What is the meaning of Genesis 48:8? When Israel saw Jacob, now called Israel, has been reunited with Joseph for seventeen years (Genesis 47:28). His eyesight is fading (Genesis 48:10), yet Scripture still says he “saw.” • This “seeing” underscores God’s faithfulness: the patriarch lives to witness the next generation, just as the Lord promised (Genesis 46:4). • In similar fashion, Abraham “looked up and saw” the ram of provision (Genesis 22:13), and Simeon in the temple “saw” the infant Messiah (Luke 2:28-30). Each instance celebrates God keeping covenant promises. Though nearly blind, Israel perceives far more than with physical eyes—he recognizes a divine moment unfolding. the sons of Joseph These boys are Manasseh and Ephraim (Genesis 41:50-52). • Born in Egypt yet counted among the covenant people, they illustrate how God’s grace reaches beyond geographical boundaries (Genesis 17:7-8). • Israel states in the same chapter, “Your two sons… will be mine” (Genesis 48:5), effectively elevating them to patriarchal status alongside Reuben and Simeon. • Their inclusion later affects tribal allotments (Numbers 26:28-37) and prophecy (Deuteronomy 33:17), showing this moment’s far-reaching impact. he asked Although he has likely met the boys before, Israel pauses to inquire. • Custom required clear identification before a formal blessing, much as Isaac questioned Jacob, “Who are you, my son?” (Genesis 27:18). • Asking safeguards the sanctity of the blessing—an inheritance act that could not be taken lightly (Hebrews 11:21). • The question also invites Joseph to present his sons publicly, paralleling the Lord’s declaration during Jesus’ baptism, “This is My beloved Son” (Matthew 3:17). "Who are these?" The simple query opens the door for adoption and blessing. • Legally, Joseph now testifies: “They are my sons whom God has given me here” (Genesis 48:9), anchoring their identity in God’s provision. • Spiritually, it pictures believers who are “not a people” yet become “children of God” through declaration and grace (Romans 9:25-26; John 1:12). • The moment foreshadows Israel’s crossing of hands (Genesis 48:14), revealing that God’s choices often overturn human expectations (1 Corinthians 1:27). summary Genesis 48:8 is more than an aging patriarch’s polite question; it marks the threshold where two Egyptian-born boys are ushered into Israel’s covenant family. By “seeing” them, naming them, and preparing to bless them, Jacob testifies that God keeps promises, extends grace to unexpected recipients, and ordains future destinies. |
    |