The challenge was if Judaism would survive in the midst of all the distractions of diaspora life. BecauseReuben and Simeon had both disgraced themselves and lost their positions as first and second born. also David Weiss Halivni, Peshat and Derash: Plain and Applied Meaning in Rabbinic Exegesis, New York 1991, pp. Launched Shavuot 5773 / 2013 | Copyright Project TABS, All Rights Reserved, script type="text/javascript"> However, Jacob chose to give Ephraim the greater blessingeven though Joseph objected. THANK YOU, Your email address will not be published. 5 Now then, your two sons born to you in Egypt before I came to you here will be reckoned as mine; Ephraim and Manasseh will be mine, just as Reuben and Simeon are mine. Previous article. Something went wrong while submitting the form. He also will develop into a people, and he also will be great. why is it called half tribe of manasseh. If he did though, Jacob says the territory they inherit will be reckoned under the names of their brothers. In other words, any other sons will still have a share in Israel under the tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. See Jesus in all the scriptures concerning Himself. Though recorded long after Jacob lived, he would certainly have been familiar with this custom. The elder would formally query the children to confirm the birth right, then grant the blessing on the recipient. Ephraim was the son of Joseph and Asenath and the younger brother of Manasseh (Gen. 41:50-52). 14 Then Israel stretched out his right hand and laid it on Ephraims head, who was the younger, and his left hand on Manassehs head, guiding his hands knowingly, for Manasseh was the firstborn. Youre busy. The fourth case was when Joseph brought Ephraim and Manasseh to Jacob to be blessed by him, he tried to maneuver the blessing of the birthright according to the natural birth (vv. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously. Then Joseph brought them closer to his father. Joseph named his second-born son Ephraim because God has made me fruitful in the land of my suffering ( Genesis 41:52 ). Electronic Edition of the 1900 Authorized Version. 3 Then Jacob said to Joseph . Joseph had brought his sons to his father so he could bless them before he died. [14] For a somewhat different way of explaining R. Judahs interpretation, see Viezel, R. Its the kind of sight that tugs at your heart strings. 11 Israel said to Joseph, I never expected to see your face again, and now God has allowed me to see your children too.. 3 And Jacob said to Joseph, z "God Almighty 1 appeared to me at a Luz in the land of Canaan and blessed me, 4 and . (See Gen. . Were going to find out in the course of studying these two boys as related to the first-born blessing. Some time later Joseph was told, "Your father is ill.". 6 Your offspring whom you beget after them shall be yours; they will be called by the name of their brothers in their inheritance. He said, Im going to make you prosperous and numerous, turn you into a congregation of tribes; and Ill turn this land over to your children coming after you as a permanent inheritance. Im adopting your two sons who were born to you here in Egypt before I joined you; they have equal status with Reuben and Simeon. Manasseh, being the older boy, he had placed on his father's right hand side, Ephraim on his left. // Javascript URL redirection These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads. Someone once said that if there is a blessing that every single person needs to hear again and again, it is the Ephraim and Manasseh blessing. We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. Moses Commandments: The Secret of R. Nissim of Marseilles. Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features. Jacob built an altar and called it betel or Bethel (the house of God). Print. Joseph was confused when he saw this occurring and tried to correct his father (verse . The right hand would traditionally be placed on the head of the firstborn who receives special consideration and additional benefits in the blessing ritual. 22 And to you I give one more ridge of land than to your brothers, the ridge I took from the Amorites with my sword and my bow.. Israel bowed his head in submission and gratitude from his bed. 48:3 Jacob said to Joseph, The sovereign God appeared to me at Luz in the land of Canaan and blessed me. 12 So Joseph brought them from beside his knees, and he bowed down with his face to the earth. The words of King David ring true: How good and pleasant is it for brothers to sit peacefully together Hiney ma tov umanayim, shevet achim gam yachad (Psalms 133:1). But in the next chapter, we will see a profound turn of events. (Genesis 48:5,14-15, 17-22, NKJV) Jacob, after a life of thievery and conniving, had finally learned to obey the Lord. