Genesis 48:20

That’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.’”

Plain English Version

In The King James Version

And he blessed them that day, saying, In thee shall Israel bless, saying, God make thee as Ephraim and as Manasseh: and he set Ephraim before Manasseh.

In Context

19But 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.”

21Then Jacob said to Joseph, “Listen, I am going to die very soon. But God will be with you and your family. Later on, he will take your family back to that country where your father and grand-fathers lived, and he will give you land there.”

Read all of Genesis 48

Cross References

Genesis 24:60Then Rebekah’s family asked God to be good to Rebekah. They said to her, “We are asking God to give you lots of kids and grand-kids, so that your family will become a really big mob of people. And we are asking God to make them strong, so that when other people fight against your mob, your mob will win, and then your mob will take the towns that belonged to those other people.”

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 48:20