Genesis 48:1-16

I.                Jacob Blesses  

The last three chapters of Genesis set the stage and launch us into the rest of the Bible.  Here the background has been fully established as to the origination of Israel, the next three chapters provide the blessings given to the sons of Israel as patriarchs of the 12 Tribes of Israel and the central characters as God’s chosen people throughout the remainder of the Old Testament.  We see Jacob and Israel used almost interchangeably in this chapter to refer to the son of Isaac, almost cryptic as to the purpose of the alternating application of the names. The twelve tribes wrestle with their purpose in a constant struggle with the temptations of worshipping false gods.  Eventually, the 12 tribes form 2 kingdoms, the Northern House of Israel and the Southern House of Judah and reject YHVH as their God King opting instead for a man king.  The action, suspense and drama is riveting throughout culminating with the birth of Messiah. 

a.      Genesis 48:1 – And it came to pass after these things, that [one] told Joseph, Behold, thy father [is] sick: and he took with him his two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim.

§        Joseph was 56 years old when Jacob died, this appears to be just before Jacob’s death.  Joseph was 30 years old when he became governor of Egypt and had both Ephraim and Manasseh before he was 37 years old.

o       Genesis 41:50 – And unto Joseph were born two sons before the years of the famine came…

§        If Jacob is in his last year (age 147) then Manasseh and Ephraim are between 19 and 25 years old.

b.      Genesis 48:2 - And [one] told Jacob, and said, Behold, thy son Joseph cometh unto thee: and Israel strengthened himself, and sat upon the bed.

§        One told Jacob

§        Israel strengthened himself

o       Prepared himself to be worthy of the name Israel

c.      Genesis 48:3 - And Jacob said unto Joseph, God Almighty appeared unto me at Luz in the land of Canaan, and blessed me,

§        Jacob said…relaying the story of how God blessed him, He is still Jacob in at this point in the story

d.      Genesis 48:4 - And said unto me, Behold, I will make thee fruitful, and multiply thee, and I will make of thee a multitude of people; and will give this land to thy seed after thee [for] an everlasting possession.

§        The birthright of fruitfulness and the scepter of dominion is passed down from Adam to Noah to Abraham to Isaac to Jacob, Isaac had previously given it to Jacob, but here God honors it and officially declares it.

o       Genesis 1:28 - And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.

o       Genesis 9:1 - And God blessed Noah and his sons, and said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth.

o       Genesis 17:5-6 - Neither shall thy name any more be called Abram, but thy name shall be Abraham; for a father of many nations have I made thee. And I will make thee exceeding fruitful, and I will make nations of thee, and kings shall come out of thee.

o       Genesis 26:24 - And the LORD appeared unto him the same night, and said, I [am] the God of Abraham thy father: fear not, for I [am] with thee (Isaac), and will bless thee, and multiply thy seed for my servant Abraham's sake.

o       Genesis 28:1-3 - And Isaac called Jacob, and blessed him, and charged him, and said unto him, Thou shalt not take a wife of the daughters of Canaan.  Arise, go to Padanaram, to the house of Bethuel thy mother's father; and take thee a wife from thence of the daughters of Laban thy mother's brother.  And God Almighty bless thee, and make thee fruitful, and multiply thee, that thou mayest be a multitude of people;

o       Genesis 35:10-11 - And God said unto him, Thy name [is] Jacob: thy name shall not be called any more Jacob, but Israel shall be thy name: and he called his name Israel.  And God said unto him, I [am] God Almighty: be fruitful and multiply; a nation and a company of nations shall be of thee, and kings shall come out of thy loins;

§        Up until this point the birthright and the scepter have always transitioned to one person (not necessarily at the same time though).

e.      Genesis 48:5 - And now thy two sons, Ephraim and Manasseh, which were born unto thee in the land of Egypt before I came unto thee into Egypt, [are] mine; as Reuben and Simeon, they shall be mine.

