Genesis 48:1 Study Bible: It happened after these things, that someone said to Joseph, "Look, your father is sick." And taking with him his two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim, he went to Jacob.

◄ Genesis 48:1 ►

Some time later Joseph was told, "Your father is ill." So he set out with his two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim.

Some time later
This phrase indicates a passage of time since the previous events in Genesis. It suggests a period of reflection and preparation, as Jacob's life nears its end. In the Hebrew context, time is often seen as a divine orchestration, where God's plans unfold in His perfect timing. This reminds us of the importance of patience and trust in God's timing in our own lives.

Joseph was told
Joseph, a key figure in the narrative, receives news about his father. The Hebrew root for "told" (נָגַד, nagad) implies a formal announcement or declaration. This highlights the significance of the message and the respect given to Joseph as a leader in Egypt. It underscores the importance of communication and the role of family in God's covenantal promises.

Your father is ill
The mention of Jacob's illness is a poignant reminder of human mortality. In the Hebrew tradition, illness often prompts reflection on one's life and relationship with God. This moment sets the stage for Jacob's final blessings, emphasizing the continuity of God's promises through generations. It encourages us to consider our own spiritual legacy and the impact of our faith on future generations.

So he set out
Joseph's immediate response to the news reflects his deep respect and love for his father. The Hebrew verb used here (יָצָא, yatsa) conveys a sense of purpose and determination. Joseph's actions demonstrate the importance of honoring one's parents, a principle deeply rooted in the Ten Commandments and a cornerstone of biblical family values.

with his two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim
The inclusion of Manasseh and Ephraim signifies the continuation of God's covenant through Jacob's descendants. Their presence foreshadows the blessing they will receive, which will elevate them to the status of Jacob's own sons. This act of adoption is a profound testament to God's grace and the expansion of His promises. It serves as a reminder of the inclusivity of God's family and the blessings that come from being part of His covenant community.

Persons / Places / Events

1. Joseph
The son of Jacob and Rachel, who rose to power in Egypt. He is a key figure in the preservation of the Israelites during a time of famine.

2. Jacob (Israel)
The patriarch of the Israelite tribes, father of Joseph, and recipient of God's covenant promises. He is nearing the end of his life in this passage.

3. Manasseh and Ephraim
The two sons of Joseph, born in Egypt. They are significant as they will be adopted by Jacob and become heads of their own tribes in Israel.

4. Egypt
The land where Joseph rose to power and where Jacob and his family settled during the famine.

5. Illness of Jacob
This event marks the beginning of Jacob's final blessings to his sons and grandsons, a significant moment in the account of the Israelite people.

Teaching Points

The Importance of Family Legacy
Jacob's desire to bless Joseph's sons underscores the importance of passing on faith and blessings to the next generation. Consider how you can impart spiritual heritage to your family.

God's Sovereignty in Illness and Health
Jacob's illness is a reminder of human frailty, yet it is within God's sovereign plan. Trust in God's timing and purposes, even in times of sickness.

The Role of Faith in Uncertain Times
Joseph's response to his father's illness shows faith and obedience. In times of uncertainty, rely on God's promises and act in faith.

The Significance of Spiritual Adoption
Jacob's adoption of Manasseh and Ephraim into his family line prefigures the spiritual adoption believers have in Christ. Reflect on your identity as a child of God.

Preparation for End-of-Life Matters
Jacob's actions remind us of the importance of preparing for the end of life, both spiritually and practically. Consider how you can prepare your heart and affairs in light of eternity.

Bible Study Questions

1. How does Joseph's response to his father's illness demonstrate his character and priorities? How can we apply this in our own family relationships?

2. In what ways does the adoption of Manasseh and Ephraim by Jacob reflect God's plan for inclusion and blessing? How does this relate to the concept of spiritual adoption in the New Testament?

3. How does the setting of Egypt play a role in God's plan for Jacob's family? What does this teach us about God's sovereignty over our circumstances?

4. How can we prepare ourselves spiritually and practically for the end of life, as Jacob did? What steps can we take today to ensure we leave a legacy of faith?

5. Reflect on a time when you faced uncertainty or illness. How did your faith in God's promises sustain you, and how can you encourage others in similar situations?

Connections to Other Scriptures

Genesis 41-47
These chapters provide the background of Joseph's rise to power in Egypt and the migration of Jacob's family to Egypt due to famine.

Genesis 49
This chapter contains Jacob's blessings to his sons, which are prophetic and significant for the future of the tribes of Israel.

Hebrews 11:21
This New Testament reference highlights Jacob's faith as he blesses Joseph's sons, emphasizing the importance of faith in God's promises.

