 Hope made death easier Genesis 48:21-22: Jacob spoke with calm assurance as he faced death. It was said of Abraham, Then Abraham gave up the ghost, and died in a good old age, an old man, and full of years; and was gathered to his people. (Genesis 25:8) It was said of Isaac, And Isaac gave up the ghost, and died, and was gathered unto his people, being old and full of days: and his sons Esau and Jacob buried him. (Genesis 35:29) The same was not said of Jacob. The Bible does not say that he was full of days or full of years. The Bible says of his death, And when Jacob had made an end of commanding his sons, he gathered up his feet into the bed, and yielded up the ghost, and was gathered unto his people. (Genesis 49:33) Jacob realized that he would not live much longer. He told Joseph that his desire was that God would lead him back into the land He had promised to their family years before. Joseph would go back to the land of Canaan, but he would not go back in the way, or likely the time frame that Jacob had in mind. Jacob promised Joseph, Moreover I have given to thee one portion above thy brethren, which I took out of the hand of the Amorite with my sword and with my bow. When this happened and exactly where the place was is not known definitely. This statement could be a prophetic statement that would take place during the conquest and division of the land in the days of Joshua. Joseph received one portion above his brothers when Ephraim and Manasseh each received an inheritance. Like Jacob, we all face death. Humble yourself and become a Christian now, before that time comes. To become a Christian you must hear the gospel (Romans 10:17), believe in Jesus as the Christ (Mark 16:16), repent of all sins (Acts 17:30), confess Christ as Lord (Romans 10:9-10) and be baptized for remission of sins. (Acts 2:38) After baptism, remain faithful to God. (Revelation 2:10) Remember, God always keeps his promises. Abraham was, fully persuaded that, what God had promised, he was able also to perform. (Romans 4:21) Each of us needs that same kind of faith!

www.biblestudyworkshop.org 8 By Charles Box, Walnut Street Church of Christ, 306 Walnut Street, Greenville, Alabama 360