§        Jacob adopts Manasseh and Ephraim as his own sons

o       Reuben and Simeon the 1^st and 2^nd sons of Jacob who lost favor with Jacob, that definitely cost Reuben and likely cost Simeon the birthright

§        This is how Joseph was given the double portion of the birthright

o       1 Chronicles 5:1-2 - Now the sons of Reuben the firstborn of Israel, (for he [was] the firstborn; but, forasmuch as he defiled his father's bed, his birthright was given unto the sons of Joseph the son of Israel: and the genealogy is not to be reckoned after the birthright.  For Judah prevailed above his brethren, and of him [came] the chief ruler; but the birthright [was] Joseph's:)

f.       Genesis 48:6 - And thy issue, which thou begettest after them, shall be thine, [and] shall be called after the name of their brethren in their inheritance.

§        Any future children of Joseph will be Joseph’s and will be reckoned to these two sons of Joseph for their inheritance

§        Unknown if Joseph had any other children besides these two, no others mentioned

g.      Genesis 48:7 - And as for me, when I came from Padan, Rachel died by me in the land of Canaan in the way, when yet [there was] but a little way to come unto Ephrath: and I buried her there in the way of Ephrath; the same [is] Bethlehem.

§        Rachel buried in Bethlehem

§        Matthew 2:18 - In Rama was there a voice heard, lamentation, and weeping, and great mourning, Rachel weeping [for] her children, and would not be comforted, because they are not.

o       Rama - "a hill"

o       Because Rachel was buried near Bethlehem?

h.      Genesis 48:8 - And Israel beheld Joseph's sons, and said, Who [are] these?

§        Israel beheld…, readies himself as an agent of the Almighty passing his blessing to his grandsons/sons

i.       Genesis 48:9 - And Joseph said unto his father, They [are] my sons, whom God hath given me in this [place]. And he said, Bring them, I pray thee, unto me, and I will bless them.

j.       Genesis 48:10 - Now the eyes of Israel were dim for age, [so that] he could not see. And he brought them near unto him; and he kissed them, and embraced them.

§        Proverbs 17:6 - Children's children [are] the crown of old men; and the glory of children [are] their fathers.

§        Israel’s eyes were dim, just like Isaac’s, blind servants

o       Isaiah 42:19 - Who [is] blind, but my servant? or deaf, as my messenger [that] I sent? who [is] blind as [he that is] perfect, and blind as the LORD'S servant?

o       1 Corinthians 13:12 - For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.

o       2 Corinthians 5:7 - (For we walk by faith, not by sight:)

·        When the eyes of the body are compromised, the eyes of faith may be very clear

k.      Genesis 48:11 - And Israel said unto Joseph, I had not thought to see thy face: and, lo, God hath shewed me also thy seed.

§        How often God, in his merciful providences, outdoes our expectations, and thus greatly magnifies his favours. He not only prevents our fears, but exceeds our hopes.  ~Matthew Henry Commentary on Genesis

l.       Genesis 48:12 - And Joseph brought them out from between his knees, and he bowed himself with his face to the earth.

§        Seems odd that Joseph would have 19-25 year old sons that are “between his knees”

§        Moffet Translation: “…then, removing them from his father’s knees, Joseph bowed to the ground.”

§        Could they have perhaps in v. 10 that the boys had been kneeling with their hands and heads upon Jacob’s knees?

m.    Genesis 48:13 - 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 unto him.

n.      Genesis 48:14 - And Israel stretched out his right hand, and laid [it] upon Ephraim's head, who [was] the younger, and his left hand upon Manasseh's head, guiding his hands wittingly; for Manasseh [was] the firstborn.

§        Israel knowingly blessed the younger ahead of the elder

§        Isaiah 55:9 - For [as] the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.

§        Continuing the pattern of elevating a younger sibling above the firstborn, we see this also in:

o       Abel above Cain

o       Shem above Japheth

o       Abraham above Nahor

o       Isaac above Ishmael

o       Jacob above Esau

o       David above all his older brothers

o       Solomon above his older brothers

§        1 Samual 16:7 - the LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart.

o.      Genesis 48:15 - And he blessed Joseph, and said, God, before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac did walk, the God which fed me all my life long unto this day,

§        2 Timothy 4:18 - And the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work, and will preserve [me] unto his heavenly kingdom: to whom [be] glory for ever and ever. Amen.

§        Jacob acknowledges that it was God who provided for him all his life, passing on this legacy of faith to his children

p.      Genesis 48:16 - The Angel which redeemed me from all evil, bless the lads; and let my name be named on them, and the name of my fathers Abraham and Isaac; and let them grow into a multitude in the midst of the earth.

