The Shepherd, the Blessing, and God's Sovereign Plan
Genesis 48:15–22 (NASB95)
15He blessed Joseph, and said, “The God before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac walked, The God who has been my shepherd all my life to this day, 16The 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.” 17When 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. 18Joseph said to his father, “Not so, my father, for this one is the firstborn. Place your right hand on his head.” 19But 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.” 20He 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. 21Then Israel said to Joseph, “Behold, I am about to die, but God will be with you, and bring you back to the land of your fathers. 22“I give you one portion more than your brothers, which I took from the hand of the Amorite with my sword and my bow.”
Commentary - The Shepherd, the Blessing, and God's Sovereign Plan
As Jacob nears the end of his life, he pronounces a powerful blessing over Joseph and his sons, Ephraim and Manasseh. In his blessing, Jacob invokes the God of his fathers, Abraham and Isaac, calling Him the Shepherd who guided him throughout his life and the Angel who delivered him from harm. Jacob’s words are not just a personal reflection but a declaration of God’s faithfulness across generations and His continued providence for the future. Through this blessing, Jacob adopts Ephraim and Manasseh as his own sons, granting them a direct inheritance in the promises made to Abraham and Isaac.
What stands out most is Jacob's deliberate crossing of his hands, placing his right hand on Ephraim, the younger, and his left on Manasseh, the elder. Joseph, assuming this was a mistake, tried to correct his father, but Jacob insisted that this was intentional. By doing so, Jacob once again demonstrated that God’s blessings do not follow human traditions or expectations. Ephraim, though the younger, would surpass his brother in prominence, reflecting the recurring biblical pattern where God chooses the unexpected. Jacob’s faith and insight, even in his old age, remind us of God’s sovereign will working through human history.
Jacob’s blessing also includes a prayer that Ephraim and Manasseh would carry on the names of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, ensuring their identity as part of God’s covenant people despite their Egyptian heritage. Jacob’s faith is further evident in his confidence that God will one day bring Joseph’s descendants back to the land promised to their ancestors. This moves us closer to the next book, Exodus, where we will see Israel leave Egypt. This moment not only secures the place of Ephraim and Manasseh in God’s covenant but also foreshadows the role their tribes will play in the future of Israel, especially Ephraim's leadership among the northern tribes.
Jacob’s blessing of Ephraim and Manasseh reminds us that God’s plans often defy human expectations. He uses the younger, the unexpected, and the unlikely to accomplish His purposes. For the church today, this is a call to trust in God’s sovereignty, even when His plans do not align with our assumptions or traditions. Furthermore, Jacob’s reference to God as his Shepherd and Deliverer encourages us to trust in the Lord’s guidance and protection throughout our lives. As believers, we must embrace our identity as part of God’s covenant people, carrying His name and His promises into the world. Like Jacob, let us have faith in God’s ability to fulfill His promises, even to generations in the future.
Blessings,
Ryan Goodnight