Worthy.Bible » STRONG » Genesis » Chapter 48 » Verse 21

Genesis 48:21 King James Version with Strong's Concordance (STRONG)

21 And Israel H3478 said H559 unto Joseph, H3130 Behold, I die: H4191 but God H430 shall be with you, and bring you again H7725 unto the land H776 of your fathers. H1

Cross Reference

Psalms 146:3-4 STRONG

Put not your trust H982 in princes, H5081 nor in the son H1121 of man, H120 in whom there is no help. H8668 His breath H7307 goeth forth, H3318 he returneth H7725 to his earth; H127 in that very day H3117 his thoughts H6250 perish. H6

Hebrews 7:23-25 STRONG

And G2532 they G1526 truly G3303 were G1526 G1096 many G4119 priests, G2409 because they were not suffered G2967 to continue G3887 by reason of G1223 death: G2288 But G1161 this man, because G1223 he G846 continueth G3306 ever, G1519 G165 hath G2192 an unchangeable G531 priesthood. G2420 Wherefore G3606 he is able G1410 also G2532 to save them G4982 to G1519 the uttermost G3838 that come G4334 unto God G2316 by G1223 him, G846 seeing he ever G3842 liveth G2198 to G1519 make intercession G1793 for G5228 them. G846

Zechariah 1:5-6 STRONG

Your fathers, H1 where are they? and the prophets, H5030 do they live H2421 for ever? H5769 But my words H1697 and my statutes, H2706 which I commanded H6680 my servants H5650 the prophets, H5030 did they not take hold H5381 of your fathers? H1 and they returned H7725 and said, H559 Like as the LORD H3068 of hosts H6635 thought H2161 to do H6213 unto us, according to our ways, H1870 and according to our doings, H4611 so hath he dealt H6213 with us.

1 Kings 2:2-4 STRONG

I go H1980 the way H1870 of all the earth: H776 be thou strong H2388 therefore, and shew thyself a man; H376 And keep H8104 the charge H4931 of the LORD H3068 thy God, H430 to walk H3212 in his ways, H1870 to keep H8104 his statutes, H2708 and his commandments, H4687 and his judgments, H4941 and his testimonies, H5715 as it is written H3789 in the law H8451 of Moses, H4872 that thou mayest prosper H7919 in all that thou doest, H6213 and whithersoever thou turnest H6437 thyself: That the LORD H3068 may continue H6965 his word H1697 which he spake H1696 concerning me, saying, H559 If thy children H1121 take heed H8104 to their way, H1870 to walk H3212 before H6440 me in truth H571 with all their heart H3824 and with all their soul, H5315 there shall not fail H3772 thee (said H559 he) a man H376 on the throne H3678 of Israel. H3478

