Genesis 48:1 – 49:28
To read the entire passage, click here.
Okay, okay! I know that this is suppose to be a blog about Joseph and that this is the second last blog entry left in the Joseph series, but today I want to talk more about the brothers and their relationships with Jacob. Why? Because when I read the blessings that Jacob bestowed on his sons, I came across something that helped me understand why Jacob trusted Judah to take Benjamin to Egypt when he didn't trust Reuben.
Genesis 49:3-4
“Reuben, you are my firstborn,
my might, the first sign of my strength,
excelling in honor, excelling in power. (Sounds good so far....)
Turbulent as the waters, you will no longer excel,
for you went up onto your father's bed,
onto my couch and defiled it.”
Now, had I studied all of Genesis before I plunged into Chapter 37, this wouldn't have been a surprise to me that Reuben slept with one of Jacob's concubines. Genesis 35:22 “While Israel was living in that region, Reuben went in and slept with his father's concubine Bilhah, and Israel heard about it.” No wonder that Jacob didn't trust Reuben the way he trusted Judah!
Speaking of Judah, he is the only one of Leah's sons who gets a favorable blessing. Simeon and Levi, the second and third sons of Leah actually receive a curse: “Cursed be their anger, so fierce, and their fury, so cruel! I will scatter them in Jacob and disperse them in Israel” (49:7). This is probably in light of their violent killing of every male in Shechem (see Genesis 34). Judah's blessing, on the other hand, is filled with praise. (49:8-10) The verse that stands out as we approach the season of Advent is Genesis 49:10a: “The scepter will not depart from Judah...” Israel's great King David is in the line of Judah and so is Jesus, the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, the One who rules and reigns forever.
Earlier in today's reading we see that the first-born son doesn't always receive the greatest blessing. When Jacob is about to bless Joseph's sons, he crosses his arms and puts his right hand on Ephraim (the younger one) even though Joseph had placed Manasseh on Jacob's right side (see Genesis 48:13-14). I find it very fascinating that God doesn't have first-born sons be the prominent ones in His plan for Israel. Jacob is the second born of Isaac and Rebekah. Judah is the fourth son of Jacob. Later on in 1 Samuel we read about David who is the eighth son of Jesse (1 Samuel 16:10-13). What intrigues me is that God's ways are not calculated or predictable. He doesn't follow a formula or even culturally established norms. Who people are and what they do matters yet His purposes and plans matter more.
Okay, okay! I know that this is suppose to be a blog about Joseph and that this is the second last blog entry left in the Joseph series, but today I want to talk more about the brothers and their relationships with Jacob. Why? Because when I read the blessings that Jacob bestowed on his sons, I came across something that helped me understand why Jacob trusted Judah to take Benjamin to Egypt when he didn't trust Reuben.
Genesis 49:3-4
“Reuben, you are my firstborn,
my might, the first sign of my strength,
excelling in honor, excelling in power. (Sounds good so far....)
Turbulent as the waters, you will no longer excel,
for you went up onto your father's bed,
onto my couch and defiled it.”
Now, had I studied all of Genesis before I plunged into Chapter 37, this wouldn't have been a surprise to me that Reuben slept with one of Jacob's concubines. Genesis 35:22 “While Israel was living in that region, Reuben went in and slept with his father's concubine Bilhah, and Israel heard about it.” No wonder that Jacob didn't trust Reuben the way he trusted Judah!
Speaking of Judah, he is the only one of Leah's sons who gets a favorable blessing. Simeon and Levi, the second and third sons of Leah actually receive a curse: “Cursed be their anger, so fierce, and their fury, so cruel! I will scatter them in Jacob and disperse them in Israel” (49:7). This is probably in light of their violent killing of every male in Shechem (see Genesis 34). Judah's blessing, on the other hand, is filled with praise. (49:8-10) The verse that stands out as we approach the season of Advent is Genesis 49:10a: “The scepter will not depart from Judah...” Israel's great King David is in the line of Judah and so is Jesus, the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, the One who rules and reigns forever.
Earlier in today's reading we see that the first-born son doesn't always receive the greatest blessing. When Jacob is about to bless Joseph's sons, he crosses his arms and puts his right hand on Ephraim (the younger one) even though Joseph had placed Manasseh on Jacob's right side (see Genesis 48:13-14). I find it very fascinating that God doesn't have first-born sons be the prominent ones in His plan for Israel. Jacob is the second born of Isaac and Rebekah. Judah is the fourth son of Jacob. Later on in 1 Samuel we read about David who is the eighth son of Jesse (1 Samuel 16:10-13). What intrigues me is that God's ways are not calculated or predictable. He doesn't follow a formula or even culturally established norms. Who people are and what they do matters yet His purposes and plans matter more.
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