G
E N E S I S
CHAP. XLVIII.
The time drawing nigh that
Israel
must
die, having, in the former chapter, given order about his burial, in this he
takes leave of his grand-children by Joseph, and in the next of all his
children. Thus Jacob's dying words are recorded, because he then spoke by a
spirit of prophecy; Abraham's and Isaac's are not. God's gifts and graces
shine forth much more in some saints than in others upon their death-beds. The
Spirit, like the wind, blows where it listeth. In this chapter, I. Joseph,
hearing of his father's sickness, goes to visit him, and takes his two sons
with him, ver. 1, 2. II. Jacob solemnly adopts his two sons, and takes them
for his own, ver. 3-7. III. He blesses them, ver. 8-16. IV. He explains and
justifies the crossing of his hands in blessing them, ver. 17-20. V. He leaves
a particular legacy to Joseph, ver. 21, 22.
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Jacob's
Last Illness.
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B. C. 1689.
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1 And it came to pass after these
things, that one told Joseph, Behold, thy father is sick: and he
took with him his two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim. 2 And one
told Jacob, and said, Behold, thy son Joseph cometh unto thee: and Israel
strengthened himself, and sat upon the bed. 3 And Jacob said unto
Joseph, God Almighty appeared unto me at Luz in the land of Canaan, and
blessed me, 4 And said unto me, Behold, I will make thee fruitful,
and multiply thee, and I will make of thee a multitude of people; and will
give this land to thy seed after thee for an everlasting
possession. 5 And now thy two sons, Ephraim and Manasseh, which
were born unto thee in the land of Egypt before I came unto thee into Egypt, are
mine; as Reuben and Simeon, they shall be mine. 6 And thy issue,
which thou begettest after them, shall be thine, and shall be called
after the name of their brethren in their inheritance. 7 And as
for me, when I came from Padan, Rachel died by me in the land of Canaan in the
way, when yet there was but a little way to come unto Ephrath: and I
buried her there in the way of Ephrath; the same is Beth-lehem.
Here, I. Joseph,
upon notice of his father's illness, goes to see him; though a man of honour
and business, yet he will not fail to show this due respect to his aged
father, v. 1. Visiting the sick, to whom we lie under obligations, or
may have opportunity of doing good, either for body or soul, is our duty. The
sick bed is a proper place both for giving comfort and counsel to others and
receiving instruction ourselves. Joseph took his two sons with him, that they
might receive their dying grandfather's blessing, and that what they might see
in him, and hear from him, might make an abiding impression upon them. Note,
1. It is good to acquaint young people that are coming into the world with the
aged servants of God that are going out of it, whose dying testimony to the goodness
of God, and the pleasantness of wisdom's ways, may be a great encouragement to
the rising generation. Manasseh and Ephraim (I dare say) would never forget
what passed at this time. 2. Pious parents are desirous of a blessing, not
only for themselves, but for their children. "O that they may live before
God!" Joseph had been, above all his brethren, kind to his father, and
therefore had reason to expect particular favour from him.
II. Jacob, upon
notice of his son's visit, prepared himself as well as he could to entertain
him, v. 2. He did what he could to rouse his spirits, and to stir up
the gift that was in him; what little was left of bodily strength he put forth
to the utmost, and sat upon the bed. Note, It is very good for sick and
aged people to be as lively and cheerful as they can, that they may not faint
in the day of adversity. Strengthen thyself, as Jacob here, and God
will strengthen thee; hearten thyself and help thyself, and God will help and
hearten thee. Let the spirit sustain the infirmity.
III. In
recompence to Joseph for all his attentions to him, he adopted his two sons.
In this charter of adoption there is, 1. A particular recital of God's promise
to him, to which this had reference: "God blessed me (v.
3), and let that blessing be entailed upon them." God had promised him
two things, a numerous issue, and Canaan for an inheritance (v. 4); and
Joseph's sons, pursuant hereunto, should each of them multiply into a tribe,
and each of them have a distinct lot in Canaan, equal with Jacob's own sons.
See how he blessed them by faith in that which God had said to him, Heb. xi.