Joshua 24:1-33 STRONG

And Joshua H3091 gathered H622 all the tribes H7626 of Israel H3478 to Shechem, H7927 and called H7121 for the elders H2205 of Israel, H3478 and for their heads, H7218 and for their judges, H8199 and for their officers; H7860 and they presented H3320 themselves before H6440 God. H430 And Joshua H3091 said H559 unto all the people, H5971 Thus saith H559 the LORD H3068 God H430 of Israel, H3478 Your fathers H1 dwelt H3427 on the other side H5676 of the flood H5104 in old time, H5769 even Terah, H8646 the father H1 of Abraham, H85 and the father H1 of Nachor: H5152 and they served H5647 other H312 gods. H430 And I took H3947 your father H1 Abraham H85 from the other side H5676 of the flood, H5104 and led H3212 him throughout all the land H776 of Canaan, H3667 and multiplied H7235 his seed, H2233 and gave H5414 him Isaac. H3327 And I gave H5414 unto Isaac H3327 Jacob H3290 and Esau: H6215 and I gave H5414 unto Esau H6215 mount H2022 Seir, H8165 to possess H3423 it; but Jacob H3290 and his children H1121 went down H3381 into Egypt. H4714 I sent H7971 Moses H4872 also and Aaron, H175 and I plagued H5062 Egypt, H4714 according to that which H834 I did H6213 among H7130 them: and afterward H310 I brought you out. H3318 And I brought H3318 your fathers H1 out of Egypt: H4714 and ye came H935 unto the sea; H3220 and the Egyptians H4714 pursued H7291 after H310 your fathers H1 with chariots H7393 and horsemen H6571 unto the Red H5488 sea. H3220 And when they cried H6817 unto the LORD, H3068 he put H7760 darkness H3990 between you and the Egyptians, H4713 and brought H935 the sea H3220 upon them, and covered H3680 them; and your eyes H5869 have seen H7200 what I have done H6213 in Egypt: H4714 and ye dwelt H3427 in the wilderness H4057 a long H7227 season. H3117 And I brought H935 you into the land H776 of the Amorites, H567 which dwelt H3427 on the other side H5676 Jordan; H3383 and they fought H3898 with you: and I gave H5414 them into your hand, H3027 that ye might possess H3423 their land; H776 and I destroyed H8045 them from before H6440 you. Then Balak H1111 the son H1121 of Zippor, H6834 king H4428 of Moab, H4124 arose H6965 and warred H3898 against Israel, H3478 and sent H7971 and called H7121 Balaam H1109 the son H1121 of Beor H1160 to curse H7043 you: But I would H14 not hearken H8085 unto Balaam; H1109 therefore he blessed H1288 you still: H1288 so I delivered H5337 you out of his hand. H3027 And ye went over H5674 Jordan, H3383 and came H935 unto Jericho: H3405 and the men H1167 of Jericho H3405 fought H3898 against you, the Amorites, H567 and the Perizzites, H6522 and the Canaanites, H3669 and the Hittites, H2850 and the Girgashites, H1622 the Hivites, H2340 and the Jebusites; H2983 and I delivered H5414 them into your hand. H3027 And I sent H7971 the hornet H6880 before H6440 you, which drave them out H1644 from before H6440 you, even the two H8147 kings H4428 of the Amorites; H567 but not with thy sword, H2719 nor with thy bow. H7198 And I have given H5414 you a land H776 for which ye did not labour, H3021 and cities H5892 which ye built H1129 not, and ye dwell H3427 in them; of the vineyards H3754 and oliveyards H2132 which ye planted H5193 not do ye eat. H398 Now therefore fear H3372 the LORD, H3068 and serve H5647 him in sincerity H8549 and in truth: H571 and put away H5493 the gods H430 which your fathers H1 served H5647 on the other side H5676 of the flood, H5104 and in Egypt; H4714 and serve H5647 ye the LORD. H3068 And if it seem evil H7489 unto you H4310 to serve H5647 the LORD, H3068 choose H977 you this day H3117 whom H5869 ye will serve; H5647 whether the gods H430 which your fathers H1 served H5647 that were on the other side H5676 of the flood, H5104 or the gods H430 of the Amorites, H567 in whose land H776 ye dwell: H3427 but as for me and my house, H1004 we will serve H5647 the LORD. H3068 And the people H5971 answered H6030 and said, H559 God forbid H2486 that we should forsake H5800 the LORD, H3068 to serve H5647 other H312 gods; H430 For the LORD H3068 our God, H430 he it is that brought us up H5927 and our fathers H1 out of the land H776 of Egypt, H4714 from the house H1004 of bondage, H5650 and which did H6213 those great H1419 signs H226 in our sight, H5869 and preserved H8104 us in all the way H1870 wherein we went, H1980 and among all the people H5971 through H7130 whom we passed: H5674 And the LORD H3068 drave out H1644 from before H6440 us all the people, H5971 even the Amorites H567 which dwelt H3427 in the land: H776 therefore will we also serve H5647 the LORD; H3068 for he is our God. H430 And Joshua H3091 said H559 unto the people, H5971 Ye cannot H3201 serve H5647 the LORD: H3068 for he is an holy H6918 God; H430 he is a jealous H7072 God; H410 he will not forgive H5375 your transgressions H6588 nor your sins. H2403 If ye forsake H5800 the LORD, H3068 and serve H5647 strange H5236 gods, H430 then he will turn H7725 and do you hurt, H7489 and consume H3615 you, after H310 that he hath done you good. H3190 And the people H5971 said H559 unto Joshua, H3091 Nay; but we will serve H5647 the LORD. H3068 And Joshua H3091 said H559 unto the people, H5971 Ye are witnesses H5707 against yourselves that ye have chosen H977 you the LORD, H3068 to serve H5647 him. And they said, H559 We are witnesses. H5707 Now therefore put away, H5493 said he, the strange H5236 gods H430 which are among H7130 you, and incline H5186 your heart H3824 unto the LORD H3068 God H430 of Israel. H3478 And the people H5971 said H559 unto Joshua, H3091 The LORD H3068 our God H430 will we serve, H5647 and his voice H6963 will we obey. H8085 So Joshua H3091 made H3772 a covenant H1285 with the people H5971 that day, H3117 and set H7760 them a statute H2706 and an ordinance H4941 in Shechem. H7927 And Joshua H3091 wrote H3789 these words H1697 in the book H5612 of the law H8451 of God, H430 and took H3947 a great H1419 stone, H68 and set it up H6965 there under an oak, H427 that was by the sanctuary H4720 of the LORD. H3068 And Joshua H3091 said H559 unto all the people, H5971 Behold, this stone H68 shall be a witness H5713 unto us; for it hath heard H8085 all the words H561 of the LORD H3068 which he spake H1696 unto us: it shall be therefore a witness H5713 unto you, lest ye deny H3584 your God. H430 So Joshua H3091 let the people H5971 depart, H7971 every man H376 unto his inheritance. H5159 And it came to pass after H310 these things, H1697 that Joshua H3091 the son H1121 of Nun, H5126 the servant H5650 of the LORD, H3068 died, H4191 being an hundred H3967 and ten H6235 years H8141 old. H1121 And they buried H6912 him in the border H1366 of his inheritance H5159 in Timnathserah, H8556 which is in mount H2022 Ephraim, H669 on the north side H6828 of the hill H2022 of Gaash. H1608 And Israel H3478 served H5647 the LORD H3068 all the days H3117 of Joshua, H3091 and all the days H3117 of the elders H2205 that overlived H748 H3117 H310 Joshua, H3091 and which had known H3045 all the works H4639 of the LORD, H3068 that he had done H6213 for Israel. H3478 And the bones H6106 of Joseph, H3130 which the children H1121 of Israel H3478 brought up H5927 out of Egypt, H4714 buried H6912 they in Shechem, H7927 in a parcel H2513 of ground H7704 which Jacob H3290 bought H7069 of the sons H1121 of Hamor H2544 the father H1 of Shechem H7927 for an hundred H3967 pieces of silver: H7192 and it became the inheritance H5159 of the children H1121 of Joseph. H3130 And Eleazar H499 the son H1121 of Aaron H175 died; H4191 and they buried H6912 him in a hill H1389 that pertained to Phinehas H6372 his son, H1121 which was given H5414 him in mount H2022 Ephraim. H669

