Genesis 48:11-21

11 And Israel said to Joseph, ¹“I never expected to see your face; and behold, God has let me see your offspring also. ”

12 Then Joseph removed them from his knees, and he bowed himself with his face to the earth.

13 And Joseph took them both, Ephraim in his right hand toward Israel’s left hand, and Manasseh in his left hand toward Israel’s right hand, and brought them near him.

14 ²And Israel stretched out his right hand and laid it on the head of Ephraim, who was the younger, and his left hand on the head of Manasseh, ³crossing his hands (for Manasseh was the firstborn).

15 And he blessed Joseph and said, “The God ⁴before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac walked, the God who has been my shepherd all my life long to this day,

16 ⁵the angel who has ⁶redeemed me from all evil, bless the boys; and in them let ⁷my name be carried on, and the name of my fathers Abraham and Isaac; and let them ⁸grow into a multitude^[a] in the midst of the earth. ”

17 When Joseph saw that his father ⁹laid his right hand on the head of Ephraim, it displeased him, and he took his father’s hand to move it from Ephraim’s head to Manasseh’s head.

18 And Joseph said to his father, “Not this way, my father; since this one is the firstborn, put your right hand on his head. ”

19 But his father refused and said, ¹⁰“I know, my son, I know. He also shall become a people, and he also shall be great. Nevertheless, ¹¹his younger brother shall be greater than he, and his offspring shall become a multitude^[b] of nations. ”

20 So he blessed them that day, saying, “By you Israel will pronounce blessings, saying, ¹²‘God make you as Ephraim and as Manasseh. ’”Thus he put Ephraim before Manasseh.

21 Then Israel said to Joseph, “Behold, I am about to die, but ¹³God will be with you and will bring you again to the land of your fathers.

Genesis 48:11-21 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO GENESIS 48

Joseph, hearing that his father Jacob was sick, paid him a visit, Ge 49:1,2; at which time Jacob gave him an account of the Lord's appearing to him at Luz, and of the promise he made unto him, Ge 49:3,4; then he adopted his two sons, Ephraim and Manasseh, and blessed them, and Joseph also, Ge 49:5-16; and whereas he crossed his hands when he blessed the sons of Joseph, putting his right hand on the youngest, and his left hand on the eldest, which was displeasing to Joseph, he gave him a reason for so doing, Ge 49:17-20; and then assured him that God would bring him, and the rest of his posterity, into the land of Canaan, where he assigned him a particular portion above his brethren, Ge 49:21,22.

Cross References

• 1. 48:11 [ch. 37:33; 45:26]
• 2. 48:14 ver. 17
• 3. 48:14 ver. 19
• 4. 48:15 ch. 17:1; 24:40
• 5. 48:16 ch. 28:15; 31:11, 13, 24; Ex. 23:20
• 6. 48:16 Isa. 44:22, 23; 49:7; 63:9; [2 Sam. 4:9; Ps. 34:22; 121:7]
• 7. 48:16 Amos 9:12; Acts 15:17
• 8. 48:16 [Num. 26:34, 37]
• 9. 48:17 ver. 14
• 10. 48:19 [See ver. 17 above]
• 11. 48:19 Num. 1:33, 35; 2:19, 21; Deut. 33:17
• 12. 48:20 [Ruth 4:11, 12]
• 13. 48:21 ch. 46:4; 50:24

Footnotes

• [a] 48:16 Or 'let them be like fish for multitude'
• [b] 48:19 Hebrew 'fullness'