seekeroftruth
Well-Known Member
Genesis 48:12 Then Joseph removed them from Israel’s knees and bowed down with his face to the ground. 13 And Joseph took both of them, Ephraim on his right toward Israel’s left hand and Manasseh on his left toward Israel’s right hand, and brought them close to him. 14 But Israel reached out his right hand and put it on Ephraim’s head, though he was the younger, and crossing his arms, he put his left hand on Manasseh’s head, even though Manasseh was the firstborn.
15 Then he blessed Joseph and said,
17 When Joseph saw his father placing his right hand on Ephraim’s head he was displeased; so he took hold of his father’s hand to move it from Ephraim’s head to Manasseh’s head. 18 Joseph said to him, “No, my father, this one is the firstborn; put your right hand on his head.”
19 But his father refused and said, “I know, my son, I know. He too will become a people, and he too will become great. Nevertheless, his younger brother will be greater than he, and his descendants will become a group of nations.” 20 He blessed them that day and said,
15 Then he blessed Joseph and said,
“May the God before whom my fathers
Abraham and Isaac walked faithfully,
the God who has been my shepherd
all my life to this day,
16 the Angel who has delivered me from all harm
—may he bless these boys.
May they be called by my name
and the names of my fathers Abraham and Isaac,
and may they increase greatly
on the earth.”
Abraham and Isaac walked faithfully,
the God who has been my shepherd
all my life to this day,
16 the Angel who has delivered me from all harm
—may he bless these boys.
May they be called by my name
and the names of my fathers Abraham and Isaac,
and may they increase greatly
on the earth.”
17 When Joseph saw his father placing his right hand on Ephraim’s head he was displeased; so he took hold of his father’s hand to move it from Ephraim’s head to Manasseh’s head. 18 Joseph said to him, “No, my father, this one is the firstborn; put your right hand on his head.”
19 But his father refused and said, “I know, my son, I know. He too will become a people, and he too will become great. Nevertheless, his younger brother will be greater than he, and his descendants will become a group of nations.” 20 He blessed them that day and said,
“In your[c] name will Israel pronounce this blessing:
‘May God make you like Ephraim and Manasseh.’”
So he put Ephraim ahead of Manasseh.‘May God make you like Ephraim and Manasseh.’”
c. Genesis 48:20 The Hebrew is singular.
I feel like I've been playing a game of "head and shoulders, knees and toes" for the last couple of days. Boys who I thought were boys were 20 year old men. Boys who I thought were sitting on granddad's knee were way to big for that. Now it's who's on the left and who's on the right.... then Jacob [Israel] pulled a switcheroo and crossed his arms. It's been confusing but I think I have it now.
Jacob [Israel] is dying. Maybe he thinks he is and still has another decade left like before. Anyway, Joseph is in the room with him. Joseph's sons are there and Jacob [Israel] has taken Joseph's cut of Jacob's [Israel's] inheritance and given it to them. That's cool, after all Joseph is doing very well for himself. He's running Egypt. Joseph would have given his share to his sons anyway. On top of that, Jacob [Israel] has moved the boys to the top of the order in place Rueben and Simeon. Now that could be dangerous because Simeon is a murderer.
In these verses, Jacob [Israel] has to perform the laying of the hands. We see this all the time in the Bible, but this is the first time [according to the commentary] it's recorded. So Joseph lines his sons up for the blessing and Jacob [Israel] has other plans. Jacob [Israel] crosses his arms, switching the blessing.
The right hand goes on the first one to be blessed. That should have been Manasseh because Manasseh was the oldest and according to tradition the oldest should be most blessed. But Jacob [Israel] put his right hand on Ephriam's head. Ephriam was the second child. Joseph tried to correct Jacob [Israel] but Jacob [Israel] would have no part of it. Jacob [Israel] knew what he was doing and told Joseph so.
Head and shoulders, knees and toes.....
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