Genesis 48

1. Manasseh and Ephraim. These sons of Joseph were born during the years of plenty. Jacob had come to Egypt in the second year of the famine, and had now been there seventeen years. Manasseh and Ephraim had therefore arrived at manhood.

5 are mine. Ephraim and Manasseh thus became heads of tribes; and Joseph, Rachel’s first-born, inherited the double portion of the birthright which Reuben had forfeited. See ver. 22; 1 Chron. v. 1, 2; Deut. xxi. 17. “By faith” (Heb. xi. 21) “Jacob blessed” these two young men, who were already in the eye of the world much greater as sons of the viceroy of Egypt than they could be as children of the aged shepherd from Palestine.

6 after the name of their brethren. That is, they shall be regarded as belonging to one or other of the tribes called by their elder brothers’ names. Hence no other sons of Joseph appear in the genealogies. See xlvi. 20.

14 wittingly. That is, purposely; “crossing his hands,” as the Septuagint freely renders it.

15 fed me. “Has been my Shepherd,” as in Psa. xxiii. 1. See ch. xlix. 24.

16. Angel. See on xvi. 7; xviii. 2; xxxii. 24. The word “redeemed” is probably alluded to in Isa. xliv. 23; xlix. 7.

19. This prophecy was fulfilled by the relative numbers of the two tribes at the time of taking the census in the wilderness, and by the precedence always accorded to Ephraim when both are mentioned. Numb. i. 33, 35; ii. 19, 21; Deut. xxxiii. 17.—greater. Though Manasseh had more land in the apportionment of Canaan, Ephraim was always the more powerful tribe, ranking next to Judah. The ten tribes, after their separation, were called collectively by the name of Ephraim (Hosea viii., ix.).

20 bless. That is, shall use thy name (the names of thy two sons) as a benediction.

22. I took. Possibly references to an event otherwise unnoticed in Jacob’s life, when he had to regain by force the land he had purchased near Shechem. Others think that the acquisition, as well as the gift, is future, and that Jacob speaks of the conquest and distribution of the land by Joshua. “Shechem,” the word here rendered “portion” (literally, “shoulder,” or “mountain-slope,” R.V. marg.), fell to the lot of Ephraim.