§        Hebrews 11:21 - By faith Jacob, when he was a dying, blessed both the sons of Joseph; and worshipped, [leaning] upon the top of his staff.

o       Why is the blessing that Jacob passed to Joseph’s sons mentioned here in Hebrews and not the blessings given to the other sons of Jacob? 

o       Because this is the fruitfulness birthright, the promise of the Kingdom.  Jacob believed this promise and in faith passed it to Joseph’s sons.

§        Referring to the “angel” that he had wrestled and had given him the name Israel

§        Let my name be named on them…the name of Israel officially passed to Ephraim and Manasseh the birthright of the kingdom, the right to the name Israel is given specifically to them

o       “Grow into a multitude”…fruitfulness mandate

o       The calling to bring forth the manifested sons of God

·        Romans 8:19 – For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God.

·         1 Chronicles 5:1-2 - Now the sons of Reuben the firstborn of Israel, (for he [was] the firstborn; but, forasmuch as he defiled his father's bed, his birthright was given unto the sons of Joseph the son of Israel: and the genealogy is not to be reckoned after the birthright.  For Judah prevailed above his brethren, and of him [came] the chief ruler; but the birthright [was] Joseph’s :)

o       The other brothers were not given this entitlement; other tribes can only use the name Israel when associated with Ephraim or Manasseh.  If those tribes would break off on their own their tribal name would be used.

§        This birthright gave to Joseph and his descendents through Manasseh and Ephraim primary importance, and leaders of the nation of Israel.

§        These are the final two tribes of Israel; Joseph was not a tribe and Levi was not included among the 12 tribes that inherited land for their inheritance was God

o       Joshua 13:33 - But unto the tribe of Levi Moses gave not [any] inheritance: the LORD God of Israel [was] their inheritance, as he said unto them.

Genesis 41:42-57

f.      Genesis 41:42 – And Pharaoh took off his ring from his hand, and put it upon Joseph's hand, and arrayed him in vestures of fine linen, and put a gold chain about his neck;

§        The giving of the ring serves as a ratification of Pharaoh’s proclamation.

o       We also see that he was once again given a clothing of honor, similar to the coat of “many colors” that his father Jacob had given to him.

§        In verse 37 we see that all of Pharaoh’s servants saw that promoting someone to this position was a good thing, yet here when the decision is made we see no mention of the reaction of the servants.

§        Could it be that they were initially glad because there was a possibility that each of them could have been nominated for the position, yet here when the slave is elevated there appears to be indifference.  We see this similarly in Daniel

o       Daniel 6:4 - Then the presidents and princes sought to find occasion against Daniel concerning the kingdom; but they could find none occasion nor fault; forasmuch as he [was] faithful, neither was there any error or fault found in him.

o       Imagine if our leaders today would turn to God and seek His counsel rather than rely on their own wisdom

-        We have one recent example

-        http://www.wnd.com/2012/11/ugandan-president-repents-of-personal-national-sins/

-        Can you imagine a United States president saying any of this? Why not?

-        Lets see what God does in Uganda over the next several months…

g.      Genesis 41:43 – And he made him to ride in the second chariot which he had; and they cried before him, Bow the knee: and he made him [ruler] over all the land of Egypt.

§        Acts 2:36 – Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ.

§        Philippians 2:10 - That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of [things] in heaven, and [things] in earth, and [things] under the earth;

§        Joseph being elevated to the right hand of Pharaoh over all the land of Egypt foreshadows the elevation of Christ over all creation. Egypt encapsulates all creation as Joseph is the representative of Christ, and Pharaoh is representative of God the Father in this instance.

h.      Genesis 41:44 – And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, I [am] Pharaoh, and without thee shall no man lift up his hand or foot in all the land of Egypt.

§        Question: What did Joseph do to convince Pharaoh that he was worthy of all these honors bestowed upon him?

o       To put things into perspective, Egypt was the greatest nation at that time and here Pharaoh is turning over the day-to-day operations of the entire country to a 30 year old man, a slave a foreigner that he had just dragged out of prison.

o       Joseph told Pharaoh what his dream meant and that was it! And it wasn’t even Joseph, it was God as Joseph rightfully declared.  Yet this one act of obedience was met with tremendous honor.

o       What Joseph spoke in mere minutes was all that the Pharaoh needed to hear in order to make his determination, and it wasn’t even a difficult decision.

o        What a dramatic turn of events in Joseph’s life:

-        He was sitting in prison, unaware of anything going on in the palace. 