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other. But Israel reached out his right hand and put it on Ephraims head, though he was the younger, and crossing his arms, he put his left hand on Manassehs head, even though Manasseh was the firstborn. The next generation Isaacs twin sons, Jacob and Esav were so contentious that Esav repeatedly sought to kill Jacob and instructed his descendants to do the same. Joseph was one of Jacobs 12 sons. and the names of Abraham and Isaac, my fathers, 1718 When Joseph saw that his father had placed his right hand on Ephraims head, he thought he had made a mistake, so he took hold of his fathers hand to move it from Ephraims head to Manassehs, saying, Thats the wrong head, Father; the other one is the firstborn; place your right hand on his head.. Very interesting. Ephraim and Menashe represent a break from this pattern. Manasseh, being the older boy, he had placed on his fathers right hand side, Ephraim on his left. Earlier in his conversation with Joseph, a conversation the young men heard, Jacob mentions God is El Shaddai, God Almighty. The Bible says that he had crossed his handsKnowingly.He understood verywell that he was giving the first-born blessing to the younger boy. Genesis 48:12-16 So Joseph brought them from beside his knees, and he bowed down with his face to the earth. Why would Jacob place priority on blessing grandchildren over children? Determine the structure of the passage. Abrahams two sons Isaac and Ishmael could not get along, and their disagreement forms the basis of the Arab-Israeli conflict until today. But Israel crossed his arms and put his right hand on the head of Ephraim who was the younger and his left hand on the head of Manasseh, the firstborn. 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. When Jacob was told that his son Joseph had come to see him, he gathered his strength and sat up in bed. In the process,Joseph was elevated to patriarch status. Thatswhy the Holy Spirit had JacobCROSS his hands. Jacob said to Joseph, God has blessed me. As believers, we are all first born. Sara Japhet; Jerusalem: Magnes Press, 1994), 453-459 [Hebrew]; and Eran Viezel, Medieval Bible Commentators on the Question of the Composition of the Bible: Research and Methodological Aspects, Tarbiz 84 (2016): 103-158 [Hebrew]. What was the covenant between God and Jacob? 48 Now it came to pass after these things that Joseph was told, "Indeed your father is sick"; and he took with him his two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim. [21] Israel Meir Ta-Shema, Knesset Mehkarim, Studies in Medieval Rabbinic Literature, Vol. (Matthew 22:41 22:46), The parable of the bags of gold (Jesus tells the parable of the talents) (Matthew 25:14 25:30). 18 And Joseph said unto his father, Not so, my father: for this is the firstborn; put thy right hand upon his head. Joseph named his second-born son "Ephraim" because "God has made me fruitful in the land of my suffering" (Genesis 41:52). (15-16) The blessing of Jacob upon Manasseh and Ephraim. Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1982. In a symbolic and a literal way, the tribe of Manasseh will never get to its full potential. Be fruitful and multiply; a nation and a company of nations shall proceed from you, and kings shall come from your body. As one who is above your brothers, I give to you the mountain slope, which I took from the Amorites with my sword and my bow.. Jacob told Joseph, I never expected to see you again but now God has allowed me to see your children too.. God be with you and give you safe passage back to the land of your fathers. Possibly the bodily form of God appeared to Jacob as the Angel of God. His father loved him more than any of the others and gave him a coloured cloak. 21 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. Wittingly voided by Jacob (Genesis 48:14) He touched Ephraim with his right hand. One of the most beautiful customs in Jewish life is for parents to bless their children at the start of the Friday night Shabbat meal. Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors. Jacob also blessed the two sons of Joseph with the blessings of their father, which they inherited, and he placed Ephraim, the younger, before Manasseh, the elder, and by inspiration of the Lord conferred upon Ephraim the birthright in Israel" (Joseph Fielding Smith, Doctrines of Salvation, comp. 2 And Jacob was told, Look, your son Joseph is coming to you; and Israel strengthened himself and sat up on the bed. Then Israel stretched out hisright handand laid it on Ephraims head, who was the younger,and hisleft handon Manassehs head,guiding his hands KNOWINGLY,for Manasseh was the firstborn. Jacob asked Joseph to swear to him. Z. Katz, Judah Hahasid, Three Controversial Commentaries, Jewish Bible Quarterly, 25:1 (1997), pp. Remember how Isaac before his death blessed Jacob . He said to me, 'I will give . Life lessons, Bible study, Christian news, and more. So Joseph brought his sons near to him, and his father kissed them and embraced them. Why did Jacob want to bless Manasseh more than Ephraim? 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, The Angel who has redeemed me from all evil, Bless the lads;Let my name {Israel} be named upon them,And the name of my fathers Abraham and Isaac; And let them grow into a multitude in the midst of the earth.. Ephraim was born in Egypt to Joseph's wife, Asenath. Hence the popular saying among Jews: The issue is not whether you have Jewish children, its whether you have Jewish grandchildren.. Obviously it had tremendous value which they fully understood it in those days. And Israel bowed himself upon the beds head. 10 Now Israels eyes were failing because of old age, and he could hardly see. Medieval Bible Commentators on the Question of the Composition of the Bible: Research and Methodological Aspects, The Song of the Well, Psalm 136, Was Removed from the Torah, Seven Torah Passages of Non-Mosaic Origin According to Ibn Ezra and R. Joseph Bonfils,. In a surprise twist, we will find the story is not centered around Joseph and his line. Its crystal clear that Ephraim refers to the Church in all nations, not just believers in Great Britain. Even today, its meaning is debated. ; The NET Bible. AND AS MANY AS WALK ACCORDING TO THIS RULE,peace and mercy be upon them,and upon the ISRAEL OF GOD., You and I walkaccording to this rulebecause we are aNEW CREATIONin Christ! Do not bury me in Egypt, 30 but when I rest with my fathers, carry me out of Egypt and bury me where they are buried.. 