Joseph's sons have heard these things, no doubt, from their father. But there's nothing like the impression of hearing in person a year-old man tell you what God has done for him. These boys, who have been raised by the daughter of an Egyptian priest , need to hear the story of their faith again. Jacob tells again in their hearing the old, old story of the promises made to Abraham that are now being fulfilled.
These boys, who had never seen the Land, who had not known they were part of a larger family, were some of those promised descendants. They heard their grandfather's testimony and never forgot, but passed it on to their grandchildren after them.
The ministry of a grandfather or a grandmother to their children's children should never be underestimated.
In the Near East, the firstborn was to receive a double portion of the father's inheritance, with each of the other sons receiving a single portion. This helped insure that the firstborn would have the wealth and prominence to be the leader of the family. In this scene of blessing, Jacob is declaring that instead of Joseph getting a single share of Jacob's inheritance, that he will receive a double inheritance; Ephraim and Manasseh are to be considered Jacob's sons.
Centuries later, when the people of Israel finally came into the Promised Land, the descendents of Ephraim and Manasseh receive their own separate lands in which to settle Joshua When he had been young, Jacob had deceived in order to gain his father's blessing. Now he is the patriarch giving the blessing. He is nearly blind as was his father Isaac.
But instead of being dulled spiritually by the smell of venison, he is spiritually acute. Now old Jacob tells the story of the death of his beloved Rachel and seems to drift off for a moment. Then he looks up, sees the boys, and asks, "Who are these?
If you've ever been around an elderly parent, you know what's going on. The slippery memory that can recall events of long ago, sometimes has trouble with the present. He embraces them and kisses them, though he can barely see them. Joseph now bows himself on the floor before his father, as his sons look on.
Is it worship? No, but honor and obedience. The boys watch as the Second in Command of all Egypt prostrates himself before an elderly shepherd who listens to God's voice.
Now Joseph rises and brings the boys to Jacob for a blessing. Joseph arranges his sons so that Joseph's firstborn, Manasseh, is next to Jacob's right hand, the preferred hand "at his right hand" , while the younger Ephraim is on Jacob's left Joseph is "displeased.
Surely his aged father is confused. He takes his father's right hand to move it from younger Ephraim's head to firstborn Manasseh's head and to correct his father. One must do these things properly! Old Jacob tenses his arms and refuses to let Joseph move them, and when he speaks, he speaks in a conciliatory way to his favorite son:. He too will become a people, and he too will become great. Nevertheless, his younger brother will be greater than he, and his descendants will become a group of nations' What's going on here?
How does Jacob know? He has heard from God and is doing what God is showing him to do. Though we aren't told anywhere that the Spirit of God is upon him, that is surely what is happening.
He is prophesying God's words, just as his father Isaac had "mistakenly" prophesied the correct blessing over Jacob instead of Esau. Chapter 49 is a chapter of prophetic blessings over each of Jacob's twelve sons. If we understand these patriarchal blessings in any lesser way, we miss what is happening here. First, it confirms that Joseph is over his brothers. Reuben had forfeited the birthright, and Joseph, the firstborn of Rachel, now holds it: he is over his brothers.
Second, he gives to Joseph "the ridge of land" he owns in Canaan. Where is this? When did this happen? We're really not sure, but this may be a reference to Jacob's sons' taking of Shechem in Genesis Genesis 48 Why does Jacob cross his hands when blessing Ephraim and Manasseh? Why does Joseph try to stop him? In what sense are Jacob's blessings an actual prophecy from God?
Blessing of Jacob's Twelve Sons Now Jacob calls for his sons, sensing he is near death, and the twelve of them form around his bed. He is clearly prophesying. Reuben Reuben, the firstborn, began well, but lost his birthright and place of honor as a result of incest with Jacob's concubine.
Though we read of no immediate punishment at the time when the sin occurred , yet the sin had broad consequences, not only for Reuben but also for his descendents. Simeon and Levi. Their anger and cruelty in the slaughter at Shechem becomes their legacy and they are "scattered. The tribe of Levi is never given land of their own, but are given cities to live in, scattered throughout the land of Israel.
Their inheritance is the tithe rather than land Numbers The most extensive prophecies involve Judah and Joseph, the two leaders among the brothers, and the sons whose tribes, Judah and Ephraim, are destined to be the dominant tribes in the Promised Land.
Ephraim in the north, eventually breaks off to become the Northern Kingdom and falls into idolatry and final exile to Assyria. The Southern Kingdom, Judah, sees periods of apostasy and revival, exile to Babylon and final return to rebuild the temple.
Judah is characterized as a lion's cub, a lioness who crouches, "who dares to rouse him? In the first book of the Bible, Judah's tribe is symbolized by a lion. In the last book of the Bible we read of Judah's offspring:. Victor P. Hamilton notes: "This line has provoked more difference of opinion among Hebraists than perhaps any other in the entire book of Genesis. We Christians believe this to be Jesus the Messiah.
Zebulun, 6. Issachar, 7. Gift yourself, your family and Bible studying friends this amazing study companion for an exciting journey of discovery. Charles Entsuah. Leave a Reply Cancel reply Your email address will not be published. When and how did the Twelve Apostles die? They joined Korah to rebel against Moses and Aaron, their spiritual authorities Num.
The consequence of that sin was the death of many people of the tribe of Reuben Num. When they left Egypt, the census said that the tribe of Reuben had 46, men Num. After the 40 years in Egypt, their population was smaller, instead of growing. The second census counted 43, Reubenites Num. Jacob knew that Reuben had not been a leader among his brothers. That is why it was not convenient for him to stay as the authority of his family; and neither were his descendents caring towards the other tribes.
As Jacob's name became synonymous with all Israel, so that of Joseph was eventually equated with all the tribes that made up the northern kingdom. Matthew —17 begins the Gospel, "A record of the origin of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham : Abraham begot Isaac , " and continues on until " Jacob begot Joseph, the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ.
Parents Jacob father Zilpah mother. Simeon and his brother Levi took violent revenge against the inhabitants of the city by tricking them into circumcising themselves and then killing them when they are weakened.
The account dramatizes the theme of tension between marriage within a group endogamy and marriage with outsiders exogamy. Jacob is said to have had twelve sons by four women, his wives, Leah and Rachel, and his concubines, Bilhah and Zilpah, who were, in order of their birth, Reuben , Simeon , Levi , Judah , Dan, Naphtali , Gad, Asher, Issachar , Zebulun , Joseph, and Benjamin, all of whom became the heads of their own family groups, later known.
Gad is mentioned a final time in the Books of Samuel in 2 Samuel , coming to David and telling him to build an altar to God after God stops the plague that David had chosen as punishment. Tribe of Ephraim. It is one of the ten lost tribes. Jacob's overt favoritism toward Rachel had prompted God to keep Rachel's womb closed, but Rachel's love was ultimately redeemed when she gave birth to a boy named Joseph, Jacob's favorite Genesis Ephraim, one of the 12 tribes of Israel that in biblical times comprised the people of Israel who later became the Jewish people.
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