Manasseh and Ephraim (Gen 48)
1 And it was, after these things, that someone said to Joseph, “Behold, your father is ill.” So he took his two sons with him, Manasseh and Ephraim [for Jacob to bless them before his death].
Rashi’s Commentary
That someone said to Joseph—One of the tellers: it is an elliptical phrase. Some say, that Ephraim was regularly with Jacob for study and when Jacob became ill in the land of Goshen Ephraim went to his father in Egypt and reported it to him (Tanchuma 1:12:6).
So he took his two sons with him—So that Jacob might bless them before his death.
Joh 11:3
So the sisters sent word to him, saying, “Lord, behold, he whom you love is sick.”
2 And someone told Jacob and said, “Behold, your son Joseph has come to you,” Israel rallied his strength and sat up on the bed [according honor to royalty].
Rashi’s Commentary
And someone told—The teller told Jacob. It does not state plainly who told it; there are many such elliptical verses.
Eph 6:10
Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the power of his might.
3 Then Jacob said to Joseph, “God Almighty appeared to me at Luz in the land of Canaan, and blessed me
Rev 21:11
having the glory of God: and her brilliance was like a very precious jewel, like a jasper jewel, clear as crystal.
4 and said to me, ‘Behold, I will make you fruitful and multiply you, and I will make you a community of peoples [two additional tribes issuing from him, Ephraim and Manasseh (see 35:11)], and I will give this land to your descendants after you as an everlasting possession.’
5 “And now, as for your two sons, who were born to you in the land of Egypt, until I came to you, to Egypt they are mine [in the number of my other sons, to take a corresponding portion in the land]; Ephraim and Manasseh will be mine like Reuben and Simeon.
Rashi’s Commentary
2Co 6:18
And,
“I will be a Father to you,
and you will be my sons and daughters,
says the Lord Almighty.”
Eph 1:5
he predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will—
Rev 7:6-7
6 of the tribe of Asher twelve thousand were sealed;
of the tribe of Naphtali twelve thousand were sealed;
of the tribe of Manasseh twelve thousand were sealed;
7 of the tribe of Simeon twelve thousand were sealed;
of the tribe of Levi twelve thousand were sealed;
of the tribe of Issachar twelve thousand were sealed;
6 But your children, if you beget any after them, will [not be numbered with my sons, but they will] be yours; by the names of their brothers [Ephraim and Manasseh] they will be called in [taking] their territory.
7 [And though I tax you to carry me for burial to the land of Canaan though I did not exert myself similarly for your mother], for when I came from Paddan, Rachel died, to my sorrow, in the land of Canaan on the road, when there was but a little distance to go to Ephrath. And I buried her there on the road to Ephrath (that is, Bethlehem) [without even taking her into Bethlehem—bear no rancor against me for this, for I did so by the command of God, that Rachel might implore mercy for her children when they passed that way in the exile of Nebuzaradan (see Jer 31)].
Rashi’s Commentary
For when I came from Paddan, etc.—“And although I trouble you to take me for burial into the land of Canaan and I did not do this for your mother (i.e., I did not take the trouble to bury her in a place other than that in which she died, which was by the road-side) which I might easily have done since she died quite close to Bethlehem.”
A little distance is a measure of land equal to 2000 cubits which is the extent of a Sabbath day’s journey. This is according to the statement of R. Moses the Expositor.—“Do not imagine that it was the rains which prevented me from bringing her to Hebron for burial. It was the dry season when the ground is riddled and full of holes like a sieve (כְּבָרָה).
Mat 2:18
A voice is heard in Ramah,
weeping and great mourning,
Rachel weeping for her children
and refusing to be comforted,
because they are no more.
8 And Israel saw the sons of Joseph [and wished to bless them—when the Divine Presence departed from him, (for Jeroboam and Ahab were destined to descend from Ephraim, and Jehu and his sons from Manasseh)], and he asked, “Who are these?” [i.e., Where did they issue that they are not fit to be blessed?]
Rashi’s Commentary
And Israel saw the sons of Joseph—He wished to bless them but the Divine Presence departed from him because he saw that from Ephraim would be born the wicked kings Jeroboam and Ahab, and from Manasseh Jehu and his sons (Midrash Tanchuma, Vayechi 6).
And he asked, “Who are these?”—Where did these come from meaning: From whom were they born, that they are unfitted for blessing?
9 Joseph said to his father, “They are my sons, whom God has given me in this place” [he showed him the articles of engagement and the contract of marriage, and Jacob implored the Lord for the return of the Holy Spirit, and it again reposed upon him].
And he said, “Bring them to me, please, that I may bless them.”
Rashi’s Commentary
In this place (literally, by this, or by means of this)—He showed him the contract of betrothal and the contract of marriage (evidence that their mother had adopted the faith of Israel, and that his and her offspring were of their faith) and Joseph prayed to God about the matter and the Holy Spirit again rested upon him (Jacob) (Midrash Tanchuma, Vayechi 6).
Heb 11:21
By faith Jacob, when he was dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, and worshiped, leaning on the top of his staff.
10 Now Israel’s eyes were so dim with age, to the extent that he could not see. So Joseph brought them close to him, and he kissed them and embraced them.
11 Israel said to Joseph, “I never expected to see even your face, and behold, God has let me see your children too.”
Eph 3:20
Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or imagine, according to the power that works within us,
12 Then Joseph removed them from his Israel’s knees [in order to place them in the right position for blessing; one to the right, the other to the left], and bowed with his face to the ground [after he had walked backwards in deference to his father].
