Genesis Chapter 48

At a Glance

  • Genesis 48 centers on the passing-of-blessing moment as Jacob, now aged and nearing the end of his life, blesses Joseph’s two sons, Ephraim and Manasseh.
  • Placed near the end of Genesis, this chapter belongs to the anthology’s final phase where the patriarchs recount blessings and lay groundwork for the tribes’ future roles.
  • - Generational Blessing and Inheritance: Recognition of Ephraim and Manasseh as Joseph’s heirs changes the tribal landscape.
  • - Divine Sovereignty in Lineage: God’s choices override human expectations, reaffirming faith in God’s providence.
  • - Reversal and Fulfillment: The younger child receives the greater blessing, illustrating God’s economy of grace.

Genesis 48 centers on the passing-of-blessing moment as Jacob, now aged and nearing the end of his life, blesses Joseph’s two sons, Ephraim and Manasseh. In a symbolic act, Jacob adopts Ephraim and Manasseh as his own, effectively elevating them within the tribal inheritance. Joseph presents his sons to his father, and Jacob, though near blind, blesses them with a prophetic gesture that alters the future distribution of the tribal inheritance. The scene is rich with themes of legacy, divine sovereignty in lineage, and a reversal of expected order: the younger Ephraim receives the right hand blessing over the elder Manasseh. Jacob’s actions are deeply strategic but also profoundly theological: God’s plans often contradict human expectations, and blessing operates within the framework of divine promise. The chapter closes with Jacob recounting Rachel’s death and continuing to speak truth about God’s faithfulness as he reflects on the path that brought him to this moment. The personal, intimate moment between father and sons carries sweeping implications for Israel’s future tribal structure and blessings.

Placed near the end of Genesis, this chapter belongs to the anthology’s final phase where the patriarchs recount blessings and lay groundwork for the tribes’ future roles. The adoption of Ephraim and Manasseh as Jacob’s own sons marks a formal architectural shift in Israel’s tribal map, ensuring Joseph’s line receives an enduring share. The genre remains narrative with prophetic-poetic elements, where blessing functions as a legislative action shaping future destiny. Theologically, it foregrounds God’s sovereignty in who receives prominence and how blessings cascade through generations, setting up the complex socio-tribal distribution of land and authority that will matter in the wilderness and beyond.

- Generational Blessing and Inheritance: Recognition of Ephraim and Manasseh as Joseph’s heirs changes the tribal landscape.

- Divine Sovereignty in Lineage: God’s choices override human expectations, reaffirming faith in God’s providence.

- Reversal and Fulfillment: The younger child receives the greater blessing, illustrating God’s economy of grace.

- Memory and Theological Reflection: Jacob recalls Rachel and his own journey, weaving personal memory with divine faithfulness.

- Identity Formation in Old Age: The elder statesman pronounces a blessing that will shape national identity for generations.

Genesis 48 offers a profound template for elder leadership and intergenerational recurrence of blessing. For modern readers, it speaks to honoring younger generations, recognizing gifts in those who may not be the immediate front-runners, and affirming that God’s purposes transcend conventional expectations. The scene invites families and communities to steward blessings across generations—whether in church leadership, education, or mentoring—without partiality, but with discernment of the Spirit’s leading. It also invites reflection on how we “name” and allocate roles within a community, highlighting humility and trust in God’s plan over ambition. The personal dimension—the tenderness of Jacob blessing his grandsons—reminds us that faith is lived in intimate relationships as well as public promises.

- Genesis 49 (Jacob’s final blessings)

- Genesis 50 (Jacob’s death and testament)

- Genesis 41 (Joseph’s rise under divine guidance)

- Romans 11:29 (God’s gifts and calling without repentance)

- Jacob/Israel (for legacy, blessing, and prophetic vision)

- Joseph (for intergenerational transmission of blessing)

- Moses (for leadership transitions and tribal formation)

Key Themes

Generational Blessing and Inheritance: Recognition of Ephraim and Manasseh as Joseph’s heirs changes the tribal landscape.Divine Sovereignty in Lineage: God’s choices override human expectations, reaffirming faith in God’s providence.Reversal and Fulfillment: The younger child receives the greater blessing, illustrating God’s economy of grace.Memory and Theological Reflection: Jacob recalls Rachel and his own journey, weaving personal memory with divine faithfulness.

Chapter Text

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.

2

And one told Jacob, and said, Behold, thy son Joseph cometh unto thee: and Israel strengthened himself, and sat upon the bed.

3

And Jacob said unto Joseph, God Almighty appeared unto me at Luz in the land of Canaan, and blessed me,

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.

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.

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.

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.

8

And Israel beheld Joseph’s sons, and said, Who are these?

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.

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.

11

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

12

And Joseph brought them out from between his knees, and he bowed himself with his face to the earth.

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.

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.

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,

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.

17

And when Joseph saw that his father laid his right hand upon the head of Ephraim, it displeased him: and he held up his father’s hand, to remove it from Ephraim’s head unto Manasseh’s head.

18

And Joseph said unto his father, Not so, my father: for this is the firstborn; put thy right hand upon his head.

19

And his father refused, and said, I know it, my son, I know it: he also shall become a people, and he also shall be great: but truly his younger brother shall be greater than he, and his seed shall become a multitude of nations.

20

And he blessed them that day, saying, In thee shall Israel bless, saying, God make thee as Ephraim and as Manasseh: and he set Ephraim before Manasseh.

21

And Israel said unto Joseph, Behold, I die: but God shall be with you, and bring you again unto the land of your fathers.

22

Moreover I have given to thee one portion above thy brethren, which I took out of the hand of the Amorite with my sword and with my bow.

Discuss This Chapter with Biblical Personas

Explore Genesis Chapter 48 with Biblical figures who can provide unique perspectives grounded in Scripture.

Ask Apostle PaulAsk MosesAsk King DavidAsk Jesus Christ
← Genesis 47Genesis 49 →