Jacob adopts his grandsons (48:1-20). Jacob was bedfast, his sight was failing (v. 8), and he knew that the end was near. But when Joseph walked into the room, Jacob mustered enough strength to sit up on the side of his bed and talk with his son about matters that were too important to delay. He didn’t talk about the difficulties of his life; he spoke about God Almighty (vv. 3, 11, 15, 20-21) and what He had done for His servant.
When Abraham was nearing death, his desire was to find a wife for Isaac and transfer to him the blessings of the covenant (chap. 24). Sad to say, when Isaac thought he was going to die, he wanted to eat his favorite meal and then bless his favorite son, who was not God’s choice to bear the covenant blessings (chap. 27). Jacob’s concern was to bless Joseph, whom he had made his firstborn, and then adopt Joseph’s two sons as his own and make them “sons of Israel.” It’s a good thing to be able to end your life knowing you’ve completed God’s business the way He wanted it done.
Jacob reviewed some of the experiences of his pilgrimage with God, beginning with the promises God had given him at Bethel (48:3-4; see 12:1-3) and including the death of his beloved Rachel, Joseph’s mother (48:7). Jacob assured Joseph that God would multiply their number and one day take them out of Egypt into their inheritance in the land of Canaan. Joseph’s two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim, would have an inheritance in that land, because their grandfather was adopting them.
As we’ve seen, Joseph replaced Reuben, Jacob’s firstborn (49:3-4; 1 Chron. 5:2), and now Joseph’s sons would replace Simeon and Levi (Gen. 49:5-7), Jacob’s second and third sons. The Levites were given no inheritance in the Promised Land but lived in forty-four cities scattered throughout Israel (Num. 18:20; Deut. 18:2; Josh. 13:33; 14:4; 21:1ff.), and Simeon was eventually absorbed into the tribe of Judah (Josh. 19:1-9). In this way, God punished Levi and Simeon for their anger and violence at Shechem (Gen. 34).
Not only did Jacob adopt his two grandsons, but he also gave them his special blessing. Jacob was probably sitting on the side of the bed and the boys were standing before him, while Joseph was bowed down with his face to the ground. Whether the boys realized it or not, it was indeed a solemn occasion.
For the fifth time in the book of Genesis, we meet a reversal of the birth order. God had chosen Abel, not Cain; Isaac, not Ishmael; Jacob, not Esau; and Joseph, not Reuben; and now He would choose Ephraim over Manasseh. Joseph was upset with what his father did and tried to change his hands, but Jacob was guided by God and knew what he was doing. (This is the only recorded instance of Joseph being displeased with his father or anybody else.)
In blessing Joseph’s sons, Jacob also blessed Joseph, for the tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh became strong leaders in Israel. Jacob gave all the glory to God, the God who called his fathers and blessed them, who shepherded him all his life and cared for him, and who saved him from evil and harm even though he had experienced great difficulty.
Jacob shares his wealth (vv. 21-22). Joseph received an unexpected gift that day, a piece of land that Jacob had taken in battle from the Amorites. This is the only evidence we have that Jacob was an accomplished warrior. This victory may have occurred during the painful Shechem affair (34:25-29). Jesus would meet the woman of Sychar there and lead her to saving faith (John 4:15). Being now the firstborn, Joseph was eligible for a double portion of the blessing (Deut. 21:15-17), and Ezekiel 47:13 indicates that in the future kingdom, Joseph will have two portions of land.
Jacob had now blessed Joseph’s sons, and now it was time to meet all his sons and bless them.
Questions for Personal Reflection or Group Discussion
- Think of an older believer whose life shows that he or she has walked faithfully with the Lord. Why is old age for such a saint like a harvest and not like winter?
- Why could Jacob face the prospect of spending his final years in Egypt, a foreign land, with confidence?
- God has promised to be with us wherever we go. Why then do we often enter into prayer when we start a new venture or enter a significant change in life?
- Why did seeing Joseph move Jacob to say that he was ready to die (46:30)?
- Like Jacob, Joseph was an instrument through which God’s blessing flowed to others. What did Joseph do before and during the famine for the population of that corner of the world, and especially the Egyptians?
- What was God’s goal in moving the family to Egypt? In setting them up apart from the other Egyptians?
- What was Jacob’s wish for his own burial? Why do you suppose Jacob made Joseph (not Reuben) swear that he would carry out the wish?
- What can we tell about the pagan Pharaoh whom Joseph served?
- What do you think God was telling people of that day in instances when He honored the second born instead of the first?
- How can you tap into the spiritual maturity of an older saint? Pray and ask around in faith.