Genesis 48:15 - Printer Friendly

ESV: And he blessed Joseph and said, “The God before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac walked, the God who has been my shepherd all my life long to this day,

NIV: 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,

NASB: And he blessed Joseph, and said, 'The God before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac walked, The God who has been my shepherd all my life to this day,

CSB: Then he blessed Joseph and said: The God before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac walked, the God who has been my shepherd all my life to this day,

NLT: Then he blessed Joseph and said, 'May the God before whom my grandfather Abraham and my father, Isaac, walked — the God who has been my shepherd all my life, to this very day,

KJV: 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,

NKJV: And he blessed Joseph, and said: “God, before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac walked, The God who has fed me all my life long to this day,

On his deathbed, Jacob is giving his blessing to his sons before he dies (Genesis 48:1–12). Instead of beginning with his oldest son Reuben, he starts with Joseph's sons. In fact, he declares them to be his own sons with the legal standing of the firstborn of all his sons. In doing this, Jacob ensures that Joseph's family will get a double portion of the inheritance. More than that, Jacob appears to be giving to Joseph's sons Ephraim and Manasseh the primary blessing, the family blessing. Jacob places his hands on their heads as they apparently kneel before him. However, Jacob puts his right hand on the younger son's head and his left hand on the older one (Genesis 48:13–14), something that will concern Joseph (Genesis 48:17).

Jacob makes it clear that the blessing is a prayer. It is not a hope or a wish for good fortune. It is a prayer that carries the weight of God's own promises. God has blessed Jacob abundantly. He now prays for God to bless his offspring in the same way. As Jacob begins his prayer, he addresses God.

Jacob recognizes God as the same Lord who spoke with his ancestors Abraham and Isaac. They walked before Him, Jacob says, meaning that they lived out their lives under his watchful, protective eyes. Jacob acknowledges that God has been his lifelong shepherd, as well. The picture of God as a shepherd, guiding His people through their lives, will be repeated many times in the Bible. King David will capture the metaphor beautifully in Psalm 23. Like Jacob, David will also be a shepherd. Later, Jesus will become known as the Great Shepherd of all who trust in Him (Hebrews 13:20).

Genesis 48:1–22 describes the blessing Jacob pronounces over Joseph's oldest two sons. Significantly, Jacob claims Joseph's two oldest sons as his own, ensuring that each will receive a full portion of his inheritance. This means Joseph's family will receive a double portion. Jacob blesses the pair with a prayer for God's blessing in their lives as he himself has experienced it.

Genesis 48 describes Jacob's deathbed blessing of Joseph's sons, Ephraim and Manasseh. In a surprising move, Jacob claims Joseph's two oldest boys as his own. This makes each a full heir. The result is that Joseph's family will receive a double portion of the inheritance. Jacob prays for them to receive many of the blessings God has given to him during his long life. In another twist, Jacob gives greater blessing to the younger of his two grandsons.

Despite a long, difficult life, Jacob survives another 17 years after moving to Egypt. The suffering of his son, Joseph, resulted in the salvation of his family line. Now truly at the end of his days, Jacob claims Joseph's oldest two sons as his own—giving them full rights to a portion of his inheritance. The following chapters will include Jacob's remaining blessings for his sons, and a description of the death and burials of both Jacob and Joseph.

The book of Genesis establishes fundamental truths about God. Among these are His role as the Creator, His holiness, His hatred of sin, His love for mankind, and His willingness to provide for our redemption. We learn not only where mankind has come from, but why the world is in its present form. The book also presents the establishment of Israel, God's chosen people. Many of the principles given in other parts of Scripture depend on the basic ideas presented here in the book of Genesis. Within the framework of the Bible, Genesis explains the bare-bones history of the universe leading up to the captivity of Israel in Egypt, setting the stage for the book of Exodus.