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Genesis Chapter Study

Jacob Blesses Ephraim and Manasseh

Genesis 48 (KJV)

Genesis 48 records Jacob blessing Joseph's sons, Ephraim and Manasseh. As Jacob nears death, he recalls God's covenant promises, adopts Joseph's sons as his own, and gives the greater blessing to Ephraim, showing that God's purposes often work beyond human expectation and tradition.

What You'll Learn

• Why Joseph brought Manasseh and Ephraim to Jacob
• How Jacob remembered God's promise at Luz
• Why Jacob adopted Joseph's sons as his own
• What Rachel's death meant in Jacob's family story
• How Jacob blessed Joseph's sons despite his failing eyesight
• Why Jacob crossed his hands during the blessing
• Why Ephraim received the greater blessing over Manasseh
• How Genesis 48 shows God's sovereign choice
• Why Jacob believed God would bring Israel back to Canaan
• What Joseph's double portion reveals about inheritance and blessing

Genesis 48 teaches that God's promises continue from generation to generation, and His blessing is governed by His purpose rather than human custom.

Bible Translation Note Scripture Verse-by-Verse Study Chapter Synopsis Prayer Personal Application Weekly Actions Chapter Summary

Bible Translation Note: All Scripture on this page is quoted from the King James Version (KJV) and presented in full without alteration.

Genesis 48:1 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.

Genesis 48:2 And one told Jacob, and said, Behold, thy son Joseph cometh unto thee: and Israel strengthened himself, and sat upon the bed.

Genesis 48:3 And Jacob said unto Joseph, God Almighty appeared unto me at Luz in the land of Canaan, and blessed me,

Genesis 48:4 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.

Genesis 48:5 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.

Genesis 48:6 And thy issue, which thou begettest after them, shall be thine, and shall be called after the name of their brethren in their inheritance.

Genesis 48:7 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 Bethlehem.

Genesis 48:8 And Israel beheld Joseph's sons, and said, Who are these?

Genesis 48:9 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.

Genesis 48:10 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.

Genesis 48:11 And Israel said unto Joseph, I had not thought to see thy face: and, lo, God hath shewed me also thy seed.

Genesis 48:12 And Joseph brought them out from between his knees, and he bowed himself with his face to the earth.

Genesis 48:13 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.

Genesis 48:14 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.

Genesis 48:15 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,

Genesis 48:16 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.

Genesis 48:17 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.

Genesis 48:18 And Joseph said unto his father, Not so, my father: for this is the firstborn; put thy right hand upon his head.

Genesis 48:19 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.

Genesis 48:20 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.

Genesis 48:21 And Israel said unto Joseph, Behold, I die: but God shall be with you, and bring you again unto the land of your fathers.

Genesis 48:22 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.

Genesis 48:1

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.

Study: Joseph hears that Jacob is sick and brings his sons to him. This sets the stage for a final blessing that will shape Israel's future generations.

Genesis 48:2

And one told Jacob, and said, Behold, thy son Joseph cometh unto thee: and Israel strengthened himself, and sat upon the bed.

Study: Jacob gathers his strength when Joseph arrives. Though his body is weak, he rises for a spiritually important moment.

Genesis 48:3

And Jacob said unto Joseph, God Almighty appeared unto me at Luz in the land of Canaan, and blessed me,

Study: Jacob begins by remembering God's appearance at Luz, also known as Bethel. Before blessing Joseph's sons, Jacob points back to the God who first blessed him.

Genesis 48:4

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.

Study: Jacob recalls the covenant promise of fruitfulness, multiplication, and land. The blessing of Ephraim and Manasseh is rooted in God's promises, not merely family custom.

Genesis 48:5

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.

Study: Jacob adopts Ephraim and Manasseh as his own sons. This gives Joseph a double portion through his two sons, placing them among the tribes of Israel.

Genesis 48:6

And thy issue, which thou begettest after them, shall be thine, and shall be called after the name of their brethren in their inheritance.

Study: Any children Joseph has after Ephraim and Manasseh will belong under their inheritance. Jacob clearly defines how Joseph's family line will be counted.

Genesis 48:7

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 Bethlehem.

Study: Jacob remembers Rachel's death near Bethlehem. This personal memory connects Joseph and his sons to Rachel, the wife Jacob loved deeply.

Genesis 48:8

And Israel beheld Joseph's sons, and said, Who are these?

Study: Jacob sees Joseph's sons and asks who they are. His eyesight is failing, but this question prepares for their personal blessing.

Genesis 48:9

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.

Study: Joseph recognizes his sons as gifts from God. Jacob then calls them near so he can bless them personally.

Genesis 48:10

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.

Study: Jacob's physical sight is dim, but his affection is clear. He embraces and kisses Joseph's sons before blessing them.

