“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.”
This verse is part of the narrative of Jacob’s blessing upon Joseph’s sons, Manasseh and Ephraim. To understand the context, we need to look back at Genesis 48:1-18, where Jacob, also known as Israel, is nearing the end of his life and calls Joseph to his bedside.
In Genesis 48, Jacob adopts Joseph’s two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim, as his own, giving them equal status as his own sons. However, in verse 19, Joseph positions his sons before Jacob in a particular order, with Manasseh, the firstborn, on Jacob’s right hand, and Ephraim, the younger, on Jacob’s left hand. Joseph expected Jacob to place his right hand on Manasseh’s head to confer the greater blessing upon him.
However, Jacob intentionally crosses his hands, placing his right hand on Ephraim’s head and his left hand on Manasseh’s head, signifying a reversal of the expected order. This action surprises Joseph, and he tries to correct his father, thinking he made a mistake. But Jacob insists that he knows what he is doing and explains the significance of his actions.
In verse 19, Jacob affirms his awareness of Joseph’s expectation but declares that Manasseh will also become a great people. Despite being the older son, Manasseh’s blessing would not surpass Ephraim’s. Jacob prophesies that Ephraim, the younger son, would become even greater than Manasseh, and his descendants would multiply into a multitude of nations.
This reversal of blessings may seem unusual, but it aligns with a recurring theme throughout the book of Genesis. God often chose the younger or unexpected child to carry forth the covenant promises. For instance, Abel over Cain, Isaac over Ishmael, Jacob over Esau, and now Ephraim over Manasseh. God’s ways often differ from human expectations, and this event demonstrates His sovereignty in choosing and blessing individuals according to His divine plan.
The fulfillment of Jacob’s prophetic blessing on Ephraim is evident in later biblical history. The tribe of Ephraim became one of the dominant tribes of Israel, playing a significant role in the nation’s history. For example, Joshua, who succeeded Moses, hailed from the tribe of Ephraim. Additionally, during the divided kingdom era, Ephraim became synonymous with the northern kingdom of Israel, which consisted of ten tribes.
In summary, Genesis 48:19 portrays Jacob intentionally reversing the expected blessing by proclaiming that Ephraim, the younger son, would surpass Manasseh in greatness. This event reflects God’s pattern of choosing the unexpected and demonstrates His sovereignty in fulfilling His promises. The subsequent history of the tribe of Ephraim confirms the prophetic nature of Jacob’s blessing.
