Genesis 49:3-4 Jacob's Blessing: Reuben

"Reuben, you are my firstborn, my might, the first sign of my strength, excelling in honor, excelling in power.  Turbulent as the waters, you will no longer excel, for you went up onto your father's bed, onto my couch and defiled it." (Genesis 49:3-4 NIV)
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As Jacob's firstborn, Reuben had every advantage going for him.  He would be preeminent over his brothers and they would be subservient to him.  He would not only be the future leader of the family, but would likely be the one who would have spiritual authority as well.  The covenant blessings had been passed from Abraham to Isaac to Jacob and would probably have been passed on to him.

I say 'would have been', because Reuben would no longer excel in these matters.  His premature attempt to grab for preeminence by sleeping with his father's wife Bilhah had been a selfish and shocking attempt to grab power which was not yet his to own.  His actions were obviously very much the opposite of honoring his father.  Although it may have seemed that Reuben had not suffered any repercussions, that he had gotten away with this sin up until this point, it now becomes evident that it had cost him everything.

I think it is interesting that Jacob calls Reuben 'turbulent as the waters'(v.4).  Some interpret this as 'indecisive', as in Judges 5:15-16, where Reuben's tribe hesitates instead of coming to the aid of their brethren.  I think it goes deeper than that, though.  It seems to be a generally unsettled,  double-mindedness.  As the New Testament book of James notes, a double-minded man is unstable in all he does. (James 1:8)

The 'turbulent waters' image reminds me also of Jude 1:23, where the ungodly are pictured as "...wild waves of the sea, foaming up their shame...".  It is interesting that in that chapter, the consequences of immorality and sexual sins are prominent.

At any rate, after his sin with Bilhah, Reuben's efforts at leadership are always a dismal failure.  See Genesis 37:21-22 and then 37:29-30 for Reuben's unsuccessful attempt to help Joseph, or his failure to convince his father that he can be entrusted with Benjamin's safety in Genesis 42:37-38.

It is not that Reuben cannot be forgiven.  If he sincerely repented, God would forgive him.  However, sometimes there are results from sin which have lasting consequences, almost like deep scars from a severe injury.

There is no mention of a blessing here for Reuben.  Instead, we are left with a sad sense of what might have been.  Of course, Reuben, like each of Jacob's sons, will share in the covenant blessings promised to Abraham and his descendants.  That is a significant blessing in itself.  So it is not as though God has given up on Reuben or his future tribe.  However, it is difficult to come up with any significant bible figure from that tribe.  I can't think of any leader, prophet, or even a person of particular godly influence from Reuben's descendants who is mentioned in the Bible.  I am sure that there must have been individuals from that tribe who were godly and were used by God.  However, it does seem that Reuben's sin had some type of effect upon his descendants.

Let me be clear here.  I am not saying that Reuben ruined it for all his descendants, or that no godly person came from that tribe.  It is not as though a curse was placed upon them or anything.  However, there was seemingly some type of lasting result of his actions.

Perhaps what bothers me is that we are never really told that Reuben repented of his sin.  There is no mention of him apologizing to his father, or confessing his sin to God.  He may have done so, and it was not mentioned, but that seems strange.  Unconfessed sins could have that kind of dampening effect upon Reuben himself spiritually, and, as a consequence, upon his descendants, I suppose.  Any thoughts?

When we deal with Jacob's next sons, Simeon and Levi, we will continue this discussion, for it is interesting to see what happens in their lives.  They, too, committed some serious sins.  Yet one of them goes on to have a significant place in God's plan.  

Genesis 49: Jacob's Blessing: Overview

After speaking with Joseph and adopting Joseph's two sons as his own, it is time for Jacob to summon the rest of his sons so that he may give them his final blessing and instructions.  The entire chapter is taken up with these two aspects.  I have been looking forward to getting to this point, because it is fascinating to me to study in greater detail the message Jacob gives to each of his sons.

First of all, Jacob is given a prophetic message for his sons, and for the tribes which would come from them in the future.  This is part of the fascination that this chapter holds for me -- that God would reveal to Jacob things which he could not possibly know on his own.  In itself, this is another evidence of the reliability of the Bible/Torah.