Genesis 48:11

And Israel said unto Joseph, I had not thought to see thy face: and, lo, God hath shewed me also thy seed.

Study: Jacob marvels at God's kindness. He once believed Joseph was dead, but now God has allowed him to see Joseph and Joseph's children.

Genesis 48:12

And Joseph brought them out from between his knees, and he bowed himself with his face to the earth.

Study: Joseph brings his sons forward and bows before his father. This shows honor and reverence for Jacob's role as the covenant patriarch.

Genesis 48:13

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.

Study: Joseph positions Manasseh, the firstborn, toward Jacob's right hand. He expects the traditional blessing order to be followed.

Genesis 48:14

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.

Study: Jacob crosses his hands intentionally. Though Manasseh is the firstborn, Jacob places his right hand on Ephraim, showing God's chosen order.

Genesis 48:15

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,

Study: Jacob blesses Joseph by blessing his sons. He speaks of the God of Abraham and Isaac, and he testifies that God has shepherded him throughout his life.

Genesis 48:16

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.

Study: Jacob prays that the God who redeemed him would bless the boys. He asks that they carry the family name and grow into a great multitude.

Genesis 48:17

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.

Study: Joseph is displeased because the blessing does not follow the expected order. He tries to move Jacob's hand from Ephraim to Manasseh.

Genesis 48:18

And Joseph said unto his father, Not so, my father: for this is the firstborn; put thy right hand upon his head.

Study: Joseph explains that Manasseh is the firstborn. From Joseph's perspective, the greater blessing should belong to him.

Genesis 48:19

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.

Study: Jacob refuses Joseph's correction because he knows what he is doing. Manasseh will be great, but Ephraim will become greater according to God's purpose.

Genesis 48:20

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.

Study: Jacob's blessing becomes a model for future blessing in Israel. Ephraim is deliberately placed before Manasseh.

Genesis 48:21

And Israel said unto Joseph, Behold, I die: but God shall be with you, and bring you again unto the land of your fathers.

Study: Jacob faces death with faith. Though the family is in Egypt, he believes God will bring them back to the land promised to their fathers.

Genesis 48:22

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.

Study: Jacob gives Joseph one portion above his brothers. This confirms Joseph's double inheritance through Ephraim and Manasseh.

Genesis 48 begins with Joseph learning that Jacob is sick. Joseph brings his two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim, to his father so they can receive a blessing before Jacob dies.

Jacob gathers his strength and recalls God's appearance to him at Luz in the land of Canaan. He remembers the covenant promise that God would make him fruitful, multiply his descendants, and give the land to his seed for an everlasting possession.

Jacob then adopts Joseph's sons as his own, placing Ephraim and Manasseh alongside Reuben and Simeon. This act gives Joseph a double portion among the tribes of Israel and ties his sons directly to the covenant inheritance.

When Joseph brings the boys near, Jacob embraces them and marvels that God has allowed him to see not only Joseph again, but also Joseph's children. Joseph positions Manasseh toward Jacob's right hand because Manasseh is the firstborn.

Jacob crosses his hands intentionally, placing his right hand on Ephraim, the younger son. Joseph tries to correct him, but Jacob refuses and explains that Ephraim will become greater than Manasseh according to God's purpose.

The chapter ends with Jacob declaring that God will be with Joseph's family and bring them back to the land of their fathers. Jacob gives Joseph one portion above his brothers, confirming Joseph's special inheritance through Ephraim and Manasseh.

Heavenly Father, thank You for keeping Your promises from generation to generation. Help me trust Your wisdom when Your plans do not follow human expectations. Teach me to pass faith, blessing, and truth to those who come after me. Give me eyes of faith to see Your purpose even when circumstances seem unclear. May my life point others back to Your covenant faithfulness. In Jesus' name, Amen.

• Read Genesis 48 again and underline every reference to blessing
• Memorize Genesis 48:21
• Write down one way God has been faithful in your life
• Encourage someone younger in the faith this week
• Pray for wisdom to trust God's order over your own expectations
• Reflect on the legacy of faith you want to leave behind
• Thank God for His promises that continue beyond one generation

Genesis 48 records Jacob blessing Joseph's sons, Ephraim and Manasseh. As Jacob nears death, he recalls God's covenant promise at Luz and adopts Joseph's sons as his own, giving Joseph a double inheritance among the tribes of Israel. When Joseph positions Manasseh for the greater blessing, Jacob crosses his hands and places his right hand on Ephraim instead. Joseph tries to correct him, but Jacob explains that Ephraim, though younger, will become greater. The chapter ends with Jacob affirming that God will bring Israel back to the land of their fathers and giving Joseph one portion above his brothers.

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