-        Suddenly, guards show up to bath and escort Joseph to see Pharaoh

-        He tells Pharaoh what his dream means

-        He is promoted to 2^nd in command over all of Egypt

-        He is elevated from the lowest ranks of society to the highest in mere hours!

-        Never doubt the power of God!

§        Answer: Joseph was as good and righteous a man as there was, but nothing he did warranted the reward bestowed upon him.  What Pharaoh was rewarding was what God had done through Joseph.  God chose Joseph and he was elevated to accomplish the purpose that God had in store.

o       Remember, elevating Joseph was merely the means that God chose to accomplish His purpose, which was to save Israel.  In doing so he provided a living, prophetic, typology of the coming Messiah.

i.      Genesis 41:45 – And Pharaoh called Joseph's name Zaphnathpaaneah; and he gave him to wife Asenath the daughter of Potipherah priest of On. And Joseph went out over [all] the land of Egypt.

§        Philippians 2:9 -  Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:

o       More evidence that Joseph is a “type” of Christ in the parallels between the characteristics of Christ and Joseph’s new name

§        Zaphnathpaaneah – צפנת פענח Tsophnath Pa`neach, "treasury of the glorious rest" or “abundance of life”, Gesenius Lexicon – “salvation” or “savior of the age”, also… “revealer of a secret”.   We see several possible meanings for the name and all of them point to Christ.

o       Matthew 11:28 - Come unto me, all [ye] that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

-        "treasury of the glorious rest"

o       John 10:10b - … I am come that they might have life, and that they might have [it] more abundantly.

-        “abundance of life”

o       Revelation 7:10 - And cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb.

-        “salvation”

o       John 4:42b - for we have heard [him] ourselves, and know that this is indeed the Christ, the Saviour of the world.

-        “savior of the age”

-        World - κόσμος kosmos, several definitions but together they seem represent the entire universe of creation and everything in it

o       Matthew 13:34-35 - All these things spake Jesus unto the multitude in parables; and without a parable spake he not unto them: That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying, I will open my mouth in parables; I will utter things which have been kept secret from the foundation of the world.

-        “revealer of a secret”

§        Asenath – אסנת 'Acĕnath, "belonging to the goddess Neith"

o       Neith was goddess of the hunt. She may have also been a war goddess. Her worship dates from pre dynastic history. In early times she was called 'mother of the gods' and 'Great Goddess'. She was considered the guardian of men and gods.  Often pictured as a woman wearing the red crown of Lower Egypt, holding a bow and crossed arrows. Her cult sign was a shield and crossed arrows. Occasionally she was represented as the great cow, mother of Ra

o       No longer does Asenath belong to the goddess of Neith, she now belongs to Zaphnathpaaneah (Joseph), the savior of the world!

o       Just as we who were once in bondage to sin…

-        1 Corinthians 6:11 - And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.

§        Potipherah – פוטי פרע Powtiy Phera`, "he whom the Ra gave"

§        On – און 'Own, "strength or vigour", city in lower Egypt, bordering land of Goshen, centre of sun-worship, residence of Potipherah (priest of On and father-in-law of Joseph)

§        Revelation 19:7 - Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready.

o       Notice one of the first things Pharaoh did after elevating Joseph was to establish him in marriage with an honorable wife

o       Likewise we see that the marriage of the Lamb, the body of Christ joined to the bride of Christ.

II.            Interpretations prove true, Joseph successfully prepares (Genesis 41:46-57)

a.      Genesis 41:46 – And Joseph [was] thirty years old when he stood before Pharaoh king of Egypt. And Joseph went out from the presence of Pharaoh, and went throughout all the land of Egypt.

§        Luke 3:23 - And Jesus himself began to be about thirty years of age, being (as was supposed) the son of Joseph, which was [the son] of Heli,

o       Joseph becomes a servant of  Pharaoh about the same time that Jesus enters His ministry

o       Pharaoh demonstrates a “type” of God by representing in the physical world the attributes of God in the spiritual

§        Approximates the year to about 1715 BC.