Secondly, it is good to see that Jacob has a word for each of his sons.  Although Joseph and Benjamin have been favorites of his because of the fact that their mother was his favorite wife, Rachel, Jacob here takes the time to speak individually with each of his sons:

"Then Jacob called for his sons and said, 'Gather around so I can tell you what will happen to you in days to come.  Assemble and listen, sons of Jacob; listen to your father Israel.' "  (Genesis 49:1-2 NIV)

It may be noted that the blessing (v.2-27) is the longest poem in the book of Genesis, according to the NIV Study Bible.

Genesis 48:17-22 Ephraim Given Preference

While his father Jacob was blessing Joseph's sons, he purposely placed his right hand upon Ephraim's (the younger son's) head instead of upon the head of Manasseh, the eldest son.  Joseph thought it was a mistake, and immediately moved to correct the situation:

"When Joseph saw his father placing his right hand on Ephraim's head he was displeased; so he took hold of his father's hand to move it from Ephraim's head to Manasseh's head.  Joseph said to him, 'No, my father, this one is the firstborn; put your right hand on his head.'  But his father refused and said, 'I know, my son, I know.  He too will become great.  Nevertheless, his younger brother will be greater than he, and his descendants will become a group of nations.'  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 48:17-20 NIV)

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A similar thing had occurred in Jacob/Israel's own life.  Although his twin brother Esau was the firstborn, God had indicated to his mother Rebekah that the older son would serve the younger. (Genesis 25:23)  This prophecy was probably the main reason why Rebekah conspired with her son Jacob to confer the blessing of the firstborn upon Jacob.  Although God had indicated that Jacob would eventually have first place in the family, Rebekah and Jacob's actions were sinful and deceptive and ended up causing a lot of heartache.  Instead, they should have waited for God to bring about His plan for Jacob's positioning in His own time.

The current situation is different, though.  There is no deception.  Apparently, God has revealed to Jacob that Ephraim will have a superior place to Manasseh, even though he was born after Manasseh.  So Jacob insists upon continuing in the manner in which he started to bless the boys.

The following quote from the NIV Study Bible note on Genesis 25:23 is concise and instructive:  "The ancient law of primogeniture...provided that, under ordinary circumstances, the younger of two sons would be subservient to the older.  God's election of the younger son highlights the fact that God's people are the product not of natural or worldly development but of his sovereign intervention in human affairs."  The note goes on to remind us that God does not intervene in an arbitrary way, but according to His perfect will.

This is a good place for this discussion to take place, for I was struggling to express the fact that, although the firstborn is usually blessed with the greater position in the family and with a greater portion of his father's worldly goods, the treasure which was being passed down in Abraham's family line was not only the usual inheritance, but a particular spiritual blessing -- the covenant which God had made with Abraham.  So while Jacob is blessing his grandsons, his language hints that through their line this covenant blessing will continue. For example, Ephraim's "descendants will become a group of nations'' (v.19).  This echoes some of God's promises to Abraham.  However, note that Manasseh will also become a people and become great.  So Manasseh is not being left out, or cheated of anything.  He, too, shares in the covenant inheritance.  It is just that God will have greater purposes for Ephraim, according to His will, and in order to accomplish His own goals.

Of course, if Ephraim is going to be preeminent over his brother, we might wonder what will become of Joseph and his eleven other brothers.  In the next verse, Genesis 48:21, Jacob comes right out and tells him plainly:  Joseph will be preeminent over his brothers:

"Then Israel said to Joseph, 'I am about to die,

but God will be with you and take you back to the land of your fathers.