Deuteronomy 1:1-46 STRONG

These be the words H1697 which Moses H4872 spake H1696 unto all Israel H3478 on this side H5676 Jordan H3383 in the wilderness, H4057 in the plain H6160 over against H4136 the Red H5489 sea, between Paran, H6290 and Tophel, H8603 and Laban, H3837 and Hazeroth, H2698 and Dizahab. H1774 (There are eleven H259 H6240 days' H3117 journey from Horeb H2722 by the way H1870 of mount H2022 Seir H8165 unto Kadeshbarnea.) H6947 And it came to pass in the fortieth H705 year, H8141 in the eleventh H6249 H6240 month, H2320 on the first H259 day of the month, H2320 that Moses H4872 spake H1696 unto the children H1121 of Israel, H3478 according unto all that the LORD H3068 had given him in commandment H6680 unto them; After H310 he had slain H5221 Sihon H5511 the king H4428 of the Amorites, H567 which dwelt H3427 in Heshbon, H2809 and Og H5747 the king H4428 of Bashan, H1316 which dwelt H3427 at Astaroth H6252 in Edrei: H154 On this side H5676 Jordan, H3383 in the land H776 of Moab, H4124 began H2974 Moses H4872 to declare H874 this law, H8451 saying, H559 The LORD H3068 our God H430 spake H1696 unto us in Horeb, H2722 saying, H559 Ye have dwelt H3427 long enough H7227 in this mount: H2022 Turn H6437 you, and take your journey, H5265 and go H935 to the mount H2022 of the Amorites, H567 and unto all the places nigh H7934 thereunto, in the plain, H6160 in the hills, H2022 and in the vale, H8219 and in the south, H5045 and by the sea H3220 side, H2348 to the land H776 of the Canaanites, H3669 and unto Lebanon, H3844 unto the great H1419 river, H5104 the river H5104 Euphrates. H6578 Behold, H7200 I have set H5414 the land H776 before H6440 you: go H935 in and possess H3423 the land H776 which the LORD H3068 sware H7650 unto your fathers, H1 Abraham, H85 Isaac, H3327 and Jacob, H3290 to give H5414 unto them and to their seed H2233 after H310 them. And I spake H559 unto you at that time, H6256 saying, H559 I am not able H3201 to bear H5375 you myself alone: H905 The LORD H3068 your God H430 hath multiplied H7235 you, and, behold, ye are this day H3117 as the stars H3556 of heaven H8064 for multitude. H7230 (The LORD H3068 God H430 of your fathers H1 make you a thousand H505 times H6471 so many more as H3254 ye are, and bless H1288 you, as he hath promised H1696 you!) How H349 can I myself alone bear H5375 your cumbrance, H2960 and your burden, H4853 and your strife? H7379 Take H3051 you wise H2450 men, H582 and understanding, H995 and known H3045 among your tribes, H7626 and I will make H7760 them rulers H7218 over you. And ye answered H6030 me, and said, H559 The thing H1697 which thou hast spoken H1696 is good H2896 for us to do. H6213 So I took H3947 the chief H7218 of your tribes, H7626 wise H2450 men, H582 and known, H3045 and made H5414 them heads H7218 over you, captains H8269 over thousands, H505 and captains H8269 over hundreds, H3967 and captains H8269 over fifties, H2572 and captains H8269 over tens, H6235 and officers H7860 among your tribes. H7626 And I charged H6680 your judges H8199 at that time, H6256 saying, H559 Hear H8085 the causes between your brethren, H251 and judge H8199 righteously H6664 between every man H376 and his brother, H251 and the stranger H1616 that is with him. Ye shall not respect H5234 persons H6440 in judgment; H4941 but ye shall hear H8085 the small H6996 as well as the great; H1419 ye shall not be afraid H1481 of the face H6440 of man; H376 for the judgment H4941 is God's: H430 and the cause H1697 that is too hard H7185 for you, bring H7126 it unto me, and I will hear H8085 it. And I commanded H6680 you at that time H6256 all the things H1697 which ye should do. H6213 And when we departed H5265 from Horeb, H2722 we went through H3212 all that great H1419 and terrible H3372 wilderness, H4057 which ye saw H7200 by the way H1870 of the mountain H2022 of the Amorites, H567 as the LORD H3068 our God H430 commanded H6680 us; and we came H935 to Kadeshbarnea. H6947 And I said H559 unto you, Ye are come H935 unto the mountain H2022 of the Amorites, H567 which the LORD H3068 our God H430 doth give H5414 unto us. Behold, H7200 the LORD H3068 thy God H430 hath set H5414 the land H776 before H6440 thee: go up H5927 and possess H3423 it, as the LORD H3068 God H430 of thy fathers H1 hath said H1696 unto thee; fear H3372 not, neither be discouraged. H2865 And ye came near H7126 unto me every one of you, and said, H559 We will send H7971 men H582 before H6440 us, and they shall search us out H2658 the land, H776 and bring H7725 us word H1697 again H7725 