Jacob Blesses Joseph’s Sons

As Jacob approaches death, he remembers his earlier return to Bethel

(Gen. 35:1–15), when he received from God the renewed promise of

the “everlasting possession” (Gen. 48:4) that was given to Abraham

(Gen. 17:8). The hope of the Promised Land is, therefore, a comforting

thought that nurtures his hope as he feels death coming. Jacob turns,

then, to Joseph’s two sons, who were born in Egypt, and blesses them,

but does so in the context of the future promise regarding his own seed.

Read Genesis 48. Why did Jacob bless Joseph’s two sons here, and not

his other grandsons?

Joseph’s two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim, are the only grandsons

that Jacob blessed. They are thus elevated from the status of grandsons

to the status of sons (Gen. 48:5). Although Jacob’s blessing implies a

preeminence of the second (Ephraim) over the first (Manasseh), Jacob’s

blessing essentially concerns Joseph (Gen. 48:15).

What we see here is a personal testimony about God’s faithfulness to

them in the past and His promise for them in the future. Jacob refers to

the God of Abraham and Isaac (Gen. 48:15), who had provided food

and protection for them. He is the same God who “has redeemed me

from all evil” (Gen. 48:16, NKJV). Jacob also has in mind “the God of

Bethel” (Gen. 31:13), with whom he wrestled (Gen. 32:29) and who

changed his name from Jacob to “Israel” (Gen. 32:26–29).

By referring to all these experiences where God turns the evil into

good, Jacob expresses his hope that not only will God take care of the

present lives of his grandsons, just as He cared for his own life and

Joseph’s, but Jacob also thinks of the future, when his descendants will

return to Canaan. This hope is clear from his reference to Shechem

(Gen. 48:22), which not only is a piece of land that he had acquired

(Gen. 33:19) but also is a place where Joseph’s bones will be buried

(Josh. 24:32) and where the land will be distributed to the tribes of

Israel (Josh. 24:1). Even amid all that has happened, Jacob keeps in

mind the promises of God, who said that through this family “ ‘all the

families of the earth shall be blessed’ ” (Gen 12:3, NKJV).

Read Acts 3:25, 26. According to Peter, how was this promise of

Genesis 12:3 being fulfilled? How have we, ourselves, received

this blessing?