Genesis 48:8

8 Then Isra'el noticed Yosef's sons and asked, "Whose are these?"

Genesis 48:8 Meaning and Commentary

Genesis 48:8

And Israel beheld Joseph's sons
Ephraim and Manasseh, of whom he had been speaking as if they were absent, and he might not know until now that they were present, for his eyes were dim that he could not see clearly, ( Genesis 49:10 ) ; he saw two young men standing by Joseph, but knew not who they were, and therefore asked the following question: and said, who [are] these?
whose sons are they? the Targum of Jonathan is,

``of whom were these born to thee?''

as if he knew them to be his sons, only inquired who the mother of them was; but the answer shows he knew them not to be his sons, and as for his wife, he could not be ignorant who she was.

Genesis 48:8 In-Context

6 The children born to you after them will be yours, but for purposes of inheritance they are to be counted with their older brothers.

7 "Now as for me, when I came from Paddan, Rachel died suddenly, as we were traveling through the land of Kena'an, while we were still some distance from Efrat; so I buried her there on the way to Efrat (also known as Beit-Lechem)."

8 Then Isra'el noticed Yosef's sons and asked, "Whose are these?"

9 Yosef answered his father, "They are my sons, whom God has given me here." Ya'akov replied, "I want you to bring them here to me, so that I can bless them."

10 Now Isra'el's eyes were dim with age, so that he could not see. Yosef brought his sons near to him, and he kissed them and embraced them.