§        Famine began in ~1708 BC and ended ~1700 BC according to corroborating archeological evidence.  There is an inscription that states “for 7 successive years the Nile did not overflow and the vegetation withered and failed; that the land was devoid of crops , and that during these years, famine and misery devastated the land of Egypt.” E.W. Bullinger, Companion Bible, note to Genesis 41:30

b.      Genesis 41:47 – And in the seven plenteous years the earth brought forth by handfuls.

c.      Genesis 41:48 – And he gathered up all the food of the seven years, which were in the land of Egypt, and laid up the food in the cities: the food of the field, which [was] round about every city, laid he up in the same.

§        Consider the logistics and storage facilities that had to be put in place before this could be accomplished.  Joseph would have had to appoint trusted men in charge of overseeing these collection locations and ensuring they were of unquestioned integrity

§        Would have had to build silos that withstood erosion and vermin that also remained dry to prevent rot.

§        This was a major undertaking and even though Joseph was placed in charge he would have had to quickly learned to delegate important responsibilities to capable workers.

d.      Genesis 41:49 – And Joseph gathered corn as the sand of the sea, very much, until he left numbering; for [it was] without number.

§        Purchasing from Pharaoh’s treasury

e.      Genesis 41:50 – And unto Joseph were born two sons before the years of famine came, which Asenath the daughter of Potipherah priest of On bare unto him.

§        Sons born between 1715 BC and 1708 BC, before the famine

f.       Genesis 41:51 – And Joseph called the name of the firstborn Manasseh: For God, [said he], hath made me forget all my toil, and all my father's house.

§        Manasseh – מנשה Mĕnashsheh, "causing to forget"

o       Joseph did forget his toil, but not his father’s house. 

o       These two tribes will become the chief tribes of the northern kingdom “House of Israel” could this be prophetically speaking of end-times era Israelites “forgetting” about their heritage?

o       Sometimes we forget that all the trouble of pain we go through on this earth is merely temporary

g.      Genesis 41:52 – And the name of the second called he Ephraim: For God hath caused me to be fruitful in the land of my affliction.

§        Ephraim - אפרים 'Ephrayim, "double ash-heap: I shall be doubly fruitful"

o       Seems to encompass the 14 year stretch in one summary statement an ash-heap representing the 7 years famine and fruitful for the seven years of plenty.

o       So between the two we have forgetfulness and fruitfulness

h.      Genesis 41:53 – And the seven years of plenteousness, that was in the land of Egypt, were ended.

§        Just as the Lord said

§        Joseph was the only one whom the Lord spoke through regarding the coming famine, what happened to the other nations

i.       Genesis 41:54 – And the seven years of dearth began to come, according as Joseph had said: and the dearth was in all lands; but in all the land of Egypt there was bread.

j.       Genesis 41:55 – And when all the land of Egypt was famished, the people cried to Pharaoh for bread: and Pharaoh said unto all the Egyptians, Go unto Joseph; what he saith to you, do.

§        Notice that Pharaoh delegated this responsibility to Joseph, he did not try to take it back or take credit for it.  People came to Pharaoh seeking to obtain “salvation”, what did he say?  Go see Joseph.  When people attempt to obtain salvation today, what is the response?

o       John 14:6 - Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

o       No one has access to the Father’s silos but by the access granted by Jesus.

§        1 Thessalonians 5:9 - For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ,

o       We obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ, the Egyptians obtained their “salvation” through Joseph.

k.      Genesis 41:56 – And the famine was over all the face of the earth: And Joseph opened all the storehouses, and sold unto the Egyptians; and the famine waxed sore in the land of Egypt.

§        “face of the earth” – many translations say the land, likely that it was over the entire region

l.       Genesis 41:57 - And all countries came into Egypt to Joseph for to buy [corn]; because that the famine was [so] sore in all lands.

§        John 3:17 - For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

o       Does it say here that Israel might be saved? No, Jesus came to save the whole world, not just Israel.

o       Joseph, by saving Israel from whence Christ came, indirectly saved the whole world from sin, but also through his prudence saved all of the bordering countries from the famine.