Genesis 48:5 kjv
And now thy two sons, Ephraim and Manasseh, which were born unto thee in the land of Egypt before I came unto thee into Egypt, are mine; as Reuben and Simeon, they shall be mine.
Genesis 48:5 nkjv
And now your two sons, Ephraim and Manasseh, who were born to you in the land of Egypt before I came to you in Egypt, are mine; as Reuben and Simeon, they shall be mine.
Genesis 48:5 niv
"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.
Genesis 48:5 esv
And now your two sons, who were born to you in the land of Egypt before I came to you in Egypt, are mine; Ephraim and Manasseh shall be mine, as Reuben and Simeon are.
Genesis 48:5 nlt
"Now I am claiming as my own sons these two boys of yours, Ephraim and Manasseh, who were born here in the land of Egypt before I arrived. They will be my sons, just as Reuben and Simeon are.
Genesis 48 5 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Gen 28:13-15 | "I am the Lord, the God of Abraham your father... the land on which you lie I will give to you and to your offspring." | God's covenant with Jacob, promise of land. |
| Gen 35:10-12 | "Your name shall no longer be Jacob, but Israel... A nation... shall come from you, and kings shall come from your own body." | God reconfirms covenant to Jacob (Israel), promising multitude of nations and land. |
| Gen 35:22 | "And Reuben went and lay with Bilhah his father's concubine, and Israel heard of it." | Reuben's defilement that led to loss of birthright. |
| Gen 37:2 | "These are the generations of Jacob. Joseph, being seventeen years old..." | Introduces Joseph as a prominent figure early on. |
| Gen 41:50-52 | "Before the years of famine came, two sons were born to Joseph... Manasseh and Ephraim." | Records the birth of Joseph's sons in Egypt before Jacob's arrival. |
| Gen 46:27 | "all the persons of the house of Jacob who came into Egypt were seventy." | Context of the whole family's move to Egypt. |
| Gen 47:11-12 | "Joseph settled his father and his brothers... and provided them with food." | Joseph's role in sustaining the family in Egypt. |
| Gen 48:1-2 | "After this, Joseph was told, 'Behold, your father is ill.' ... Israel summoned his strength..." | Immediate context of Jacob's last words and blessings. |
| Gen 49:3-4 | "Reuben, you are my firstborn... Unstable as water, you shall not have preeminence..." | Jacob's prophecy confirms Reuben's loss of preeminence. |
| Gen 49:22-26 | "Joseph is a fruitful bough... from the God of your father... bless you with blessings of heaven above..." | Jacob's extensive blessing on Joseph, indicating a special status. |
| Num 1:32-35 | "Of the descendants of Ephraim, their generations... were 40,500. Of the descendants of Manasseh, their generations... were 32,200." | Listing of tribes for census, counting Ephraim and Manasseh separately. |
| Num 26:28-37 | "The descendants of Joseph according to their clans: Manasseh... Ephraim..." | Census again, reaffirming separate tribes for Joseph's sons. |
| Deut 21:17 | "He shall acknowledge the son of the unloved wife as the firstborn, by giving him a double portion..." | Law of the double portion for the firstborn, a principle reflected in Jacob's action. |
| Deut 33:13-17 | "And of Joseph he said: 'Blessed by the Lord be his land... His horns are like the horns of a wild ox; with them he shall gore the peoples... these are the ten thousands of Ephraim, and these are the thousands of Manasseh.'" | Moses' blessing on Joseph, highlighting Ephraim's greater prominence. |
| Josh 14:4 | "For the people of Joseph were two tribes, Manasseh and Ephraim. And no portion was given to the Levites in the land..." | Explains the two-tribe inheritance for Joseph's lineage in Canaan. |
| 1 Chr 5:1-2 | "The sons of Reuben the firstborn of Israel (for he was the firstborn, but because he defiled his father's couch, his birthright was given to the sons of Joseph the son of Israel)... Joseph indeed received the birthright." | Direct historical confirmation of Joseph receiving the birthright. |
| Prov 22:28 | "Do not move the ancient landmark that your fathers have set." | Though a different context, relates to establishing and maintaining established boundaries and inheritances. |
| Ezek 47:13 | "Thus says the Lord God: 'These are the boundaries by which you shall divide the land for inheritance among the twelve tribes of Israel.'" | Prophetic vision of tribal land division, still acknowledging 12 portions, inclusive of Joseph's dual tribes. |
| Hos 5:3 | "I know Ephraim, and Israel is not hidden from me..." | Highlights Ephraim's prominent role in later Israelite history, often used as a synonym for the Northern Kingdom. |
| Heb 11:21 | "By faith Jacob, when dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, bowing in worship over the head of his staff." | New Testament affirmation of Jacob's faith in these blessings. |
| Rev 7:6 | "from the tribe of Manasseh 12,000, from the tribe of Simeon 12,000, from the tribe of Levi 12,000..." | Manasseh (but not Ephraim specifically by name, though implied in "Joseph" or perhaps through context) still counted among God's chosen in future redemption. |
Genesis 48 verses
Genesis 48 5 Meaning
This verse records Jacob's declaration to Joseph, adopting Joseph's two sons, Ephraim and Manasseh, as his own. By this pronouncement, Ephraim and Manasseh are elevated to the status of direct sons of Jacob, equivalent to Reuben and Simeon, thereby each qualifying for a full tribal inheritance in Israel. This act significantly increases Joseph's share in the future division of the promised land, effectively giving him a "double portion" through his sons, reflecting the rights of the firstborn son.
