seekeroftruth
Well-Known Member
Genesis 48:8 When Israel saw the sons of Joseph, he asked, “Who are these?”
9 “They are the sons God has given me here,” Joseph said to his father.
Then Israel said, “Bring them to me so I may bless them.”
10 Now Israel’s eyes were failing because of old age, and he could hardly see. So Joseph brought his sons close to him, and his father kissed them and embraced them.
11 Israel said to Joseph, “I never expected to see your face again, and now God has allowed me to see your children too.”
9 “They are the sons God has given me here,” Joseph said to his father.
Then Israel said, “Bring them to me so I may bless them.”
10 Now Israel’s eyes were failing because of old age, and he could hardly see. So Joseph brought his sons close to him, and his father kissed them and embraced them.
11 Israel said to Joseph, “I never expected to see your face again, and now God has allowed me to see your children too.”
This is from Bible-commentaries.com.
Because of his blindness Jacob does not recognize Manasheh and Ephraim. Undoubtedly this was not the first time he met them; he must have seen them at least once when he first arrived in Egypt. Now he takes them on his lap, at least that is the impression we get, and he kisses them. I will not elaborate on the value of grandchildren for fear of getting carried away. Prov. 17:6 says: "Children's children are a crown to the aged, and parents are the pride of their children," and I say "amen" to this with all my heart. So Jacob has my full attention as he sits there on the edge of his bed with his two grandchildren close by him. I said he must have had them on his knees, but we have to bear in mind that the young men must have been in their twenties. They were born during the first seven years of Joseph's reign and in the second year of the second period, the famine, Jacob came to Egypt, which, at this time was seventeen years ago."
Again Jacob starts to reminisce, and in vs. 11 we read: "Israel said to Joseph, 'I never expected to see your face again, and now God has allowed me to see your children too.'" Jacob had spent years thinking his son was dead and now he sees how God's promise has come full circle. Joseph is alive and here are his two sons. We feel the deep joy and peace that must have been in Jacob's heart coming through in these words. God knew, and He did so much better than we though!
Then it is Joseph's turn to worship. We do not read that what he did had any spiritual connotation, but the act of his body was an act of worship. We read in vs. 12 "Then Joseph removed them from Israel's knees and bowed down with his face to the ground." He must have seen the same picture his father saw and it brought him again to the recognition how wonderful God's mysterious ways are. Shakespeare called one of his plays "All is well that ends well." What and end! And half has not yet been told!
Again Jacob starts to reminisce, and in vs. 11 we read: "Israel said to Joseph, 'I never expected to see your face again, and now God has allowed me to see your children too.'" Jacob had spent years thinking his son was dead and now he sees how God's promise has come full circle. Joseph is alive and here are his two sons. We feel the deep joy and peace that must have been in Jacob's heart coming through in these words. God knew, and He did so much better than we though!
Then it is Joseph's turn to worship. We do not read that what he did had any spiritual connotation, but the act of his body was an act of worship. We read in vs. 12 "Then Joseph removed them from Israel's knees and bowed down with his face to the ground." He must have seen the same picture his father saw and it brought him again to the recognition how wonderful God's mysterious ways are. Shakespeare called one of his plays "All is well that ends well." What and end! And half has not yet been told!
When I first read this I thought of these boys as children..... shuffled in to meet the old granddad. Apparently it wasn't like that. According to the notes here these boys were in their 20's.
Jacob was originally laying down in a bed and when Joseph entered, he sat up. Now if the boys were sitting at his knees that could mean that they each took a side of the bed. I doubt seriously a 20 year old man would sit on grandpa's knee.... right?