Rashi’s Commentary
Then Joseph removed them from his Israel’s knees—After he (Jacob) had kissed them, Joseph brought them out from between his knees in order to place them one at the right and the other on the left in order that Jacob might thus lay his hands upon them and bless them.
And bowed with his face to the ground—After he had stepped backwards from before his father.
Ephraim and Manasseh by Sweet Publishing/Free Bible Images is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0
Rachel Dies by Sweet Publishing/Free Bible Images is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0
Eph 6:1
Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right.
13 And Joseph took both of them, Ephraim with his right hand toward Israel’s left and Manasseh [the firstborn] with his left hand toward Israel’s right, and brought them close to him.
Rashi’s Commentary
Ephraim with his right hand toward Israel’s left—If one is moving towards another person his right hand is opposite the other’s left. Now since he (Manasseh) was the firstborn, he should have been placed at Jacob’s right hand for the blessing.
14 But Israel reached out his right hand and put it on Ephraim’s head, though he was the younger, and his left hand he put on Manasseh’s head. He crossed his arms designedly, [knowing full well] that Manasseh was the firstborn.
Rashi’s Commentary
He crossed his arms designedly—Understand this as the Targum renders it: אַחְכִּמִינוּן he put wisdom into them (viz., into his hands), meaning designedly and wisely he moved his hands for this purpose, intelligently and with full knowledge, for he knew that Manasseh was the firstborn and yet he did not place his right hand upon him.
Mat 19:13, 15
13 Then some children were brought to him so that he might place his hands on them and pray. But the disciples rebuked them.
15 And he placed his hands on them and departed from there.
Luk 4:40
While the sun was setting, all those who had any who were sick with various diseases brought them to him; and laying his hands on each one of them, he healed them.
Luk 13:13
And he laid his hands on her, and immediately she was made erect again and began glorifying God.
Act 6:6
whom they set before the apostles; and when they had prayed, they laid their hands on them.
Act 8:17-19
17 Then they began laying their hands on them, and they were receiving the Holy Spirit.
18 Now when Simon saw that the Spirit was given through the laying on of the apostles’ hands, he offered them money 19 saying, “Give me also this ability so that everyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit.”
Act 13:3
Then, when they had fasted and prayed and placed their hands on them, they sent them away.
1Ti 4:14
Do not neglect the spiritual gift within you, which was given to you through prophecy with the laying on of the hands of the presbytery.
1Ti 5:22
Do not lay hands on anyone too hastily and thereby share responsibility for the sins of others. Keep yourself pure.
15 He 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,
1Co 10:31
Whether, then, you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.
2Co 1:12
For our proud confidence is this: the testimony of our conscience that we have conducted ourselves in the world in integrity and godly sincerity, not with worldly wisdom but by the grace of God, and especially toward you.
Col 2:6
Therefore as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him,
1Th 2:12
that you would walk worthy of God who calls you into his kingdom and glory.
16 the Angel who has delivered me from all harm [e.g., 31:11]
—let him bless the boys [Manasseh and Ephraim],
and may they be called by my name
and the names of my fathers Abraham and Isaac,
and may they increase [like fish] greatly like fish [not prey to the evil eye],
in the midst of the earth.”
Rashi’s Commentary
Bless the boys—Manasseh and Ephraim.
And may they increase . . . like fish—Just like fish, which proliferate and increase, and are unaffected by
the evil eye.—from Onkelos and Gen. Rabbah 97:3
Mat 6:13
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from the evil one.
[For yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.]
Joh 17:15
I do not ask you to take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one.
2Ti 4:18
The Lord will rescue me from every evil attack and will bring me safely to his heavenly kingdom. To him be glory for ever and ever. Amen.
Tit 2:14
who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession, zealous for good deeds.
17 When Joseph saw that his father laid his right hand on Ephraim’s head, it displeased him; so he took hold of his father’s hand to move it from Ephraim’s head to place it on Manasseh’s head.
Rashi’s Commentary
So he took hold of his father’s hand—He lifted it off his son’s head and held it up with his own hand.
18 Joseph said to his father, “Not so, my father, for this one is the firstborn; put your right hand on his head.”
19 But his father refused and said, “I know it, my son, I know it. He too will become a people, and he too will be great. But his younger brother will be greater than he, and his children’s fame will fill the nations.”
Rashi’s Commentary
I know it, my son, I know it—That he is the firstborn.
20 He blessed them that day, saying,
“By you Israel will bless, saying,
‘May God make you like Ephraim and Manasseh.’ ”
Thus he put Ephraim before Manasseh.
Rashi’s Commentary
By you Israel will pronounce blessing—Whoever wishes to bless his sons, will bless them with their blessing (with a blessing related to them), and a man will say to his son, “May God make you like Ephraim and Manasseh.”—from Sifrei Nasso 18
21 Then Israel said to Joseph, “Behold, I am about to die, but God will be with you, and take you back to the land of your fathers.
Act 13:36
For David, after he had served the purpose of God in his own generation, fell asleep, and was buried with his
ancestors and underwent decay.
2Ti 4:6
For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure is at hand.
This work, "Manasseh and Ephraim," is a derivative of "The Rashi Chumash" and "The Rashi Ketuvim" by Rabbi Shraga Silverstein used under CC BY 3.0
Who were born to you . . . until I came to you, i.e. before I came to you. It signifies as much as: who were born from the time when you left me until the time when I came to you.
They are mine—They are counted amongst my other sons, to receive a portion in the land each for himself (i.e. each to have his own territory exactly as each of my other sons has).