By faith Jacob, when he was dying, blessed each of Joseph’s sons, and worshiped as he leaned on the top of his staff.

--Parallel verses:
‭‭Genesis‬ ‭46‬:‭20‬
In Egypt, Manasseh and Ephraim were born to Joseph by Asenath daughter of Potiphera, priest of On.

Here we find that Joseph married Asenath. She was the daughter of a priest of the Egyptian god, On. She came from a different race, a different religion, and a different upbringing. We do not know why Joseph married her, but it is likely that when he gained power in Egypt, a wife was given to him.

Jacob blessed Joseph’s sons as his own sons. This is very interesting to me. Joseph was gone from Jacob for a long time. He was then reacquainted with his brothers when they came for food and he forgave them. So this could be a bestowing of an honor on Joseph, by blessing his sons instead of him. Clearly he was already blessed by God, having gone through “the fires” of persecution in life.

It could also reflect a role that Jacob played in raising the boys and a deep love for them. He could not gain back the years apart from Joseph, but he could bless Joseph’s boys. From here on out, the tribes of Israel included all of Jacob’s sons, minus Joseph. In Joseph’s place there were two tribes, one for Manasseh and one for Ephraim.

Jacob was a blessed grandfather. And he trusted God to watch over his grandchildren, though born in a foreign land and mothered by a daughter of an Egyptian priest.

Lord, thank you for the faith of Jacob. He had a very interesting life. There was a lot of fighting towards the beginning with his and Esau’s relationship. There was favoritism and jealousy, and there was redemption and blessing. You take broken families and bring them back together again, if they trust in you. Thank you for doing this for my family, as well.