What is the meaning of Genesis 48:20? So that day Jacob blessed them Jacob, near the end of his life, lays hands on Joseph’s sons and speaks words that carry covenantal authority (Genesis 48:14; Hebrews 11:21). • This “day” is a deliberate, Spirit-led moment, much like Isaac’s blessing of Jacob in Genesis 27:27-29. • A patriarch’s blessing is effective because God works through it (Genesis 49:28; Numbers 23:20). • By blessing Ephraim and Manasseh, Jacob effectively adopts them as his own first-born heirs (Genesis 48:5-6), positioning Joseph for a double portion (Deuteronomy 21:17). “By you shall Israel pronounce this blessing:” Jacob establishes a pattern: future generations will invoke these boys’ names when wishing prosperity on their own children. • A blessing formula similar to “The LORD bless you and keep you” (Numbers 6:24-26) is now centered on Ephraim and Manasseh. • The phrase “by you” means their story becomes the benchmark for God’s favor, echoing God’s promise that Abraham’s line would be a blessing to all (Genesis 12:2-3). • Ruth 4:11 shows a later example of invoking patriarchal names for blessing; Jacob intends the same practice with his grandsons. “May God make you like Ephraim and Manasseh.” Why these two? • They were born in Egypt yet remained counted among God’s people—a picture of faithfulness in a foreign land (Genesis 41:50-52; 46:20). • They receive full tribal status, underscoring God’s grace to include and elevate (Joshua 14:4). • Their names recall God’s goodness: – Manasseh—“God has made me forget all my hardship.” – Ephraim—“God has made me fruitful in the land of my affliction.” Together they model deliverance and fruitfulness (Psalm 105:24; Deuteronomy 33:13-17). • Parents still bless sons with these words in Jewish tradition, fulfilling Jacob’s prophecy. So he put Ephraim before Manasseh. Though Manasseh was the firstborn, Jacob crosses his hands (Genesis 48:14) and gives the greater blessing to Ephraim. • This continues a biblical theme of God choosing the younger or unlikely—Isaac over Ishmael, Jacob over Esau, David over his brothers (Romans 9:11-13; 1 Samuel 16:11-13). • The act teaches that divine purpose overrides human custom (Matthew 20:16). • Historically, Ephraim became the dominant northern tribe (Judges 8:1; Hosea 13:1), confirming Jacob’s prophetic insight. summary Genesis 48:20 records Jacob’s Spirit-guided blessing that sets Ephraim and Manasseh as the gold standard for future generations. The verse highlights (1) the power of a patriarch’s spoken blessing, (2) God’s desire for all Israel to walk in deliverance and fruitfulness, and (3) the sovereign freedom of God to exalt whomever He chooses. The ongoing use of this blessing in family life and Scripture testifies that Jacob’s words were—and remain—effectively fulfilled. |
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