21. Note, In all our prayers, both for ourselves and for our children, we
ought to have a particular eye to, and remembrance of, God's promises to us.
2. An express reception of Joseph's sons into his family: "Thy sons
are mine (v. 5), not only my grand-children, but as my own
children." Though they were born in Egypt, and their father was then
separated from his brethren, which might seem to have cut them off from the
heritage of the Lord, yet Jacob takes them in, and owns them for visible
church members. He explains this at v. 16, Let my name be named upon
them, and the name of my fathers; as if he had said, "Let them not
succeed their father in his power and grandeur here in Egypt, but let them
succeed me in the inheritance of the promise made to Abraham," which
Jacob looked upon as much more valuable and honourable, and would have them to
prize and covet accordingly. Thus the aged dying patriarch teaches these young
persons, now that they were of age (being about twenty-one years old), not to
look upon Egypt as their home, nor to incorporate themselves with the
Egyptians, but to take their lot with the people of God, as Moses afterwards
in the like temptation, Heb. xi. 24-26. And because it would be a piece of
self-denial in them, who stood so fair for preferment in Egypt, to adhere to
the despised Hebrews, to encourage them he constitutes each of them the head
of a tribe. Note, Those are worthy of double honour who, through God's grace,
break through the temptations of worldly wealth and preferment, to embrace
religion in disgrace and poverty. Jacob will have Ephraim and Manasseh to
believe that it is better to be low and in the church than high and out of it,
to be called by the name of poor Jacob than to be called by the name of rich
Joseph. 3. A proviso inserted concerning the children he might afterwards
have; they should not be accounted heads of tribes, as Ephraim and Manasseh
were, but should fall in with either the one or the other of their brethren, v.
6. It does not appear that Joseph had any more children; however, it was
Jacob's prudence to give this direction, for the preventing of contest and
mismanagement. Note, In making settlements, it is good to take advice, and to
provide for what may happen, while we cannot foresee what will happen. Our
prudence must attend God's providence. 4. Mention is made of the death and
burial of Rachel, Joseph's mother, and Jacob's best beloved wife (v.
7), referring to that story, ch. xxxv. 19. Note, (1.) When we come to
die ourselves, it is good to call to mind the death of our dear relations and
friends, that have gone before us, to make death and the grave the more
familiar to us. See Num. xxvii. 13. Those that were to us as our own souls are
dead and buried; and shall we think it much to follow them in the same path?
(2.) The removal of dear relations from us is an affliction the remembrance of
which cannot but abide with us a great while. Strong affections in the
enjoyment cause long afflictions in the loss.
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Jacob
Blesses the Sons of Joseph; Jacob's Dying Prophecy.
B. C. 1689.
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8 And Israel beheld Joseph's sons, and
said, Who are these? 9 And Joseph said unto his father,
They are my sons, whom God hath given me in this place. And he
said, Bring them, I pray thee, unto me, and I will bless them. 10
Now the eyes of Israel were dim for age, so that he could not see. And
he brought them near unto him; and he kissed them, and embraced them.
11 And Israel said unto Joseph, I had not thought to see thy face: and, lo,
God hath showed me also thy seed. 12 And Joseph brought them out
from between his knees, and he bowed himself with his face to the earth.
13 And Joseph took them both, Ephraim in his right hand
toward Israel's left hand, and Manasseh in his left hand toward Israel's right
hand, and brought them near unto him. 14 And Israel
stretched out his right hand, and laid it upon Ephraim's head, who was
the younger, and his left hand upon Manasseh's head, guiding his hands
wittingly; for Manasseh was the firstborn. 15 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, 16 The
Angel which redeemed me from all evil, bless the lads; and let my name be
named on them, and the name of my fathers Abraham and Isaac; and let them grow
into a multitude in the midst of the earth. 17 And when Joseph saw
that his father laid his right hand upon the head of Ephraim, it displeased
him: and he held up his father's hand, to remove it from Ephraim's head unto
Manasseh's head. 18 And Joseph said unto his father, Not so, my
father: for this is the firstborn; put thy right hand upon his
head. 19 And his father refused, and said, I know it, my
son, I know it: he also shall become a people, and he also shall be
great: but truly his younger brother shall be greater than he, and his seed
shall become a multitude of nations. 20 And he blessed them that
day, saying, In thee shall Israel bless, saying, God make thee as Ephraim and
as Manasseh: and he set Ephraim before Manasseh. 21 And Israel
said unto Joseph, Behold, I die: but God shall be with you, and bring you
again unto the land of your fathers. 22 Moreover I have given to
thee one portion above thy brethren, which I took out of the hand of the
Amorite with my sword and with my bow.
