
Blessings, Death, and Legacies
The final chapters of Genesis (48-50) serve as the conclusion to the story of Jacob and Joseph, while also looking ahead to the fulfillment of God’s promises to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
In Genesis 48, Jacob is nearing the end of his life. As Joseph is informed of his father’s declining health, he takes his two sons, Ephraim and Manasseh, to see Jacob (v. 1). This visit is significant as Jacob’s blessings and last words are of deep importance to the family and the covenant promises of God. Jacob gathers his strength to sit up and recounts God’s promises to him. He recalls how God appeared to him at Luz (Bethel) and reaffirmed the covenant promise: God would bless him, make him fruitful, multiply his descendants, and give them the land of Canaan as an everlasting possession (v. 2-4). In a symbolic and prophetic act, Jacob adopts Ephraim and Manasseh as his own sons (v. 5-6), giving them a share in the inheritance of the tribes of Israel. This act effectively grants Joseph a double portion of the inheritance through his two sons. Jacob also recalls the death of Rachel, Joseph’s mother, expressing his sorrow over her loss and his love for her (v. 7).
As Jacob blesses Joseph’s sons, Joseph arranges the boys so that Jacob’s right hand, the position of greater honor, is on Manasseh. However, Jacob crosses his hands, placing his right hand on Ephraim, the younger, and his left on Manasseh. Joseph notices that Jacob’s right hand is on Ephraim, and he attempts to correct him, saying, “Not this way, my father.” Joseph tries to place Jacob’s right hand on Manasseh, the firstborn, in line with cultural expectations (v. 12-18).
Jacob refuses to change his hands, explaining that Ephraim will become greater than Manasseh. Both will be blessed, but Ephraim’s descendants will be more numerous and influential. Jacob then blesses them both, declaring that their names will be used as a blessing in Israel, saying, “May God make you as Ephraim and as Manasseh” (v. 19-20). Jacob intentionally placing Ephraim first reflects the biblical pattern of God choosing the younger over the older (e.g., Jacob over Esau). Jacob ends by reaffirming God’s covenant promises to give his descendants the land of Canaan (v. 21). Jacob, however, gives Joseph a specific inheritance: a portion of land that he had taken “from the hand of the Amorites with my sword and my bow” (v. 22). This additional portion underscores Joseph’s favored status and his role in preserving the family during their time in Egypt.
Genesis 49 records Jacob’s final prophetic blessings to his twelve sons before his death. These unique blessings (or curses) not only reflect their individual characters but also foretell the destinies of their tribes. Jacob calls his sons to “assemble and listen,” emphasizing the solemnity and importance of what he is about to say (v. 1-2).
Jacob acknowledges Reuben as his firstborn, “my might and the firstfruits of my strength,” but rebukes him for being “unstable as water” (v. 4). Reuben’s sin of sleeping with Bilhah, Jacob’s concubine (Genesis 35:22), disqualified him from the leadership and double portion traditionally given to the firstborn. His tribe’s history reflects this instability, as the Reubenites never played a significant leadership role in Israel. Jacob condemns Simeon and Levi for their violent and cruel actions in avenging their sister Dinah by slaughtering the men of Shechem (Genesis 34). He proclaims that their tribes will be “divided and scattered” in Israel (v. 7). Simeon’s tribe eventually became absorbed into Judah’s territory. Levi’s descendants were scattered as priests throughout Israel. Ultimately, these three sons lose their preeminence due to past sins (Reuben’s immorality and Simeon and Levi’s violence).
Judah, in verses 8-12, is given a place of leadership and blessing. Jacob prophesies that “the scepter shall not depart from Judah” (v. 10), a Messianic prophecy fulfilled in Jesus Christ, the Lion of the tribe of Judah (Revelation 5:5). The remaining sons receive blessings or warnings tied to their tribe’s future. For example, Zebulun is associated with trade, Dan with justice and idolatry, and Benjamin with fierce warriors (v. 13-21; 27). Joseph, however, receives the longest blessing, depicting him as fruitful and victorious despite hardships, sustained by God’s favor (v. 22-26). The way the men had lived played an important part in Jacob’s blessing and prophecy. Our past also affects our present and future. By sunrise tomorrow, our actions of today will have become part of the past. Yet they will already have begun to shape the future. What actions can you choose or avoid that will positively shape your future?