by what way H1870 we must go up, H5927 and into what cities H5892 we shall come. H935 And the saying H1697 pleased me well: H3190 H5869 and I took H3947 twelve H8147 H6240 men H582 of you, one H259 of a tribe: H376 H7626 And they turned H6437 and went up H5927 into the mountain, H2022 and came H935 unto the valley H5158 of Eshcol, H812 and searched it out. H7270 And they took H3947 of the fruit H6529 of the land H776 in their hands, H3027 and brought it down H3381 unto us, and brought H7725 us word H1697 again, H7725 and said, H559 It is a good H2896 land H776 which the LORD H3068 our God H430 doth give H5414 us. Notwithstanding ye would H14 not go up, H5927 but rebelled H4784 against the commandment H6310 of the LORD H3068 your God: H430 And ye murmured H7279 in your tents, H168 and said, H559 Because the LORD H3068 hated H8135 us, he hath brought us forth H3318 out of the land H776 of Egypt, H4714 to deliver H5414 us into the hand H3027 of the Amorites, H567 to destroy H8045 us. Whither shall we go up? H5927 our brethren H251 have discouraged H4549 our heart, H3824 saying, H559 The people H5971 is greater H1419 and taller H7311 than we; the cities H5892 are great H1419 and walled up H1219 to heaven; H8064 and moreover we have seen H7200 the sons H1121 of the Anakims H6062 there. Then I said H559 unto you, Dread H6206 not, neither be afraid H3372 of them. The LORD H3068 your God H430 which goeth H1980 before H6440 you, he shall fight H3898 for you, according to all that he did H6213 for you in Egypt H4714 before your eyes; H5869 And in the wilderness, H4057 where thou hast seen H7200 how that the LORD H3068 thy God H430 bare H5375 thee, as a man H376 doth bear H5375 his son, H1121 in all the way H1870 that ye went, H1980 until ye came H935 into this place. H4725 Yet in this thing H1697 ye did not believe H539 the LORD H3068 your God, H430 Who went H1980 in the way H1870 before H6440 you, to search you out H8446 a place H4725 to pitch your tents H2583 in, in fire H784 by night, H3915 to shew H7200 you by what way H1870 ye should go, H3212 and in a cloud H6051 by day. H3119 And the LORD H3068 heard H8085 the voice H6963 of your words, H1697 and was wroth, H7107 and sware, H7650 saying, H559 Surely there shall not one H376 of these men H582 of this evil H7451 generation H1755 see H7200 that good H2896 land, H776 which I sware H7650 to give H5414 unto your fathers, H1 Save H2108 Caleb H3612 the son H1121 of Jephunneh; H3312 he shall see H7200 it, and to him will I give H5414 the land H776 that H834 he hath trodden upon, H1869 and to his children, H1121 because he hath wholly H4390 followed H310 the LORD. H3068 Also the LORD H3068 was angry H599 with me for your sakes, H1558 saying, H559 Thou also shalt not go H935 in thither. H8033 But Joshua H3091 the son H1121 of Nun, H5126 which standeth H5975 before H6440 thee, he shall go in H935 thither: encourage H2388 him: for he shall cause Israel H3478 to inherit H5157 it. Moreover your little ones, H2945 which ye said H559 should be a prey, H957 and your children, H1121 which in that day H3117 had no knowledge H3045 between good H2896 and evil, H7451 they shall go in H935 thither, and unto them will I give H5414 it, and they shall possess H3423 it. But as for you, turn H6437 you, and take your journey H5265 into the wilderness H4057 by the way H1870 of the Red H5488 sea. H3220 Then ye answered H6030 and said H559 unto me, We have sinned H2398 against the LORD, H3068 we will go up H5927 and fight, H3898 according to all that the LORD H3068 our God H430 commanded H6680 us. And when ye had girded H2296 on every man H376 his weapons H3627 of war, H4421 ye were ready H1951 to go up H5927 into the hill. H2022 And the LORD H3068 said H559 unto me, Say H559 unto them, Go not up, H5927 neither fight; H3898 for I am not among H7130 you; lest ye be smitten H5062 before H6440 your enemies. H341 So I spake H1696 unto you; and ye would not hear, H8085 but rebelled H4784 against the commandment H6310 of the LORD, H3068 and went H5927 presumptuously H2102 up H5927 into the hill. H2022 And the Amorites, H567 which dwelt H3427 in that mountain, H2022 came out H3318 against H7125 you, and chased H7291 you, as bees H1682 do, H6213 and destroyed H3807 you in Seir, H8165 even unto Hormah. H2767 And ye returned H7725 and wept H1058 before H6440 the LORD; H3068 but the LORD H3068 would not hearken H8085 to your voice, H6963 nor give ear H238 unto you. So ye abode H3427 in Kadesh H6946 many H7227 days, H3117 according unto the days H3117 that ye abode H3427 there.

