Genesis 48:20 kjv

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.

Genesis 48:20 nkjv

So he blessed them that day, saying, "By you Israel will bless, saying, 'May God make you as Ephraim and as Manasseh!' " And thus he set Ephraim before Manasseh.

Genesis 48:20 niv

He blessed them that day and said, "In your name will Israel pronounce this blessing: 'May God make you like Ephraim and Manasseh.'?" So he put Ephraim ahead of Manasseh.

Genesis 48:20 esv

So he blessed them that day, saying, "By you Israel will pronounce blessings, saying, 'God make you as Ephraim and as Manasseh.'" Thus he put Ephraim before Manasseh.

Genesis 48:20 nlt

So Jacob blessed the boys that day with this blessing: "The people of Israel will use your names when they give a blessing. They will say, 'May God make you as prosperous as Ephraim and Manasseh.'" In this way, Jacob put Ephraim ahead of Manasseh.

Genesis 48 verses

Genesis 48 20 Meaning

Genesis 48:20 details Jacob's prophetic blessing upon Ephraim and Manasseh, Joseph's sons, formally elevating them to the status of his own sons and granting them a share in the tribal inheritance of Israel. Crucially, Jacob deliberately blesses Ephraim, the younger brother, over Manasseh, the elder. This verse not only establishes the pattern for how future generations in Israel would invoke a blessing, using Ephraim and Manasseh as the exemplars of fruitfulness and prominence, but also demonstrates God's sovereign right to choose outside of societal conventions like primogeniture, foreshadowing the eventual leading roles of the tribes in Israel.

Genesis 48 20 Context

Genesis 48 is part of the final chapters of Genesis, depicting Jacob's last days in Egypt. Nearing death, Jacob sends for Joseph and, in a highly significant act, formally adopts Joseph's two sons, Ephraim and Manasseh, as his own. This elevates them to the status of his direct heirs, placing them alongside Reuben and Simeon, ensuring them full tribal inheritances in the Promised Land. The preceding verses (48:13-19) describe Joseph's initial attempt to guide Jacob's hands, positioning Manasseh for the primary blessing due to his being the firstborn. However, Jacob, guided by divine insight rather than human custom, deliberately crosses his hands, placing his right hand of blessing upon Ephraim, the younger. Verse 20 serves as the culmination of this act, formalizing the prophetic pronouncement that establishes Ephraim's future preeminence and provides a lasting formula for blessings in Israel. The historical context includes ancient Near Eastern traditions of primogeniture, which this act pointedly subverts under divine direction.

