GOD’S ANCIENT PEOPLE GENESIS _ALUN OWEN_ CHAPTER 48 JACOB BLESSES JOSEPH’S SONS V1 After this, Joseph heard that his father was ill. So he went to his father and he took with him his two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim. V2 And someone said to Jacob, ‘Your son Joseph has come to you’. Then, by an eff... [ Continue Reading ]
‘Israel’ was the same person as Jacob.... [ Continue Reading ]
Luz was the same place as Bethel. (See Genesis 28:19.)... [ Continue Reading ]
Jacob reminded Joseph about God’s promise. (See Genesis 35:11-12.) God had given the country that is called *Canaan to Jacob’s *descendants. He gave it to them so that they should possess it for all ages. Therefore, they should not always live in Egypt. They lived in Egypt for 400 years. And after t... [ Continue Reading ]
‘Your two sons, Ephraim and Manasseh, shall be mine.’ Later, the *tribes had the names of Jacob’s sons. But two *tribes were called the *tribe of Ephraim and the *tribe of Manasseh. And Ephraim and Manasseh were not actually Jacob’s sons. They were actually Jacob’s grandsons. So Ephraim and Manasseh... [ Continue Reading ]
‘They shall be called by their brothers’ names.’ Joseph’s later sons would not give their names to *tribes. Their *descendants would be part of the *tribe of Ephraim and the *tribe of Manasseh. V8 Then Israel saw Joseph’s sons. And he said, ‘Who are these?’ V9 Joseph said to his father, ‘These are... [ Continue Reading ]
Probably Israel could see that two people were with Joseph. But he could not see clearly. He could not recognise them until they were close to him.... [ Continue Reading ]
For many years, Jacob thought that Joseph was dead. (See Genesis 37:33.) That was why he did not expect to see Joseph’s face.... [ Continue Reading ]
‘Children’ does not mean young children. They were more than 19 years of age. These are the reasons why we know that. They were born before the *famine began. (See Genesis 41:50.) Jacob came to Egypt 2 years after the *famine began. (See Genesis 45:6.) And Jacob lived for 17 more years. (See Genesis... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And he took Manasseh toward Israel’s right hand.’ Joseph did this so that Jacob would put his right hand on Manasseh’s head. So Jacob would give to Manasseh the right of the oldest son.... [ Continue Reading ]
Jacob knew that Ephraim’s *descendants would be greater than Manasseh’s *descendants. (See verse 19.) God told him this. V15 And Israel blessed them. He said, ‘My fathers Abraham and Isaac lived in front of God’s face. And God has led me through all my life to this day. V16 He is the *angel who... [ Continue Reading ]
Jacob called God ‘the *angel who has rescued me’. God had appeared several times as an *angel. (For example, see Genesis 31:11.) V17 Joseph saw that his father put his right hand on Ephraim’s head. That did not please Joseph. He took his father’s hand so as to move it from Ephraim’s head to Manasse... [ Continue Reading ]
Joseph thought that Jacob had made a mistake because of his weak sight.... [ Continue Reading ]
‘The nation of Israel’ means Israel’s *descendants. They are still called ‘Israel’ nowadays.... [ Continue Reading ]
Perhaps this refers to Genesis 34:25-29. That city was called Shechem. And the son of the chief man of the city was also called Shechem. Jacob did not take the city himself, but his sons, Simeon and Levi, took it. Perhaps Jacob meant that he had the responsibility as their father. For Amorites, see... [ Continue Reading ]