Commentary on Genesis 48 John Gill's Exposition of the Bible


Introduction

INTRODUCTION TO GENESIS 48

Joseph, hearing that his father Jacob was sick, paid him a visit, Genesis 49:1; 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, Genesis 49:3; then he adopted his two sons, Ephraim and Manasseh, and blessed them, and Joseph also, Genesis 49:5; 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, Genesis 49:17; 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, Genesis 49:21.


Verse 1

And it came to pass after these things,.... Some little time after Jacob had sent for Joseph, and conversed with him about his burial in the land of Canaan, and took an oath to bury him there, for then the time drew nigh that he must die:

that one told Joseph, behold, thy father is sick; he was very infirm when he was last with him, and his natural strength decaying apace, by which he knew his end was near; but now he was seized with a sickness which threatened him with death speedily, and therefore very probably dispatched a messenger to acquaint Joseph with it. Jarchi fancies that Ephraim, the son of Joseph, lived with Jacob in the land of Goshen, and when he was sick went and told his father of it, but this is not likely from what follows:

and he took with him his two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim; to see their grandfather before he died, to hear his dying words, and receive his blessing.


Verse 2

And one told Jacob,.... The same that came from Jacob to Joseph might be sent back by him to, his father, to let him know that he was coming to see him, or some other messenger sent on purpose; for it can hardly be thought that this was an accidental thing on either side:

and said, behold, thy son Joseph cometh unto thee; to pay him a visit, and which no doubt gave him a pleasure, he being his beloved son, as well as he was great and honourable:

and Israel strengthened himself, and sat upon his bed; his spirits revived, his strength renewed, he got fresh vigour on hearing his son Joseph was coming; and he exerted all his strength, and raised himself up by the help of his staff, and sat upon his bed to receive his son's visit; for now it was when he blessed the sons of Joseph, that he leaned upon the top of his staff and worshipped, as the apostle says, Hebrews 11:21.


Verse 3

And Jacob said unto Joseph,.... Being come into his bedchamber, and sitting by him, or standing before him:

God Almighty appeared unto at Luz in the land of Canaan; the same with Bethel, where God appeared, both at his going to Padanaram, and at his return from thence, Genesis 28:11; which of those times is here referred to is not certain; very likely he refers to them both, since the same promises were made to him at both times, as after mentioned:

and blessed me; promised he would bless him, both with temporal and spiritual blessings, as he did as follows.


Verse 4

And said unto me, behold, I will make thee fruitful,.... In a spiritual sense, in grace and good works; in a literal sense, in an increase of worldly substance, and especially of children:

and multiply thee; make his posterity numerous as the sand of the sea:

and I will make of thee a multitude of people; a large nation, consisting of many tribes, even a company of nations, as the twelve tribes of Israel were:

and I will give this land unto thy seed after thee, for an everlasting possession; the land of Canaan, they were to possess as long as they were the people of God, and obedient to his law; by which obedience they held the land, even unto the coming of the Messiah, whom they rejected, and then they were cast out, and a "Loammi" (i.e. not my people, Hosea 1:9) written upon them, and their civil polity, as well as church state, at an end: and besides, Canaan was a type of the eternal inheritance of the saints in heaven, the spiritual Israel of God, which will be possessed by them to all eternity.


Verse 5

And now thy two sons, Ephraim and Manasseh,.... Ephraim was the youngest, but is mentioned first, as he afterwards was preferred in the blessing of him:

which were born unto thee in the land of Egypt, before I came unto thee into Egypt; and therefore must be twenty years of age, or upwards: for Jacob had been in Egypt seventeen years, and he came there when there had been two years of famine, and Joseph's sons were born to him before the years of famine began, Genesis 41:50; of these Jacob says, they

are mine: as Reuben and Simeon, they shall be mine; that is, by adoption; should be reckoned not as his grandchildren, but as his children, even as his two eldest sons, Reuben and Simeon; and so should be distinct tribes or heads of them, as his sons would be, and have a distinct part and portion in the land of Canaan; and thus the birthright was transferred from Reuben, because of his incest, to Joseph, who in his posterity had a double portion assigned him.


Verse 6

And thy issue, which thou begettest after them, shall be thine,.... The children of Joseph, that either were, or would be begotten after Ephraim and Manasseh; though whether ever any were is not certain; and this is only mentioned by way of supposition, as Jarchi interprets it, "if thou shouldest beget", &c. these should be reckoned his own, and not as Jacob's sons, but be considered as other grandchildren of Jacob's were, and not as Ephraim and Manasseh:

and shall be called after the name of their brethren in their inheritance; they should not have distinct names, or make distinct tribes, or have a distinct inheritance; but should be called either the children of Ephraim, or the children of Manasseh, and should be reckoned as belonging either to the one tribe, or the other, and have their inheritance in them, and with them, and not separate.


