Today I finished the book of Genesis! It should’ve been easy to understand because it mainly consisted of Jacob blessing people. However, there were so many confusing parts that just didn’t make any sense to me; especially the blessings of Jacob’s sons.
First, Jacob told Joseph the story of when God appeared to him. Then, went on to say that Joseph’s two sons, Ephraim and Manasseh would now be his. I have no idea what that means.
“And now your two sons, who were born to you in the land of Egypt before I came to to you in Egypt, are mine; Ephraim and Manasseh shall be mine, as Reuben and Simeon are. And the children that you fathered after them shall be yours. They shall be called by the name of their brothers in their inheritance.”
-Genesis 48:5-6
Joseph brought his father his two sons. Jacob placed his right hand on the head of Ephraim, the younger; and his left hand on the head of Manasseh, the older. This was apparently the opposite of what he was supposed to do; as in the older would get the right hand and the younger the left. Jacob blessed Joseph.
“The God before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac walked,
-Genesis 48:15-16
the God who has been my shepherd all my life long to this day,
the angel who has redeemed me from all evil, bless the boys;
and in them let my name be carried on,
and the name of my fathers Abraham and Isaac;
and let them grow into a multitude in the midst of the earth.”
When Joseph saw that his father had placed his right hand on Ephraim it upset him. He tried to switch them, but Jacob refused and said he did it on purpose. He said that he would become a great people, and the younger brother would be greater than the older; and his offspring would become a multitude of nations.
Then, Jacob went on to bless his sons. I did not understand most of what I read during this part. Most of it sounded more negative, than what I would think of as a blessing…
When Jacob died, he was embalmed so he could be carried to his resting place. The embalming took forty days, and the Egyptians wept for him for seventy. Finally, he was taken to the land of Canaan and buried in the cave where Abraham and Isaac were. After they had buried their father, they returned to Egypt.
Joseph’s brothers were worried now that their father was gone, that Joseph would pay them back for the evil they did to him. They wrote a note, pretending to be from their father, that directed Joseph to forgive their transgressions.
“But Joseph said to them, “Do not fear, for am I in the place of God? As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today. So do not fear; I will provide for you and your little ones.” Thus he comforted them and spoke kindly to them.”
-Genesis 50:19-21
Joseph remained in Egypt. He lived 110 years. He told his brothers that God would come to them, and bring them out of the land and into the land that was promised to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. So, Joseph died, and they embalmed him, and put him in a coffin in Egypt.
Rereading this assignment to journal, made me understand it a little better; but I am still very confused on the blessings. I thought a blessing was a good, warm, positive thing; except some of the things Jacob said did not seem that way…
This was the end of Genesis. I am feeling really good, and happy I started this journey. Some days I want to continue reading, except journaling and studying prevents me from that so I stay on schedule.
Tomorrow starts the book of Exodus.