Each tribe had a unique role in God’s redemptive history. The prophecy about Judah points directly to the coming of the Messiah, demonstrating God’s long-term plan to bring salvation. From these verses, we can learn to recognize that God also has a unique purpose for each of His children. As we grow in faith, we are to seek to live faithfully in the role He has given us and trust in the ultimate fulfillment of God’s promises in Christ, who reigns as King and Savior.
Jacob passed away at the age of 147, bringing his long years of struggle to an end. His journey wasn’t easy—he faced hardships, made mistakes, and carried his share of sin. But through it all, he never stopped longing for God’s blessing. Jacob had a deep and unwavering faith that kept him leaning on God, no matter what. By the end of his life, he had come to understand where true blessings come from, and he fought hard, both with God and man, to ensure those blessings could be passed on to his sons. He died as a man whose faith had been tested and proven genuine.
Genesis 50 concludes the book of Genesis by recounting Jacob’s burial, Joseph’s reassurance to his brothers, and Joseph’s death. After Jacob’s death, Joseph mourns deeply and has him embalmed. Pharaoh permits Joseph to bury Jacob in the cave of Machpelah in Canaan, fulfilling Jacob’s last request. Abraham had purchased the cave in the field of Machpelah as a burial place for his wife, Sarah (Genesis 23:1–9). It was to be a burial place for his entire family. Jacob was Abraham’s grandson, and Jacob’s sons returned to Canaan to bury him in this cave along with Abraham and Isaac. Their desire to be buried in this cave expressed their faith in God’s promise to give their descendants the land of Canaan. A grand procession of Jacob’s family and Egyptian officials honors him, demonstrating his significant legacy (v. 1-14).
With Jacob gone, Joseph’s brothers fear he will take revenge for selling him into slavery (v. 15). They plead for forgiveness, claiming it was Jacob’s dying wish (v. 16-18). But to their surprise, Joseph not only forgave them but reassured them, saying, “Am I in the place of God?” (v. 19). He acknowledges God’s providence with one of the most profound statements, declaring, “What you meant for evil, God meant for good, to bring about the saving of many lives” (v. 20). Joseph’s forgiveness was complete. He demonstrated how God graciously accepts us even though we don’t deserve it. Because God forgives us even when we have ignored or rejected Him, we should graciously forgive others. Joseph forgives them, comforts his brothers, and promises to care for them and their families (v. 21).
Joseph lives to see multiple generations of his family. Before his death, Joseph offered a reminder that God would bring them up out of this land to the land that he swore to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob. Then Joseph made the sons of Israel swear an oath to take his bones to Canaan when God fulfilled His promise to bring Israel out of Egypt. This verse sets the stage for what would begin to happen in Exodus and come to completion in Joshua. God was going to make Jacob’s family into a great nation, lead them out of Egypt, and bring them into the land He had promised them. The nation would rely heavily on this promise, and Joseph emphasized his belief that God would do what He had promised. Joseph died at the age of a hundred and ten (v. 22-26).
Joseph’s faithfulness affected his entire family. When he was in the pit and in prison, Joseph must have wondered about his future. Instead of despairing, he faithfully obeyed God and did what was right. In these final chapters of Genesis, we see the exciting results. We may not always see the effects of our faith, but we can be sure that God will honor faithfulness. Both Jacob and Joseph demonstrated their faith by looking beyond their lifetimes to God’s promises for their descendants. We, too, can trust in God’s providence, even in difficult or unjust circumstances, and live with a forward-looking faith that clings to God’s promises, even when their fulfillment seems distant. Joseph’s forgiveness of his brothers demonstrates the power of letting go of bitterness and trusting God’s sovereignty. If God can work even through the evil intentions of others, we can trust Him to bring good from our pain.
The Book of Genesis ends with the promise of the land still unfulfilled but with a confident expectation of a divine visitation. Joseph’s words, repeated twice, beautifully capture the hope echoed throughout both the Old and New Testaments: “God will surely come to your aid” (50:24-25). With these words, the faithful were called to wait in anticipation for the coming of the promised Seed, the Messiah, who would break the curse and usher in the long-awaited blessing of God’s kingdom. As we reflect on these chapters, may we walk in faith, forgive as we have been forgiven, and live with the eternal hope that is ours in Christ Jesus.
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