Here is, I. The
blessing with which Jacob blessed the two sons of Joseph, which is the more
remarkable because the apostle makes such particular mention of it (Heb. xi.
21), while he says nothing of the blessing which Jacob pronounced on the rest
of his sons, though that also was done in faith. Observe here,
1. Jacob was
blind for age, v. 10. It is one of the common infirmities of old age. Those
that look out at the windows are darkened, Eccl. xii. 3. It is folly to walk
in the sight of our eyes, and to suffer our hearts to go after them, while
we know death will shortly close them, and we do not know but some accident
between us and death may darken them. Jacob, like his father before him, when
he was old, was dim-sighted. Note, (1.) Those that have the honour of age must
therewith be content to take the burden of it. (2.) The eye of faith may be
very clear even when the eye of the body is very much clouded.
2. Jacob was very
fond of Joseph's sons: He kissed them and embraced them, v. 10.
It is common for old people to have a very particular affection for their
grand-children, perhaps more than they had for their own children when they
were little, which Solomon gives a reason for (Prov. xvii. 6), Children's
children are the crown of old men. With what satisfaction does Jacob say
here (v. 11), I had not thought to see thy face (having many
years given him up for lost), and, lo, God has shown me also thy seed!
See here, (1.) How these two good men own God in their comforts. Joseph says (v.
9), They are my sons whom God has given me, and, to magnify the favour,
he adds, "In this place of my banishment, slavery, and
imprisonment." Jacob says here, God has shown me thy seed. Our
comforts are then doubly sweet to us when we see them coming from God's hand.
(2.) How often God, in his merciful providences, outdoes our expectations, and
thus greatly magnifies his favours. He not only prevents our fears, but
exceeds our hopes. We may apply this to the promise which is made to us and to
our children. We could not have thought that we should have been taken into
covenant with God ourselves, considering how guilty and corrupt we are; and
yet, lo, he has shown us our seed also in covenant with him.
3. Before he
entails his blessing, he recounts his experiences of God's goodness to him. He
had spoken (v. 3) of God's appearing to him. The particular visits of
his grace, and the special communion we have sometimes had with him, ought
never to be forgotten. But (v. 15, 16) he mentions the constant care
which the divine Providence had taken of him all his days. (1.) He had fed
him all his life long unto this day, v. 15. Note, As long as we
have lived in this world we have had continual experience of God's goodness to
us, in providing for the support of our natural life. Our bodies have called
for daily food, and no little has gone to feed us, yet we have never wanted
food convenient. He that has fed us all our life long surely will not
fail us at last. (2.) He had by his angel redeemed him from all evil, v.
16. A great deal of hardship he had known in his time, but God had graciously
kept him from the evil of his troubles. Now that he was dying he looked upon
himself as redeemed from all evil, and bidding an everlasting farewell
to sin and sorrow. Christ, the Angel of the covenant, is he that redeems us
from all evil, 2 Tim. iv. 18. Note, [1.] It becomes the
servants of God, when they are old and dying, to witness for our God that they
have found him gracious. [2.] Our experiences of God's goodness to us are
improvable, both for the encouragement of others to serve God, and for
encouragement to us in blessing them and praying for them.
