Genesis 48 – Jacob Blesses Joseph’s Sons
This section is solely focused on the interaction of Joseph and his father in Jacob’s final days of life, and the transaction that occurs affecting Joseph’s sons. It is clear that Jacob remembers how God had appeared to him at Luz (i.e. Bethel, Genesis 28:10-22), and at Beersheba before coming to Egypt (Genesis 46:1-4). Jacob is convinced that the Lord will continue working in his family to fulfill promises that started with his grandfather Abraham.
Verses 5-7 reveal what Jacob is doing in the moment, and possibly what his motivation is. What Jacob says in verse 5 is language that would have been recognized as adoptive. By Jacob’s word, he ranks Manasseh and Ephraim among his own sons. This may have been a way for him to remember and honor his wife Rachel, who had died many years before. An interesting dynamic is that Jacob, in claiming Manasseh and Ephraim, is altering the inheritance calculation among his sons.
It is not surprising (verse 8) for Jacob to ask, “Who are these?” when Joseph’s sons are brought to him. Identifying them would be important before offering a blessing, and it is revealed to us that Jacob’s eyesight had grown dim. Being clear on who they were, Jacob asks for them to be brought near for a blessing. The fact that Jacob offers a blessing upon these two before any of his (other) sons is a hint that Jacob is reordering their birthright. The book of 1 Chronicles offers another genealogical list of Jacob’s descendants, with some commentary. 1 Chronicles 5:1-2 indicates how this impacted both Reuben and Judah.
Verse 11 offers a touching statement from Jacob. Having once believed that he would never see Joseph again, Jacob recognizes the goodness of God in not only letting him see Joseph, but his sons as well. This is followed by the statement that Joseph took his sons “from his knees” and bowed before his father. This is almost certainly not to be taken literally, but rather as a figurative gesture of Joseph releasing his paternal claim of his sons unto Jacob.
What follows is the blessing of Manasseh and Ephraim. Joseph anticipated that this would happen according to normal expectations. He therefore places Manasseh (his oldest) toward Jacob’s right hand, and Ephraim toward Jacob’s left. Given what we know of Jacob’s habits, it may not surprise us that he confounds custom by giving the younger son the blessing of the older. In the blessing he offers both (v. 15-16) we find language that resonates with the Abrahamic promises and with the adoption that has just occurred. Joseph tries to correct what he sees as a mistake by his father, but Jacob insists that the blessing he has offered is how it is to be. For this reason we can note in verse 20 that Ephraim is now mentioned before Manasseh.
The chapter ends with an assurance that God would return Joseph (and presumably the rest of the family) to the land of promise. In verse 22 Jacob tells Joseph that he is giving him “one portion more” than the rest of his brothers. In a sense this is what Jacob did in adopting Joseph’s two sons. However, the statement also seems to suggest a particular piece of land (mountain slope?) that Jacob had taken by force. Some English translations will say “land” or “slope” indicating this. If Jacob is actually speaking of a parcel of land in Canaan, we can have little certainty as to where it is.
Genesis 49 – Jacob Blesses His Sons
After blessing Joseph’s sons, and in a sense adopting them, Jacob continues to offer blessing on his other sons as well. The initial verses of the chapter tell us that such a moment had a prophetic element to it. Jacob says to his sons, “…that I may tell you what will happen to you in the days to come.”
Reuben. He is recognized as Jacob’s firstborn, with language that aligns with how the firstborn would usually be seen (having the best of his father’s strength, for example). However, Jacob declares that he is not to receive that preeminence because of Reuben’s violation of “his father’s couch” (Genesis 35:22). Among the eventual tribal land allotments, Reuben would be east of the Jordan River, between the lands of Amon and Moab, fairly on the margins of Israelite territory.
Simeon and Levi. We remember the plot led by these brothers in the slaughter of the men of Shechem (Genesis 34). The language of their blessing (which sounds little like a blessing) reflect the anger and violence that marked this event. The land allotment for Simeon would be completely surrounded by Judah. Knowing that Levi would become the priestly tribe, we might wonder in light of Jacob’s blessing why they would receive such honor. Though it is not certain, some point to a later faithfulness of the Lord in an episode recorded in Exodus.
Judah. The fourth brother in line, Judah is the first to receive affirmative and optimistic words. He is to be “praised by his brothers” and triumphant over enemies (v. 8). This seems clearly to anticipate the success and strength of the Israelite kingdom under David. The image of the lion (v. 9) carries over to messianic images (see Revelation 5:5) and the permanent scepter to the continual kingdom. Some take the imagery of v. 11 as connected to the messianic kingdom.
Zebulun. He is briefly mentioned as associated with the sea in the region of Sidon. In the Gospel of Matthew, Zebulun and Naphtali are associated with “the way of the sea.” The blessing probably anticipates prosperity due to proximity to the port of Sidon.
Issachar. Though an older son than Zebulun, Issachar is mentioned after him. The prophetic word regarding him has different interpretations. The land allotment to Issachar would be in a fertile valley and connected to the Sea of Galilee. The tribe is affirmatively mentioned as supporting the judge Deborah (Judges 5) and being supportive of David (1 Chronicles 12).
