Genesis 48:21 - Printer Friendly

ESV: Then Israel said to Joseph, “Behold, I am about to die, but God will be with you and will bring you again to the land of your fathers.

NIV: Then Israel said to Joseph, 'I am about to die, but God will be with you and take you back to the land of your fathers.

NASB: Then Israel said to Joseph, 'Behold, I am about to die, but God will be with you, and bring you back to the land of your fathers.

CSB: Israel said to Joseph, "Look, I am about to die, but God will be with you and will bring you back to the land of your fathers.

NLT: Then Jacob said to Joseph, 'Look, I am about to die, but God will be with you and will take you back to Canaan, the land of your ancestors.

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

NKJV: Then Israel said to Joseph, “Behold, I am dying, but God will be with you and bring you back to the land of your fathers.

After 147 years of struggle and controversy (Genesis 47:9, 28), Jacob is on his deathbed. He has just concluded giving a surprising blessing to Joseph's two oldest sons Ephraim and Manasseh. In fact, he has given to them the primary family blessing, declaring them to be his own sons and blessing them above his oldest son Reuben (Genesis 48:1–13). As part of that blessing, he has also elevated Joseph's second son, Ephraim, above Joseph's firstborn, Manasseh (Genesis 48:14–20).

Now Jacob gives a reassurance to Joseph. Jacob makes clear to Joseph that even after he dies, God will still be with Joseph and the family. God will bring them back to the land of promise in Canaan. Jacob does not want Joseph to make the mistake of thinking that his death will mean the end of God's faithfulness to his offspring. The story won't end here.

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.

Accessed 5/6/2024 11:20:18 AM