Genesis 48:19

But Jacob didn’t move his hand. He said, “No, my son. I know for sure that I’m doing the right thing. Listen, your older son will have a big family, and they will become an important tribe. But your younger son will be more important than your older son. He will have a really big family, and later on, his tribe will be really big and really important.”

Plain English Version

In The King James Version

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.

In Context

18And Joseph said to Jacob, “Father, don’t put your right hand on my younger son’s head. Look, here is my older son. Put your right hand on his head.”

20That’s the story about the way that Jacob made Ephraim more important than Manasseh. Then Jacob said another good thing about Ephraim and Manasseh. Jacob said to them, “Later on, the Israel mob will always remember that God was very good to both of you. And sometimes they will say to each other, ‘I’m asking God to be good to you, just like he was good to Ephraim and Manasseh.’”

Read all of Genesis 48

Cross References

Genesis 25:23God said to Rebekah, “There are 2 babies inside you. They will grow up and have kids, and their kids will become 2 nations. Right from the start, those 2 nations will fight against each other. One of those nations will be stronger than the other nation. Yes, the younger son’s nation will be stronger, and his nation will be boss over the older son’s nation.”

Genesis 48:14But Jacob didn’t do that. No, he put his right hand on Ephraim’s head, even though Ephraim was the younger son. And then he crossed his left arm over his right arm, and he put his left hand on Manasseh’s head, even though Manasseh was the older son.

Matthew Henry on Genesis 48:9-22

Jacob Blesses the Sons of Joseph; Jacob's Dying Prophecy. ( b. c. 1689.) 8 And Israel beheld Joseph's sons, and said, Who are these? 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. 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. 11 And Israel said unto Joseph, I had not thought to see thy face: and, lo, God… Read the whole commentary →

This Verse In Other Editions

Study Genesis 48:19