Dan. The name is associated with the Hebrew word “to judge.” The tribe’s original allotment of land was by the sea coast, but the struggle to secure it from the Philistines led them to eventually relocate to the far northern region of Israel. The reference to Dan as a serpent may point to a cunning and strategic approach to warfare (ref. Judges 18).
Gad. The prophetic blessing upon the descendants of Gad indicate their warrior-like spirit. While they settled on the east side of the Jordan, they remained faithful to worship the Lord and to their fellow Israelites.
Asher. Their outlook, in accordance with their name, would be “happy.” The Mediterranean coastline of their inheritance had fertile hills and active sea ports.
Naphtali. The tribe is generally mentioned positively through scripture. They were one of the tribes who failed to subdue the Canaanite people upon entering the land, and thus lived in relative oppression by them. Their land was in the northern hill region of Galilee, touching nearly all of the western shore of the Sea of Galilee.
Joseph. Joseph receives a lofty blessing from his father, one that reflects the steadfast faithfulness of God who has worked good through Joseph. Though Judah would be the messianic forefather, Joseph is allotted the birthright of the oldest (see 1 Chronicles 5:2). The “archers” (v. 23) are thought to be a reference to the attack upon Joseph by his brothers.
Benjamin. The brief blessing regarding Benjamin reflects people who were fierce and skilled as warriors. The down side of their history is told in Judges 19-21, where the people of Benjamin commit a grievous sin against a fellow Israelite and his concubine. The new of this spread throughout the tribes of Israel, and the retribution against the tribe of Benjamin nearly eliminated them.
Verses 28-33 are a final summary statement, including Jacob’s request to be buried in the same location as his father and grandfather. The writer of Hebrews mentions Jacob’s faith at his death (Hebrews 11:21).
Genesis 50 – Burial of Jacob, Death of Joseph
The Genesis narrative concludes with the death not only of Jacob, the last of the first three patriarchs of Jewish faith, but also the death of Joseph.
We can make an interesting observation immediately, that Joseph directs for the body of his father to be embalmed. This is interesting because Jews historically are not known to practice embalming. The Egyptian practice we know as mummification is very different from what we are accustomed to reading when a Jew has died, like what is described after the death of Jesus, for instance. The Egyptian practice involved a lengthy process of drying the body, thus the long length of time required. It also involved removal of the organs. The reason Jews traditionally do not practice this type of embalming is not (as far as this writer can tell) directly because of an explicit command in the Torah, but rather because of the importance of not desecrating the body before returning it to the earth.
There are Jewish/rabbinic commentaries that construe verses 2-3 to suggest that Jacob really was not embalmed by mummification, but rather prepared with oils and spices, with the length of time (40 days) only intended to reflect what the Egyptian process would have taken. For our study we will prefer the more obvious reading that Joseph really did have his father’s body prepared in the Egyptian fashion used for nobility. While such a process was lengthy and expensive, Joseph had ample means to accomplish this. There is a practical side also for this reading; Joseph knew there was a lengthy trip to be made with the body. It would be an obviously better situation if the body was adequately preserved to endure this much time before burial.
The total length of time that Egypt mourned for Jacob was seventy days (v. 3). This seems to be a span of time reserved only for Pharaohs and other elite of the nation, which tells us the extent of honor Egypt showed to Joseph’s family. This is also reflected in the description given to the funeral procession as the body is taken from Egypt to Canaan for burial (vs. 7-9).
The procession to carry Jacob’s body to Mamre stopped at a location called “the threshing floor of Atad” (v. 10). This is identified as being “beyond the Jordan,” which is a phrase typically meaning east of the Jordan River. The actual location is uncertain for us. If the location was indeed east of the Jordan, it gives us a clue regarding which route the procession took in getting to Canaan. Jacob’s family and the host of Egyptians who had joined in the trip stopped at this location to mourn for seven days before going on to the burial site. The demonstration of mourning was, according to the text, noticeable to the Canaanites.
Verses 15-21 tell us once again of fear that arises among Joseph’s brothers. “What will Joseph do now that dad is gone?” In hopes of securing Joseph’s favor, they send what is apparently a crafted message as if from Jacob, which encouraged Joseph to not be angry or vengeful toward his brothers because of their past actions. Joseph’s reaction remains consistent; he does not pretend to be in God’s place to pass judgment upon his brothers. He also reiterates the fact that God’s hand was at work through it all to preserve Jacob’s family and secure the fulfillment of God’s promises.
The final word of Genesis marks the end of Joseph’s life at 110 years. He was able to see generations of children born to his sons. One interpretation of “Ephraim’s children of the third generation” (v. 23) is to mean Joseph’s great great grandchildren. We have been thinking of Joseph as having been sold into slavery and taken to Egypt in early adulthood, perhaps even at 17 years of age. If this is the case, Joseph spent around 90 years living in Egypt. Before his death, Joseph reiterates to his brothers the promises of God, that God would bring them up to the land of promise, and has them pledge to bring his bones with them to the land of Canaan. Upon his death, Joseph was embalmed (as was his father) and placed in a coffin in Egypt.