Sermons

Jacob Adopts Joseph's Sons	J. C. Gray.	Genesis 48:1-7
Jacob's Adoption of Joseph's Two Sons	T. H. Leale.	Genesis 48:1-7
Manasseh and Ephraim	F. Whitfield, M. A.	Genesis 48:1-7
The Patriarch's Departing Life	R.A. Redford	Genesis 48

People

Amorites, Ephrath, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Manasseh, Rachel, Reuben, Simeon

Places

Bethlehem, Canaan, Ephrath, Luz, Paddan, Rameses

Topics

Along, Behold, Ephraim, E'phraim, Ill, Joseph, Manasseh, Manas'seh, Pass, Sick, Someone, Sons, Taketh

Dictionary of Bible Themes

Genesis 48:1

5561 suffering, nature of
5568 suffering, causes

Genesis 48:1-20

1651 numbers, 1-2
7266 tribes of Israel

Library

Two Retrospects of one Life
'And Jacob said unto Pharaoh, Few and evil have the days of the years of my life been.'--GENESIS xlvii. 9. 'The God which fed me all my life long unto this day; the Angel which redeemed me from all evil.' --GENESIS xlviii. 15,16. These are two strangely different estimates of the same life to be taken by the same man. In the latter Jacob categorically contradicts everything that he had said in the former. 'Few and evil,' he said before Pharaoh. 'All my life long,' 'the Angel which redeemed me from …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

A Calm Evening, Promising a Bright Morning
'And Joseph returned into Egypt, he, and his brethren, and all that went up with him to bury his father, after he had buried his father. And when Joseph's brethren saw that their father was dead, they said, Joseph will peradventure hate us, and will certainly requite us all the evil which we did unto him. And they sent a messenger unto Joseph, saying, Thy father did command before he died, saying, So shall ye say unto Joseph, Forgive, I pray thee now, the trespass of thy brethren, and their sin; …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

The Wonderful.
Isaiah ix:6. HIS name shall be called "Wonderful" (Isaiah ix:6). And long before Isaiah had uttered this divine prediction the angel of the Lord had announced his name to be Wonderful. As such He appeared to Manoah. And Manoah said unto the angel of Jehovah, What is thy name, that when thy sayings come to pass we may do thee honor. And the angel of Jehovah said unto Him "why askest thou thus after my name, seeing it is Wonderful" (margin, Judges xiii:17-18). This angel of Jehovah, the Person who …
Arno Gaebelein—The Lord of Glory

Blessing Children. Concerning Childlikeness.
(in Peræa.) ^A Matt. XIX. 13-15; ^B Mark X. 13-16; ^C Luke XVIII. 15-17. ^a 13 Then were there brought ^b 13 And they were bringing ^a unto him little children, { ^c also their babes,} that he should touch them: ^a that he should lay his hands on them, and pray [According to Buxtorf, children were often brought to the presidents of the synagogue in order that they might pray over them. The prayers of a good man in our behalf have always been regarded as a blessing; no wonder, then, that the …
J. W. McGarvey—The Four-Fold Gospel

And thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, too little to be among the thousands of Judah
"And thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, too little to be among the thousands of Judah, out of thee shall come forth unto Me (one) [Pg 480] to be Ruler in Israel; and His goings forth are the times of old, the days of eternity." The close connection of this verse with what immediately precedes (Caspari is wrong in considering iv. 9-14 as an episode) is evident, not only from the [Hebrew: v] copulative, and from the analogy of the near relation of the announcement of salvation to the prophecy of disaster …
Ernst Wilhelm Hengstenberg—Christology of the Old Testament

Gen. xxxi. 11
Of no less importance and significance is the passage Gen. xxxi. 11 seq. According to ver. 11, the Angel of God, [Hebrew: mlaK halhiM] appears toJacob in a dream. In ver. 13, the same person calls himself the God of Bethel, with reference to the event recorded in chap. xxviii. 11-22. It cannot be supposed that in chap xxviii. the mediation of a common angel took place, who, however, had not been expressly mentioned; for Jehovah is there contrasted with the angels. In ver. 12, we read: "And behold …
Ernst Wilhelm Hengstenberg—Christology of the Old Testament

Jesus Sets Out from Judæa for Galilee.
Subdivision B. At Jacob's Well, and at Sychar. ^D John IV. 5-42. ^d 5 So he cometh to a city of Samaria, called Sychar, near to the parcel of ground that Jacob gave to his son Joseph. 6 and Jacob's well was there. [Commentators long made the mistake of supposing that Shechem, now called Nablous, was the town here called Sychar. Sheckem lies a mile and a half west of Jacob's well, while the real Sychar, now called 'Askar, lies scarcely half a mile north of the well. It was a small town, loosely called …
J. W. McGarvey—The Four-Fold Gospel

Genesis
The Old Testament opens very impressively. In measured and dignified language it introduces the story of Israel's origin and settlement upon the land of Canaan (Gen.--Josh.) by the story of creation, i.-ii. 4a, and thus suggests, at the very beginning, the far-reaching purpose and the world-wide significance of the people and religion of Israel. The narrative has not travelled far till it becomes apparent that its dominant interests are to be religious and moral; for, after a pictorial sketch of …
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament

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