Genesis 48:5 “Now then, your two sons born to you in Egypt before I came to you here will be reckoned as mine; Ephraim and Manasseh will be mine, just as Reuben and Simeon are mine.
Israel knows he is near the end of his life. He is getting his affairs in order. Yesterday he was talking about the times where God had shown up in his life. Today he is bestowing blessings on his children and grandchildren.
Genesis 48:6 Any children born to you after them will be yours; in the territory they inherit they will be reckoned under the names of their brothers.
Though as I think back over birthrights and blessings in Genesis, they are definitely not all happy scenes. Esau and Jacob come first to mind. Joseph’s brothers and their jealousy over his favor. There’s a lot of hurt wrapped up in these verses, too.
Genesis 48:7 As I was returning from Paddan, to my sorrow Rachel died in the land of Canaan while we were still on the way, a little distance from Ephrath. So I buried her there beside the road to Ephrath” (that is, Bethlehem).
Precious Savior, Family can be complicated, tricky, difficult to navigate. Feelings can get hurt, jealousy can rear its ugly head, misunderstandings can fester. Help us to navigate all of our relationships, especially family. Amen.
Genesis 48:8-9 When Israel saw the sons of Joseph, he asked, “Who are these?” “They are the sons God has given me here,” Joseph said to his father. Then Israel said, “Bring them to me so I may bless them.”
Have a blessed day.