Genesis 48 5 Context
Genesis chapter 48 records Jacob's final blessings upon Joseph and his two sons, Ephraim and Manasseh, before his death. Jacob, also called Israel, is on his deathbed, frail but divinely empowered. Joseph brings his sons to his aged father, understanding the significance of a patriarch's dying blessing. This particular verse, Genesis 48:5, is a crucial moment as Jacob reconfigures the future tribal structure of Israel. It immediately follows Jacob's statement recalling God's appearance to him at Luz (Bethel) and His promise to make him fruitful and multiply his descendants. This adoption is a prophetic act, ensuring that Joseph's lineage receives a significant and distinct inheritance within the promised land, directly impacting the eventual twelve tribes.
Genesis 48 5 Word analysis
- And now (וְעַתָּה - v'attah): A transitional phrase, indicating a pivot from a past reference (Jacob's encounter with God and his blessings) to an immediate, important declaration concerning the future of Joseph's sons. It signals the critical nature of what is about to be said.
- your two sons (שְׁנֵי בָנֶיךָ - sh'nei vaneikha): Specifically refers to Ephraim and Manasseh, highlighting their familial connection to Joseph, but about to be transformed in their status regarding Jacob.
- Ephraim and Manasseh (אֶפְרַיִם וּמְנַשֶּׁה - 'ephrayim u-menasheh): The individual names of Joseph's sons. Their names themselves hold significance: Manasseh means "causing to forget" (God made me forget my toil), and Ephraim means "doubly fruitful" (God has made me fruitful). They embody the blessing of fruitfulness given to Joseph (Gen 41:51-52).
- who were born to you (אֲשֶׁר יוּלְּדוּ לְךָ - 'asher yuleddu lekha): Emphasizes their direct biological connection to Joseph. This clarification underlines that they are Joseph's natural sons, before Jacob claims them as his own.
- in the land of Egypt (בְּאֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם - b'eretz Mitzrayim): Highlights their foreign birth. Despite being born outside the land of promise, they are fully incorporated into the covenant family, demonstrating God's covenant blessings extend beyond geographical boundaries for His chosen line. It also counters any potential thought that their foreign birth might disqualify them.
- before I came to you in Egypt (לִפְנֵי בֹאִי אֵלֶיךָ מִצְצַיְמָה - lifnei bo'i eileikha Mitzraymah): Specifies the timeline, asserting that they were born and existed as Joseph's children before Jacob's migration, further reinforcing their pre-existing status and strengthening Jacob's deliberate adoption. This highlights the established family structure at the time of arrival.
- are mine (לִי הֵמָּה - li hemmah): A strong, declarative statement of adoption. This means they are now considered Jacob's direct sons for the purpose of tribal lineage and inheritance, equivalent to his other twelve sons. It conveys legal and spiritual appropriation.
- as Reuben and Simeon (כִּרְאוּבֵן וְשִׁמְעוֹן - ki-Reuven v'Shim'on): This simile is crucial. Reuben was the firstborn, and Simeon the second. By equating Ephraim and Manasseh with these two, Jacob signals that each of Joseph's sons will receive a full tribal portion, just like his first and second sons, thereby elevating Joseph's line to a "double portion." This implicitly acknowledges Reuben's forfeiture of the birthright and highlights Joseph's unique favored status.
- they shall be mine (הֵמָּה יִהְיוּ לִי - hemmah yihyu li): Reiteration for emphasis, confirming the permanence and definitive nature of this adoption. It is a legally binding and divinely sanctioned declaration by the patriarch.
Genesis 48 5 Bonus section
This act of adoption directly prefigures the eventual division of the Promised Land among twelve distinct tribes, even though Jacob had thirteen sons by birth if Levi is included (excluding Dina). With Levi's tribe designated for priestly duties and not receiving a territorial inheritance among the others, the inclusion of both Ephraim and Manasseh allowed for twelve distinct land allotments. Jacob’s faith in the promise of land and nationhood is evident here, as he acts out this future division while still dwelling in Egypt. This decision also established Ephraim and Manasseh as separate, dominant tribes in the future Northern Kingdom, with Ephraim eventually overshadowing Manasseh, fulfilling Jacob’s later blessing where he favored the younger Ephraim over the older Manasseh.
Genesis 48 5 Commentary
Genesis 48:5 marks a pivotal moment in the formation of the twelve tribes of Israel. Jacob's adoption of Ephraim and Manasseh is not merely a sentimental act of a dying grandfather, but a powerful, prophetic declaration of faith that reshapes the inheritance structure of his descendants. By equating them to Reuben and Simeon, Jacob formally bestows the "double portion" of the firstborn son upon Joseph. This act ensures that while the land of Canaan would ultimately be divided among twelve tribes, Joseph's lineage would effectively constitute two distinct tribes (Ephraim and Manasseh), ensuring a more prominent share in the inheritance than any other son of Jacob. This fulfills the implicit transfer of the birthright from Reuben, who lost it due to his defilement of Jacob's couch, to Joseph, who had demonstrated unwavering faithfulness. The verse underscores divine providence and God's sovereign hand in shaping the lineage and destiny of His covenant people, setting the stage for the distribution of the land generations later, as seen in Joshua. This also signifies the spiritual adoption by faith, integrating even those born in a foreign land fully into God's covenant blessings.