4. When he
confers the blessing and name of Abraham and Isaac upon them he recommends the
pattern and example of Abraham and Isaac to them, v. 15. He calls God
the God before whom his fathers Abraham and Isaac walked, that is, in
whom they believed, whom they observed and obeyed, and with whom they kept up
communion in instituted ordinances, according to the condition of the
covenant. Walk before me, ch. xvii. 1. Note, (1.) Those that
would inherit the blessing of their godly ancestors, and have the benefit of
God's covenant with them, must tread in the steps of their piety. (2.) It
should recommend religion and the service of God to us that God was the God of
our fathers, and that they had satisfaction in walking before him.
5. In blessing
them, he crossed hands. Joseph placed them so as that Jacob's right
hand should be put on the head of Manasseh the elder, v. 12, 13. But
Jacob would put it on the head of Ephraim the younger, v. 14. This
displeased Joseph, who was willing to support the reputation of his
first-born, and would therefore have removed his father's hands, v. 17,
18. But Jacob gave him to understand that he knew what he did, and that he did
it not by mistake, nor in a humour, nor from a partial affection to one more
than the other, but from a spirit of prophecy, and in compliance with the
divine counsels. Manasseh should be great, but truly Ephraim should be
greater. When the tribes were mustered in the wilderness, Ephraim was more
numerous than Manasseh, and had the standard of that squadron (Num. i. 32, 33,
35; ii. 18, 20), and is named first, Ps. lxxx. 2. Joshua was of that tribe, so
was Jeroboam. The tribe of Manasseh was divided, one half on one side Jordan,
the other half on the other side, which made it the less powerful and
considerable. In the foresight of this, Jacob crossed hands. Note. (1.)
God, in bestowing his blessings upon his people, gives more to some than to
others, more gifts, graces, and comforts, and more of the good things of this
life. (2.) He often gives most to those that are least likely. He chooses the
weak things of the world; raises the poor out of the dust. Grace observes not
the order of nature, nor does God prefer those whom we think fittest to be
preferred, but as it pleases him. It is observable how often God, by the
distinguishing favours of his covenant, advanced the younger above the elder,
Abel above Cain, Shem above Japheth, Abraham above Nahor and Haran, Isaac
above Ishmael, Jacob above Esau; Judah and Joseph were preferred before
Reuben, Moses before Aaron, David and Solomon before their elder brethren. See
1 Sam. xvi. 7. He tied the Jews to observe the birthright (Deut. xxi. 17), but
he never tied himself to observe it. Some make this typical of the preference
given to the Gentiles above the Jews; the Gentile converts were much more
numerous than those of the Jews. See Gal. iv. 27. Thus free grace becomes more
illustrious.
II. The
particular tokens of his favour to Joseph. 1. He left with him the promise of
their return out of Egypt, as a sacred trust: I die, but God shall be with
you, and bring you again, v. 21. Accordingly, Joseph, when he died,
left it with his brethren, ch. l. 24. This assurance was given them,
and carefully preserved among them, that they might neither love Egypt too
much when it favoured them, nor fear it too much when it frowned upon them.
These words of Jacob furnish us with comfort in reference to the death of our
friends: They die; but God shall be with us, and his gracious presence
is sufficient to make up the loss: they leave us, but he will never fail us.
Further, He will bring us to the land of our fathers, the heavenly Canaan,
whither our godly fathers have gone before us. If God be with us while we stay
behind in this world, and will receive us shortly to be with those that have
gone before to a better world, we ought not to sorrow as those that have no
hope. 2. He bestowed one portion upon him above his brethren, v. 22.
The lands bequeathed are described to be those which he took out of the
hand of the Amorite with his sword, and with his bow. He purchased them
first (Josh. xxiv. 32), and, it seems, was afterwards disseized of them by the
Amorites, but retook them by the sword, repelling force by force, and
recovering his right by violence when he could not otherwise recover it. These
lands he settled upon Joseph; mention is made of this grant, John iv. 5.
Pursuant to it, this parcel of ground was given to the tribe of Ephraim as
their right, and the lot was never cast upon it; and in it Joseph's bones were
buried, which perhaps Jacob had an eye to as much as to any thing in this
settlement. Note, It may sometimes be both just and prudent to give some
children portions above the rest; but a grave is that which we can most count
upon as our own in this earth.
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