2 Why did Jacob loved Joseph more than his other sons? 1920 But his father wouldnt do it. There is further significance to Jacobs blessings. 2 And Jacob was told, "Look, your son Joseph is coming to you"; and Israel [ a]strengthened himself and sat up on the bed. 16 The Angel who has redeemed me from all evil. 5 Which is greater, Manasseh or the tribe of Ephraim? The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics". Why did Jacob cross his hands when blessing Ephraim? Jacob said, " [Manasseh] too will become a people, and . Copyright 2021 Bible Blender. Charles Whitaker (1944-2021) This is important because they are now included in the group of Jacobs sons and will be accorded all benefits, inheritance, and rights as Jacobs sons. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. Burleson, TX 76028. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics". 48 After this, Joseph was told, "Behold, your father is ill." So he took with him his two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim. Why did Jacob cross his hands when blessing Ephraim? The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional". Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Required fields are marked *. It could also be translated as the geographic location Shechem, the land where Joseph is ultimately buried. And Jacob said to Joseph, "God Almighty appeared to me at Luz in the land of Canaan and blessed me, and said to me . Your email address will not be published. [23] For the Talmudic origins of this idea, see Ta-Shema (note 8, above); cf. When Joseph tried to correct his father, the old man said, "I know, my son, I know." There was no human reason that Jacob blessed Ephraim above his older brother. Throughout the Old Testament, the name Ephraim often refers to the ten tribes comprising Israels Northern Kingdom, not just the single tribe named after Josephs son (Ezekiel 37:16; Hosea 5:3). This time it is Ephraim first and then Manasseh second (verse 5). [17] R. Judah repeats this in his commentary to Deut 3:25. English. He further writes: The Hebrew text is from Mikraot Gedolot Haketer. [20] See, Viezel, R. This blessing is extremely significant for many reasons, however, I am only going to discuss one of those reasons. 47:28 Jacob lived in the land of Egypt seventeen years; the years of Jacobs life were 147 in all. As I was returning from Paddan, to my sorrow Rachel died in the land of Canaan while we were still on the way, a little distance from Ephrath. 13 And Joseph took them both, Ephraim with his right hand toward Israels left hand, and Manasseh with his left hand toward Israels right hand, and brought them near him. Ephraim and Manasseh will be mine just as Reuben and Simeon are. Jacob gave all the glory to God, the God who called his fathers and blessed them, who shepherded him all his life and cared for him, and who saved him from evil and harm even though he had experienced great difficulty . In blessing Joseph's sons, Jacob also blessed Joseph, for the tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh became strong leaders in Israel. You know how shy little toddlers are. In the Torah's account of the end of Jacob's life, we read that Joseph, upon learning that his father is on his deathbed, brings his two sons to visit him (Gen 48:1) and that when Jacob sees them he proceeds to bless them (48:9). As the story in Genesis 48 progresses, Joseph guides these two boys to Jacob, so that the older boy, Manasseh is to Jacob's right hand and the second born boy, Ephraim is at Jacob's left hand. Why the Name Change From Jacob ToIsrael? Anyone familiar with Jewish tradiation immediately understands that Jacob was giving the first-born blessing to the younger son. In these verses, we see the story of Jacob and Joseph jump ahead 17 years. "I know, my son, I know!" he said. It records the conversations between Jacob and Joseph. According to the book of Genesis, Jacob loved Joseph more than any of his other sons because Joseph was born to Jacob after he was already an old man. [18] R. Moshe Feinsteins accusation of heresy sparked outrage toward the editor, the publisher, and the booksellers, ultimately leading to a demand for the book to be withdrawn and republished in a new, censored edition, which removed three particularly controversial comments, but without any annotation calling attention to this fact, so that one who did not know what to look for would not know it had been censored. 9 And Joseph said unto his father, They are my sons, whom God hath given me in this place. Where is the Church today? It took . Then Joseph took the two boys, Ephraim with his right hand setting him to Israels left, and Manasseh with his left hand setting him to Israels right, and stood them before him. In spite of this, his younger brother will be even greater and his descendants will become a multitude of nations. 48:20 So he blessed them that day, saying, 48:21 Then Israel said to Joseph, I am about to die, but God will be with you and will bring you back to the land of your fathers. Despite great odds, they grew up in Egypt and maintained adherence to Torah ideals and practice. Jacob told Joseph, If I have found favor in your eyes, put your hand under my thigh and promise that you will show me kindness and faithfulness. The act of putting a hand under anothers thigh was a symbolic act used to commit oneself to carry out a promise.
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