8 When Israel saw Joseph's sons , he said , "Who are these ?" 9 Joseph said to his father , " They are my sons , whom God has given me here ." So he said , "Bring them to me, please , that I may bless them." 10 Now the eyes of Israel were so dim from age that he could not see . Then Joseph brought them close to him, and he kissed them and embraced them. 11 Israel said to Joseph , "I never expected to see your face , and behold , God has let me see your children as well ." 12 Then Joseph took them from his knees , and bowed with his face to the ground . 13 Joseph took them both , Ephraim with his right hand toward Israel's left , and Manasseh with his left hand toward Israel's right , and brought them close to him. 14 But Israel stretched out his right hand and laid it on the head of Ephraim , who was the younger , and his left hand on Manasseh's head , crossing his hands , although Manasseh was the firstborn . 15 He blessed Joseph , and said , " The God before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac walked , The God who has been my shepherd all e my life to this day , 16 The angel who has redeemed me from all evil , Bless the lads ; And may my name live on in them, And the names of my fathers Abraham and Isaac ; And may they grow into a multitude in the midst of the earth ." 17 When Joseph saw that his father laid his right hand on Ephraim's head , it displeased him; and he grasped his father's hand to remove it from Ephraim's head to Manasseh's head . 18 Joseph said to his father , "Not so , my father , for this one is the firstborn . Place your right hand on his head ." 19 But his father refused and said , "I know , my son , I know ; he also will become a people and he also will be great . However , his younger brother shall be greater than he, and his descendants shall become a multitude of nations ." 20 He blessed them that day , saying , "By you Israel will pronounce blessing , saying , 'May God make you like Ephraim and Manasseh !' " Thus he put Ephraim before Manasseh .
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Genesis 48:8-20
Commentary on Genesis 48:8-22
(Read Genesis 48:8-22)
The two good men own God in their comforts. Joseph says, They are my sons whom God has given me. Jacob says, God hath showed me thy seed. Comforts are doubly sweet to us when we see them coming from God's hand. He not only prevents our fears, but exceeds our hopes. Jacob mentions the care the Divine providence had taken of him all his days. A great deal of hardship he had known in his time, but God kept him from the evil of his troubles. Now he was dying, he looked upon himself as redeemed from all sin and sorrow for ever. Christ, the Angel of the covenant, redeems from all evil. Deliverances from misery and dangers, by the Divine power, coming through the ransom of the blood of Christ, in Scripture are often called redemption. In blessing Joseph's sons, Jacob crossed hands. Joseph was willing to support his first-born, and would have removed his father's hands. But Jacob acted neither by mistake, nor from a partial affection to one more than the other; but from a spirit of prophecy, and by the Divine counsel. God, in bestowing 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. He often gives most to those that are least likely. He chooses the weak things of the world; he 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. How poor are they who have no riches but those of this world! How miserable is a death-bed to those who have no well-grounded hope of good, but dreadful apprehensions of evil, and nothing but evil for ever!