And to you, as one who is over your brothers,

I give the ridge of land I took from the Amorites with my sword and bow.' "

Genesis 48:21-22 NIV 

Genesis 48:12-16 Jacob Blesses Ephraim and Manasseh

""Then Joseph removed them from Israel's knees and bowed down with his face to the ground.  And Joseph took both of them, Ephraim on his right towards Israel's left hand and Manasseh on his left toward Israel's right hand, and brought them close to him."  (Genesis 48:12-13 NIV)

Joseph bows respectfully before his father and then brings his sons towards Israel to have him bless them.  He even arranges them so that the eldest son, Manasseh, will be positioned correctly to receive a firstborn's blessing.  [Actually, Joseph or one of his 11 brothers will be receiving this passing on of the firstborn's blessing soon when Israel gathers his sons to give them his final words.  However, it seems that Joseph expected some greater honor or blessing for Manasseh as the firstborn of his sons, so he carefully positions him so that there will be no confusion on the part of his aged and nearly blind father (v.10).  I wonder if somewhere in Joseph's mind he was also thinking back upon events in his own family's history, when his father deceitfully stole his twin brother Esau's blessing from his father Isaac?  There would be no mistakes this time.

However, the purposes of God are always accomplished in the end, despite our careful attempts at controlling our circumstances.  For Jacob has a different goal in mind:

"But Israel reached out his right hand and put it on Ephraim's head, though he was the younger, and crossing his arms, he put his left hand on Manasseh's head, even though Manasseh was the firstborn." (Genesis 48:14 NIV)

Things are starting to get interesting here.  Why is Jacob doing this?  Knowing the years of turmoil which his own manipulations of his father's blessing brought upon himself and his family [for after Jacob fled to his uncle Laban's home from his brother Esau's wrath, he never saw his mother again, and was not reconciled with his brother until years afterwards, and that rather incompletely], why would Jacob 'mess' with the proper order of such blessings?!

Jacob continues:

"Then he blessed Joseph and said, 

'May the God before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac walked,

the God who has been my shepherd all my life to this day,

the Angel who has delivered me from all harm

--may he bless these boys.

May they be called by my name

and the names of my fathers Abraham and Isaac,

and may they increase greatly upon the earth.' "

Genesis 48:15-16 NIV

It is worth noting that Jacob calls God his shepherd.(v.15)  This is appropriate, because the family keeps flocks and this presents a very visual image of the care and effort which God has taken in Jacob/Israel's own life.  In the culture of the ancient Near East, the image of the king as a shepherd caring for his people was well known.  Jacob will call upon this metaphor again when he is blessing his twelve sons in the next chapter of Genesis (49:24).

Israel then refers to God as 'the Angel'.  This can be a bit confusing.  Why call God an angel?  I think that I need to do a whole post on that subject, but just for now let's remember that Jacob has seen this angel-man-God before several times and has referred to him as God. [See Genesis 28:10-22, Genesis 32:22-30, Genesis 46:1-4, etc.]  Even in the poetic style of the above blessing, Jacob equates 'the God before whom my fathers Abraham  and Isaac walked' with 'the God who has been my shepherd all my life' with 'the Angel who has delivered me from all harm'.  These are all just different ways of describing the same God who has cared for Jacob/Israel all his life. 

Genesis 48:8-11 Grateful Grandfather

"When Israel saw the sons of Joseph, he asked, 'Who are these?'

'They are the sons God has given me here,' Joseph said to his father.

Then Israel said, 'Bring them to me so I may bless them.'
 
Now Israel's eyes were failing because of old age, and he could hardly see.  So Joseph brought his sons close to him, and his father kissed them and embraced them.  Israel said to Joseph, 'I never expected to see your face again, and now God has allowed me to see your children too.' "  (Genesis 48:8-11 NIV)
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At first, Jacob does not appear to recognize his own grandsons, Ephraim and Manasseh.  Certainly this is not the first time he is meeting them, for Jacob lived about seventeen years in Egypt with Joseph before his death, and even if Joseph was busy with his work for the Pharaoh, he would have made time to have his sons meet their grandfather long before this.  The text reveals that his vision was failing because of old age (v.10), so that is probably why he questions the identity of these young people who are accompanying Joseph.

Jacob is one grateful grandfather.  At one time, he had given up hope of ever seeing Joseph again, yet here he is, able to enjoy being with his grandsons as well.