Verse 7

And as for me, when I came from Padan,.... From Syria, from Laban's house:

Rachel died by me in the land of Canaan; his beloved wife, the mother of Joseph, on whose account he mentions her, and to show a reason why he took his sons as his own, because his mother dying so soon, he could have no more children by her; and she being his only lawful wife, Joseph was of right to be reckoned as the firstborn; and that as such he might have the double portion, he took his two sons as his own, and put them upon a level with them, even with Reuben and Simeon. By this it appears, as by the preceding account, that Rachel came with him into the land of Canaan, and there died:

in the way, when yet there was but a little way to come unto Ephrath; about a mile, or two thousand cubits, as Jarchi observes:

and I buried her there in the way of Ephrath; where she died, and dying in childbed, could not be kept so long as to carry her to Machpelah, the burying place of his ancestors; and especially as he had his flocks and herds with him, which could move but slowly; and what might make it more difficult to keep her long, and carry her thither, it might be, as Ben Melech conjectures, summertime; and the Vulgate Latin adds to the text, without any warrant from the original, "and it was springtime"; however, she was buried in the land of Canaan, and which is taken notice of, that Joseph might observe it: it follows:

the same is Bethlehem; that is, Ephrath; and so Bethlehem is called Bethlehem Ephratah, Micah 5:2; whether these are the words of Jacob, or of Moses, is not certain, but said with a view to the Messiah, the famous seed of Jacob that should be born there, and was.


Verse 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.


Verse 9

And Joseph said unto his father, they are my sons, whom God hath given me in this place,.... In the land of Egypt; he accounts his sons as the gifts of God, as children are, Psalm 127:3; and it was not only a sentiment of the Jews, that children are the gift of God; hence the names of Mattaniah, Nathaniel, &c. but of Heathens, as the Greeks and Romans, among whom are frequent the names of men which show it, as Theodorus, Deodatus, Apollodorus, Artemidorus, &c.

and he said, bring them, I pray thee, unto me, and I will bless them; not in a common way, barely wishing them prosperity and happiness, but as a patriarch and prophet, under the influence and inspiration of the Spirit of God, declaring what would befall them, and what blessings they should be partakers of, in time to come.


Verse 10

Now the eyes of Israel were dim for age,.... Or "heavy"F16כבדו "graves erant", Pagninus, Montanus, Junius & Tremellius, Piscator, &c. , that he could not lift them up easily and see clearly; his eyebrows hung over, his eyes were sunk in his head, and the humours pressed them through old age, that it was with difficulty he could perceive an object, at least not distinctly:

so that he could not see; very plainly, otherwise he did see the sons of Joseph, though he could not discern who they were, Genesis 49:8,

and he brought them near unto him; that he might have a better sight of them and bless them:

and he kissed them, and embraced them: as a token of his affection for them.


Verse 11

And Israel said unto Joseph, I had not thought to see thy face,.... Some years ago he never expected to have seen him any more; he had given him up for lost, as a dead man, when his sons brought him his coat dipped in blood; and by reason of the long course of years which passed before ever he heard anything of him:

and, lo, God hath showed me also thy seed; it was an additional favour to see his offspring; it can hardly be thought, that in a course of seventeen years he had been in Egypt, he had not seen them before, only he takes this opportunity, which was the last he should have of expressing his pleasure on this occasion.


Verse 12

And Joseph brought them out from between his knees,.... Either from between his own, where they were kneeling, as he was sitting, in order that they might be nearer his father, to receive his blessing by the putting on of his hands; or rather from between his father's knees, he, as Aben Ezra observes, sitting on the bed, having kissed and embraced them, they were still between his knees; and that they might not be burdensome to his aged father, leaning on his breast, and especially, in order to put them in a proper position for his benediction, he took them from thence, and placed them over against him to his right and left hand:

and he bowed himself with his face to the earth; in a civil way to his father, and in reverence of him; in a religious way to God, expressing his thankfulness for all favours to him and his, and as supplicating a blessing for his sons through his father, under a divine influence and direction.


Verse 13

And Joseph took them both, Ephraim in his right hand toward Israel's left hand,.... He took Ephraim his youngest son in his right hand, and led him up to his father, by which means he would stand in a right position to have his grandfather's left hand put upon him:

and Manasseh in his left hand toward Israel's right hand; Manasseh his eldest son he took in his left hand, and brought him to his father, and so was in a proper position to have his right hand laid upon him, as seniority of birth required, and as he was desirous should be the case:

and brought them near unto him; in the above manner, so near as that he could lay his hands on them.


Verse 14

And Israel stretched out his right hand,.... Not directly forward, but across, or otherwise it would have been laid on Manasseh, as Joseph designed it should by the position he placed him in:

and laid it upon Ephraim's head, who was the younger, the right hand being the strongest and most in use, as it was reckoned most honourable to sit at it, so to have it imposed, as being significative of the greater blessing:

and his left hand upon Manasseh's head; who was the older:

guiding his hands wittingly; this was not done accidentally, but on purpose: or made his "hands to understand"F17שכל את ידיו "intelligere fecit suas manus", Paguinus, Montanus, Vatablus, Drusius, Cartwright. , they acted as if they understood what he would have done, as Aben Ezra; as if they were conscious of what should be, or would be; though he could not see clearly and distinctly, yet he knew, by the position of them before him, which was the elder and which was the younger: he knew that Joseph would set the firstborn in such a position before him as naturally to put his right hand on him, and the younger in such a position as that it would be readiest for him to put his left hand on him; and therefore, being under a divine impulse and spirit of prophecy, by which he discerned that the younger was to have the greater blessing, he crossed his bands, or changed them, and put his right hand on Ephraim, and his left hand on Manasseh:

for Manasseh was the firstborn; or rather, thoughF18כי "tametsi", Tigurine version; "quamvis", Piscator; so some in Fagius. he was the firstborn, as Aben Ezra.