Genesis 48 20 Word analysis

• And he blessed them: Hebrew vayvarakhem (וַיְבָרְכֵם). The act of "blessing" (from barak) here is not merely wishing well but is a performative utterance. It conveys divine favor, confers power, and establishes a future reality. It is a legally and spiritually binding declaration that often comes with prophetic insight, carrying significant weight.
• that day: Hebrew bayyom hahu (בַּיּ֣וֹם הַה֔וּא). Emphasizes the immediate, momentous nature of this specific blessing. It marks a particular, memorable event in the biblical narrative.
• saying: Hebrew lemor (לֵאמֹ֗ר). This word appears twice in the verse, underscoring the formal, deliberate, and perhaps formulaic nature of Jacob's pronouncement. It signifies the direct quotation of his words, indicating their importance.
• In you Israel shall pronounce blessings: Hebrew b'kha y'varekh Yisra'el (בְּךָ יְבָרֵךְ יִשְׂרָאֵל). This is a crucial formula. "In you" (b'kha) means "by your example" or "using your name." Jacob prophesies that when future generations in Israel bless their children, they will invoke the names of Ephraim and Manasseh as paradigms of prosperity, fruitfulness, and favor.
• Israel: Hebrew Yisrael (יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל). Here, "Israel" refers to the collective nation or people who descend from Jacob, not just Jacob himself. It highlights the ongoing practice and enduring significance of this specific blessing formula for all generations of the covenant people.
• May God make you as Ephraim and as Manasseh: Hebrew yesim'kha Elohim k'Efrayim v'khimnasheh (יְשִׂמְךָ אֱלֹהִים כְּאֶפְרַ֛יִם וְכִמְנַשֶּׁ֑ה). This is the content of the future blessing. Elohim (אֱלֹהִים) is the generic but powerful name for God. The prayer is that individuals or families blessed will achieve the same level of prosperity, numbers, and prominence as the descendants of Ephraim and Manasseh, who were prophesied to be numerous and influential tribes.
• Ephraim: Hebrew Efrayim (אֶפְרַ֛יִם). Means "double fruit" or "doubly fruitful." Born to Joseph in Egypt, symbolizing great productivity in a foreign land. His receiving the greater blessing defies primogeniture, signifying divine sovereignty.
• Manasseh: Hebrew Menasheh (מְנַשֶּׁה). Means "one who causes to forget." His name refers to Joseph forgetting his hardship. Though the older son, he receives a lesser, yet still significant, blessing.
• Thus he set Ephraim before Manasseh: Hebrew vayyasem et-Efrayim lifney Menasheh (וַיָּ֥שֶׂם אֶת־אֶפְרַ֖יִם לִפְנֵ֥י מְנַשֶּֽׁה). This phrase encapsulates the core action of the verse and indeed the chapter. "Set before" means to establish precedence, prioritize, or give superior status. This physical and verbal act irreversibly places Ephraim in the position of the firstborn in terms of future inheritance and spiritual blessing, highlighting that divine election transcends human convention.

Words-group analysis

• "And he blessed them that day, saying, 'In you Israel shall pronounce blessings, saying, "May God make you as Ephraim and as Manasseh."'": This entire section is a prophetic and prescriptive utterance. It describes Jacob's immediate act of blessing, which simultaneously sets a standard and creates a future pattern for blessing among the descendants of Israel. The double "saying" (לֵאמֹר) emphasizes the solemn and formal nature of the pronouncement. The choice of Ephraim and Manasseh as the exemplars of blessedness underlines the significance of these two sons for the entire tribal history.
• "Thus he set Ephraim before Manasseh.": This concluding phrase concisely summarizes Jacob's decisive action. It validates the previous declaration by explicitly stating that Ephraim has been granted precedence. This physical act of positioning, contrary to societal norms and even Joseph's wishes, highlights the theme of divine sovereignty in choosing, reinforcing that God's ways are often not man's ways.

Genesis 48 20 Bonus section

The significance of Ephraim and Manasseh being set as paradigm names for future blessings reflects a spiritual principle: that individuals or groups, despite initial human expectations, can rise to prominence through God's anointing. This theme resonates throughout Scripture where God often chooses the overlooked, like Jacob over Esau, David over his older brothers, or the humble over the proud. Furthermore, Ephraim, as "double fruit," truly lived up to its name, becoming the dominant tribe of the northern kingdom, often even being synonymous with "Israel" itself in later prophetic writings, though its ultimate spiritual fate diverged due to idolatry, illustrating that initial blessing requires ongoing faithfulness.

Genesis 48 20 Commentary

Genesis 48:20 serves as a pivotal moment where Jacob, empowered by prophetic vision, exercises a divine prerogative to redefine the order of inheritance and blessing. It underscores that spiritual preeminence is not solely determined by primogeniture but by divine election and grace. Jacob's specific action of crossing his hands and prioritizing Ephraim sets a precedent for generations. The blessing, "May God make you as Ephraim and as Manasseh," became a household invocation in Israel, pointing to a desired state of divine favor, fruitfulness, and prosperity, rooted in God's covenant promises. This act solidifies Ephraim's future as the leading tribe of the northern kingdom and powerfully demonstrates God's consistent pattern of choosing the younger or the less expected to carry His purposes. It's a testament to the sovereign freedom of God, who elects according to His own will, demonstrating that spiritual inheritance flows from divine design, not human right.