Knowing The Word in Genesis 48:8-16, The Blessing Continues

8 When Israel saw Joseph's sons, he said, “Who are these?” [Like Isaac, Jacob was blind or nearly blind, explaining this oddly placed question.] 9 Joseph said to his father, “They are my sons, whom God has given me here.” [Children are a gift from God.] And he said, “Bring them to me, please, that I may bless them.” [The man who was so keen to gain his father’s blessing, is now ready to pass that blessing on.] 10 Now the eyes of Israel were dim with age, so that he could not see. So Joseph brought them near him, and he kissed them and embraced them. 11 And Israel said to Joseph, “I never expected to see your face; and behold, God has let me see your offspring also.” 12 Then Joseph removed them from his knees [they were standing by his knees], and he bowed himself with his face to the earth [using his posture to request the blessing of his sons]. 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 him. 14 And Israel stretched out his right hand and laid it on the head of Ephraim, who was the younger, and his left hand on the head of Manasseh, crossing his hands (for Manasseh was the firstborn). [Throughout Scripture the right-hand side is regarded as the place of honor and blessing. See Ecclesiastes 10:2. In this instance, Jacob is deliberately giving precedence to the younger son, Ephraim, by placing his right hand on his head, making him the primary heir. He tricked his blind father into a blessing. Now as a blind man he is tricking Joseph into switching the expected order of his sons’ blessings.] 15 And he blessed Joseph and said,

“The God before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac walked, the God who has been my shepherd [God is a shepherd] all my life long to this day, 16 the angel [who is God appearing in human form] who has redeemed me [the redeemer is usually the nearest male relative who bails someone out of debt or slavery, who in Jacob’s case it is God himself] from all evil, bless the boys; and in them let my name be carried on, and the name of my fathers Abraham and Isaac; and let them grow into a multitude in the midst of the earth.”