Verse 15

And he blessed Joseph,.... In his sons who were reckoned for him, and became the heads of tribes in his room:

and said, God before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac did walk; in whom they believed, whom they professed, and whom they feared, served, and worshipped, and with whom they had communion:

the God which fed me all my long unto this day; who had upheld him in life, provided for him all the necessaries of life, food and raiment, and had followed him with his goodness ever since he had a being, and had fed him as the great shepherd of the flock, both with temporal and spiritual food, being the God of his life, and of his mercies in every sense.


Verse 16

The Angel which redeemed me from all evil, bless the lads,.... Ephraim and Manasseh, now about twenty years old or upwards: this is not to be understood of a created angel he wishes to be their guardian, but of an eternal one, the Son of God, the Angel of God's presence, the Angel of the covenant; the same with the God of his father before mentioned, as appears by the character he gives him, as having "redeemed him from all evil"; not only protected and preserved him from temporal evils and imminent dangers from Esau, Laban, and others; but had delivered him from the power, guilt, and punishment of sin, the greatest of evils, and from the dominion and tyranny of Satan the evil one, and from everlasting wrath, ruin, and damnation; all which none but a divine Person could do, as well as he wishes, desires, and prays, that he would "bless" the lads with blessings temporal and spiritual, which a created angel cannot do; and Jacob would never have asked it of him:

and let my name be named on them, and the name of my fathers Abraham and Isaac; having adopted them, he foretells they would be called not only the sons of Joseph, but the children of Israel or Jacob, and would have a name among the tribes of Israel, and be heads of them, as well as would be called the seed of Abraham and of Isaac, and inherit their blessings: and let them grow into a multitude in the midst of the earth; where they increased as fishes, as the word signifiesF19וידגו "et instar piscium sint", Pagninus, Montanus; so Junius & Tremellius, Piscator, Ainsworth, and the Targum of Onkelos, and Jarchi. , and more than any other of the tribes; even in the times of Moses the number of them were 85,200 men fit for war, Numbers 26:34; and their situation was in the middle of the land of Canaan.


Verse 17

And when Joseph saw that his father laid his right hand upon the head of Ephraim, it displeased him,.... To see the younger preferred to the elder; parents, generally speaking, having the greatest regard to the firstborn with respect to honour and estate, and to them, in those times, the patriarchal blessing particularly was thought to belong; but it did not always go to them, but to the younger, as in Jacob's own case:

and he held up his father's hand, to remove it from Ephraim's head unto Manasseh's head; he took him by the right hand, and lifted it up from the head of Ephraim, and held it in order that he might put it by his direction on the head of Manasseh.


Verse 18

And Joseph said unto his father, not so, my father,.... It is not right, it should not so be, that the right hand should be put on the youngest, and the left hand on the eldest:

for this is the firstborn; directing him to Manasseh, and seeking to guide his hand towards him:

put thy right hand upon his head; Joseph was for proceeding according to the order of birthright, but Jacob was directed by a spirit of prophecy, as follows.


Verse 19

And his father refused,.... To have any alteration made, and therefore, though Joseph lifted it up from. Ephraim's head and held it over it, Jacob put it on again and went on with the blessing:

and said, I know it, my son, I know it; he knew what he did, and he repeats it to confirm it, as well as to show the vehemency of his mind, and his resolution to abide by what he had done; he knew on whom he laid his right hand, and he knew that Manasseh was the firstborn: so the Targum of Jonathan:

and he also shall become a people; a tribe or nation:

and he also shall be great; in number, riches, and honour:

but truly his younger brother shall be greater than he; more numerous, as the tribe of Ephraim was, than that of Manasseh, when they came out of Egypt; for in numbering them there appeared to be 8300 more in the one tribe than in the other, Numbers 1:33, as well as more honourable; Ephraim's standard was placed before Manasseh's, Numbers 2:18; and upon the division of the tribes in Rehoboam's time, as Jeroboam was of the tribe of Ephraim, that tribe was at the head of the ten tribes, and the seat of the kingdom was in it, and the whole kingdom of Israel often goes by the name of Ephraim:

and his seed shall become a multitude of nations; that is, of families, for as nations are called families, Amos 3:1; so families may be called nations; the Targum of Onkelos is,"his sons shall be rulers among the people,'so Joshua, who was of the tribe of Ephraim, conquered and subdued the nations of the Canaanites, and Jeroboam of this tribe ruled over the ten tribes or nations of Israel: it may be rendered, "his seed shall fill the nations"F20יהיה מלא הגוימ "implebit nationes", Munster; "erit plenitudo gentium", Pagninus, Montanus, Schmidt; "impletio gentium", Tigurine version. , or be "the fulness" of them; which Jarchi interprets of the whole world being filled with the fame and renown of Joshua, who was of this tribe, when the sun and moon stood still in his days; but it is best to understand this of the large share he should have of the land of Canaan among the rest of the tribes or nations of Israel.