Genesis 48:5-7 Jacob Adopts Joseph's Sons

"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.  Any children born to you after them will be yours; in the territory they inherit they will be reckoned under the names of their brothers.  As I was returning from Paddan, to my sorrow Rachel died in the land of Canaan while we were still on the way, a little distance from Ephrath.  So I buried her there beside the road to Ephrath" (that is, Bethlehem)." (Genesis 48:5-7 NIV)

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As I mentioned at the end of the previous post, Jacob announces that he will adopt Joseph's two sons as his own.  Then he goes on to speak about Rachel's death and burial.  Although this may seem like just the ramblings of an old man as he thinks back over his life, the two items are connected:

Jacob's beloved wife Rachel had died after producing only two sons, Joseph and Benjamin.  Jacob no doubt believed that had Rachel lived, she would have had the opportunity to give him more sons.  His adoption of Joseph's two sons would somewhat alleviate that loss, particularly since Joseph was Rachel's son.  Joseph's two sons would have equal status with Jacob's sons, Reuben and Simeon.

[Spoiler note:  Actually, because Reuben is disqualified for the right of the firstborn because of his sin of sleeping with his father's wife, Bilhah, Joseph (and thus eventually his sons Ephraim and Manasseh after him) would take that place and therefore even supercede Reuben and Simeon.  Simeon and Levi, the next two sons in line, had been disqualified because of their deception and violence in dealing with the men of Shechem.  More on this later, in chapter 49, when Jacob gives his final words to his sons.]

We will continue to discuss this adoption process in the next post.  Remember how, long ago, Jacob stole his own brother Esau's blessing?  Now there is going to be another firstborn's status upset, but this time the event seems to be according to God's directing of Jacob's actions.

Genesis 48:1-7 Jacob's Private Talk with Joseph

Genesis chapters 48 and 49 give an account of Jacob's final words and instructions to his sons.   First, he apparently had a private talk with Joseph, for in chapter 48, Jacob is speaking with Joseph and his sons, Ephraim and Manasseh, while the beginning of chapter 49 states that Jacob called all his sons together for his final words to them.

"Some time later Joseph was told, 'Your father is ill.'  So he took his two sons Manasseh and Ephraim along with him.  When Jacob was told, 'Your son Joseph has come to you,' Jacob rallied his strength and sat up on the bed."  (Genesis 48:1-2 NIV)

When Joseph was told that his father was ill, he must have figured that Jacob's last days were near, for he brings his two sons with him as he visits his father.  Jacob must have been very weak at this point, for it seems to take quite an effort for him to gather the strength to sit up on his bed.

Jacob begins to recount some of the main highlights of his life and dealings with God:

"Jacob said to Joseph, 'God Almighty appeared to me at Luz in the land of Canaan, and there he blessed me and said to me, "I am going to make you fruitful and will increase your numbers.  I will make you a community of peoples, and I will give this land as an everlasting possession to your descendants after you."  (Genesis 48:3-4 NIV)

Jacob is in the process of passing the information about the covenant which God had made with his grandfather Abraham, which then passed to Abraham's son Isaac, and on to Isaac's son, which is Jacob himself.  No doubt he had spoken with Joseph and his brothers before about this covenant, and about God's various dealings with their ancestors.  However, now that Jacob's death is near, he outlines this information once again.  In his words there is the concept of blessing, of fruitfulness and increase, even to the point of becoming a community of peoples.  The promise of the land as an everlasting possession is also repeated here. Later, when Jacob is blessing Joseph (Gen. 48:15-16), he will also include the concept of relationship, for God has also promised to be with Jacob.

Next, Jacob adopts Joseph's two sons as his own, and blesses the boys and Joseph himself.  This is a longer section (v.5-22), which may require several posts to cover, for there are many interesting things going on here.
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Note:  When Jacob speaks about "Luz", he is talking about Bethel, where God appeared to him.  Luz is the older name for this place. (Genesis 28:19)  "Bethel" means "house of God" and an awestruck Jacob called it this when he awoke from his dream and realized that God had been speaking with him.