The Story

Primary and Junior

Jacob had grown old in the land of Egypt and he would soon die. We have learned how they valued an old man's blessing. He was both father and priest of the family, and at such times he spoke from the Spirit of the Lord and his words were sure to come to pass. Remember how Isaac before his death blessed Jacob and Esau (Gen. 27), and how when he found that he had been deceived, although he wished to change the blessing he could not do it, for it had been spoken from the Lord. I "have blessed him, yea and he shall be blessed."

When it was told Joseph that Jacob was sick and he knew that his death was near, he brought his two sons who had been born in Egypt, to receive the old man's blessing. Do you remember their names? Manasseh was the elder, and Ephraim the younger. They were now nineteen years or more of age, for Jacob had lived in Egypt seventeen years, and two years of famine had passed before he came, and both the sons were born before the years of famine. (Gen. 41:50-52; 45:11; 47:28)

We see Joseph coming with his sons, and the old man raised himself in bed. Jacob spoke from the Spirit of the Lord. He told of the blessing which the Lord gave to him at Bethel when he saw the vision of the ladder. Turn to the place and read again the blessing which was given him. Joseph's two sons should share the blessing in a special way; they should be as two of Jacob's own sons and should be counted among the tribes. So you will find that usually no tribe of Joseph is mentioned, but instead two tribes, Manasseh and Ephraim. But why does Jacob say that the Lord appeared to him at Luz? Were we wrong in saying that it was at Bethel? Jacob also told again how Rachel, the mother of Joseph and Benjamin, died when they came from the East, and was buried near Bethlehem. They show you still by the wayside a little building which is believed to mark the grave of Rachel. (Gen. 35:16-20) Ephrath or Ephratah was an old name of Bethlehem, both names perhaps having reference to the rich fields and gardens of the town. (Micah 5:2) Padan, the plain, or Padan-aram, the plain of Syria, was a name of the country beyond the Euphrates where Haran was, where Jacob lived with Laban. (Gen. 28:2, 5) The story of the blessing reminds us further of the story of Jacob and Esau, when Jacob the younger received the greater blessing.

Then Jacob gave to Joseph a special parcel of ground in the land of Canaan, the beautiful meadow to the east of Shechem, which he had bought and where he had dug a well. (Gen. 33: 18-20) It may be that he had also to fight to protect his rights. This meadow is already associated in the story with Joseph, for it was here that he came looking for his brethren; here also the bones of Joseph were buried when the people came from Egypt. (Gen. 50:25, 26; Exod. 13:19; Josh. 24:32) But best of all we remember the mention in the Gospel of "the parcel of ground that Jacob gave to his son Joseph"; and how the Lord talked there with the woman of Samaria, at Jacob's well. (John 4:5-6) Jacob also spoke words of blessing and of warning to all his sons.

1. What were the names of Joseph's two sons? Where were they born? How old were they when Jacob came into Egypt? How old when they received his blessing?

2. Why is it that we find the names of Ephraim and Manasseh among the tribes of Israel as if they were Jacob's sons?

3. Which was the elder of Joseph's sons? On which did Jacob lay his right hand when he blessed them?

4. Where was Luz? Where was Padan? Where was Ephrath?

5. What special portion in the land of Canaan did Jacob give to Joseph? What do we read in the New Testament about this piece of ground?

Spiritual Study

Let us think about the meaning of Joseph's two sons. We remember in general that Abraham represents heavenly affection, Isaac heavenly understanding, and Jacob the working out of heavenly truth on the plane of natural life. The twelve sons of Jacob represent successive developments of this life, beginning with those which are quite external and imperfect, and advancing to those which are interior and spiritual. The inmost motive of love to the Lord and the perception which belongs to that love, are represented by the last-born and favorite sons, Joseph and Benjamin. But how is this inmost life of love for the Lord known? Does it remain only a hidden motive in the inmost region of the soul? No, it comes out on the plane of practical life in the world, causing practical intelligence and practical goodness in everyday natural affairs. These two, practical intelligence and practical goodness, but from the interior spiritual origin of loving acknowledgment of the Lord, are represented by the two sons of Joseph born in Egypt, the goodness by Manasseh and the intelligence by Ephraim. (A. 6234)

The practical intelligence and goodness represented by Joseph's sons take their place in the life of the world side by side with intelligence and goodness of more external kinds; outwardly they are much alike though different in spirit. And this is represented by the adoption of Joseph's sons by Jacob, and by their taking the chief place among his own sons. "As Reuben and Simeon they shall be mine"; these were the two eldest of Jacob's sons, representing understanding and obedience of a simple, external kind. They should, as it were, give place to the sons of Joseph, a truly spiritual intelligence and goodness. (I Chron. 5:1, 2; A. 6236, 6238)

In Jacob's blessing, Ephraim, Joseph's younger son, was given preference over Manasseh the elder. The deeper meaning is much the same as in the story of Jacob and Esau, when the chief blessing was given to the younger^-son. In each case the two brothers stand for the two elements of truth and goodness, faith and love, of a certain degree and kind. While goodness is the greater of the two, for a time truth must take the lead; we must learn what is right and in some measure understand it and do it before we can do it freely and from love. This is represented by the laying of the right hand upon the younger son. When we are more advanced in heavenly life and reach a more interior state, we shall perceive what the true relation of truth and goodness is; and this is represented by Joseph's displeasure at what his father did. But Jacob's reply means that though goodness is first, truth must appear so for a time. (A. 6269-6273, 6287-6294) Look at the map, which shows the lots given to the tribes in the land of Canaan, and notice the large double portion given to Manasseh.

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