Verse 20

And he blessed them that day,.... That Joseph visited him, and this be did "by faith"; believing that what he had said concerning them would be accomplished, as the apostle observes, Hebrews 11:21,

saying, in thee shall Israel bless; in Joseph, as the Targum of Jonathan, that is, in his seed, in his sons Ephraim and Manasseh, when the Israelites blessed any, they should make use of their names:

saying, God make thee as Ephraim and Manasseh: as great and honourable, as rich and wealthy, as fruitful and prosperous as they; and the Targum says, this custom continues with the Jews to this day, to put their hands on persons to bless them; if a son, they say,"God make thee as Ephraim and Manasseh;'if a daughter,"God make thee as Sarah and Rebekah:"

and he set Ephraim before Manasseh; not only in this form of benediction, but in all that he had said and done before; he preferred him to Manasseh by putting his right hand upon him, and giving him the superior blessing: and it is no unusual thing for the younger to be set before the elder, both by God and man, but especially by the Lord, who seeth not as man seeth, and proceeds not according to carnal descent, or those rules men go by: there had been many instances before this, as Abel was preferred to Cain, Shem to Japheth, Abraham to Nahor, Isaac to Ishmael, and Jacob to Esau; as there were after it, as Moses to Aaron, and David to his brethren.


Verse 21

And Israel said unto Joseph, behold, I die,.... Expected to die very shortly; and he not only speaks of it as a certain thing, and what would quickly be, but with pleasure and comfort, having no fear and dread of it on him, but as what was agreeable to him, and he had made himself familiar with:

but God shall be with you; with Joseph and his posterity, and with all his brethren, and theirs, to comfort and support them, to guide and counsel them, to protect and defend them, to carry them through all they had to endure in Egypt, and at length bring them out of it; he signifies he was departing from them, but God would not depart from them, whose presence would be infinitely more to them than his; and which, as it made him the more easy to leave them, so it might make them more easy to part with him:

and bring you again unto the land of your fathers; the land of Canaan, where their fathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, had dwelt, and which was given to them and theirs for an inheritance, and where Joseph and his brethren had lived, and would be brought thither again, as the bones of Joseph were, and as all of them in their posterity were in Joshua's time.


Verse 22

Moreover, I have given to thee one portion above thy brethren,.... The word for "portion" is "Shechem", and which some take to be, not an appellative, as we do, but the name of a city, even Shechem; so the Targum of Jonathan and Jarchi interpret it; and though that is not directly meant, yet there is a reference had to it, and it seems to be enigmatically understood; for this portion or parcel spoken of was near to Shechem, and not only that, but the city itself, and all the adjacent country, came to the lot of Ephraim, and were possessed by that tribe:

which I took out of the hand of the Amorite with my sword and with my bow; not referring, as some think, to the taking and spoiling of the city of Shechem by his sons, and so said to be done by him in them; for Jacob would never make that his act and deed, which he so much abhorred and detested, and still did, as appears by what he says of it in the following chapter; nor was this taken from the Amorite, but from the Hivite, and not by his sword and bow, whether taken literally or metaphorically, and so interpreted of his prayer and supplication, as by Onkelos; but he was so far from assisting in that affair by supplication, that his imprecations fell on Levi and Simeon, for that fact of theirs: if this is to be understood of the city of Shechem, what Aben Ezra and Ben Gersom propose seems most agreeable, that this is said by way of anticipation, the past tense being put for the future; Jacob, under a spirit of prophecy, foreseeing and declaring that his sons, and he in his sons in future time, would take it out of the hands of the Amorites, the principal of the Canaanitish nations, and then it should be given to Joseph's seed; but the first and special regard is to the part or parcel of ground which lay near Shechem; and this Jacob is said to take by his sword and bow, which some interpret of his money, which were his arms and defence, and which he had got by much labour; and if it could be proved that his money was marked with a sword and bow upon it, as the Persian Darics were with an archer with his bow and arrow, and therefore called sagittaries or archersF21Vid. Heidegger. Hist. Patriarch. tom. 2. Exercit. 22. sect. 12. p. 690. , it would countenance this sense; though even then it could not with propriety be said that he by this means obtained it of the Amorite, since he bought it of the children of Hamor the Hivite; but it seems more likely, that after Jacob departed from Shechem to Hebron, the Amorite came and seized on this parcel of ground; which he hearing of, went with his sons and servants, and recovered it out of their hands by his sword and bow; though this warlike action of his is nowhere recorded in Scripture, the Jewish writersF23Shalshalet Hakabala, fol. 5. 1. say, that Jacob and his sons had very grievous war with the Amorites on account of the slaughter and captivity of the Shechemites: by giving to Joseph this portion above his brethren, it appears that the birthright was become his, he having the double portion, and indeed all that Jacob had of his own in the land of Canaan; and hence Joseph's bones were buried here, it being his own ground; see Joshua 24:32.