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Genesis 47:28

John Gill - Exposition - John Gill

And Jacob lived in the land of Egypt seventeen years,.... He lived just the same term of years with Joseph in Egypt as he had lived with him in Syria and Canaan, Genesis 37:2; about two hours' walk from Fium are now to be seen the ruins of an ancient town, which the Coptics say was inhabited by the patriarch Jacob, and for this cause they name it,...

Genesis 47:29

John Gill - Exposition - John Gill

And the time drew nigh that Israel must die,.... As all men must, by the appointment of God, even good men, the Israel of God; though they shall not die a spiritual death, nor an eternal one, yet a corporeal one, which is for their good, and is a blessing to them; the sting being removed, and so not a penal evil, which is owing to Christ's dying...

Genesis 47:30

John Gill - Exposition - John Gill

But I will lie with my fathers,.... Abraham and Isaac, whose bodies lay in the land of Canaan, where Jacob desired to be buried; partly to express his faith in the promised land, that it should be the inheritance of his posterity; and partly to draw off their minds from a continuance in Egypt, and to incline them to think of removing thither at a...

Genesis 47:31

John Gill - Exposition - John Gill

And he said, swear unto me,.... This he required, not from any distrust of Joseph, but to show his own eagerness, and the intenseness of his mind about this thing, how much he was set upon it, and what an important thing it was with him; as also, that if he should have any objections made to it, or arguments used with him to divert him from it, by...

Genesis 48

John Gill - Exposition - John Gill

INTRODUCTION TO Genesis 48 Joseph, hearing that his father Jacob was sick, paid him a visit, Genesis 49:1; at which time Jacob gave him an account of the Lord's appearing to him at Luz, and of the promise he made unto him, Genesis 49:3; then he adopted his two sons, Ephraim and Manasseh, and blessed them, and Joseph also, Genesis 49:5; and whereas...

Genesis 48:1

John Gill - Exposition - John Gill

And it came to pass after these things,.... Some little time after Jacob had sent for Joseph, and conversed with him about his burial in the land of Canaan, and took an oath to bury him there, for then the time drew nigh that he must die: that [one] told Joseph, behold, thy father [is] sick; he was very infirm when he was last with him, and his...

Genesis 48

Matthew Henry - Complete Commentary - Matthew Henry

The time drawing nigh that Israel must die, having, in the former chapter, given order about his burial, in this he takes leave of his grand-children by Joseph, and in the next of all his children. Thus Jacob's dying words are recorded, because he then spoke by a spirit of prophecy; Abraham's and Isaac's are not. God's gifts and graces shine forth...

Genesis 48:2

John Gill - Exposition - John Gill

And [one] told Jacob,.... The same that came from Jacob to Joseph might be sent back by him to, his father, to let him know that he was coming to see him, or some other messenger sent on purpose; for it can hardly be thought that this was an accidental thing on either side: and said, behold, thy son Joseph cometh unto thee; to pay him a visit, and...

Genesis 48:3

John Gill - Exposition - John Gill

And Jacob said unto Joseph,.... Being come into his bedchamber, and sitting by him, or standing before him: God Almighty appeared unto at Luz in the land of Canaan; the same with Bethel, where God appeared, both at his going to Padanaram, and at his return from thence, Genesis 28:11; which of those times is here referred to is not certain; very...

Genesis 48:4

John Gill - Exposition - John Gill

And said unto me, behold, I will make thee fruitful,.... In a spiritual sense, in grace and good works; in a literal sense, in an increase of worldly substance, and especially of children: and multiply thee; make his posterity numerous as the sand of the sea: and I will make of thee a multitude of people; a large nation, consisting of many tribes,...

Genesis 48:5

John Gill - Exposition - John Gill

And now thy two sons, Ephraim and Manasseh,.... Ephraim was the youngest, but is mentioned first, as he afterwards was preferred in the blessing of him: which were born unto thee in the land of Egypt, before I came unto thee into Egypt; and therefore must be twenty years of age, or upwards: for Jacob had been in Egypt seventeen years, and he came...

Genesis 48:6

John Gill - Exposition - John Gill

And thy issue, which thou begettest after them, shall be thine,.... The children of Joseph, that either were, or would be begotten after Ephraim and Manasseh; though whether ever any were is not certain; and this is only mentioned by way of supposition, as Jarchi interprets it, "if thou shouldest beget", c. these should be reckoned his own, and...

Genesis 48:7

John Gill - Exposition - John Gill

And as for me, when I came from Padan,.... From Syria, from Laban's house: Rachel died by me in the land of Canaan; his beloved wife, the mother of Joseph, on whose account he mentions her, and to show a reason why he took his sons as his own, because his mother dying so soon, he could have no more children by her; and she being his only lawful...

Genesis 48:8

John Gill - Exposition - John Gill

And Israel beheld Joseph's sons,.... Ephraim and Manasseh, of whom he had been speaking as if they were absent, and he might not know until now that they were present, for his eyes were dim that he could not see clearly, Genesis 49:10; he saw two young men standing by Joseph, but knew not who they were, and therefore asked the following question:...

Genesis 48:9

John Gill - Exposition - John Gill

And Joseph said unto his father, they [are] my sons, whom God hath given me in this [place],.... In the land of Egypt; he accounts his sons as the gifts of God, as children are, Psalms 127:3; and it was not only a sentiment of the Jews, that children are the gift of God; hence the names of Mattaniah, Nathaniel, c. but of Heathens, as the Greeks...

Genesis 48:10

John Gill - Exposition - John Gill

Now the eyes of Israel were dim for age,.... Or "heavy" (p), that he could not lift them up easily and see clearly; his eyebrows hung over, his eyes were sunk in his head, and the humours pressed them through old age, that it was with difficulty he could perceive an object, at least not distinctly: [so that] he could not see; very plainly,...

Genesis 48:11

John Gill - Exposition - John Gill

And Israel said unto Joseph, I had not thought to see thy face,.... Some years ago he never expected to have seen him any more; he had given him up for lost, as a dead man, when his sons brought him his coat dipped in blood; and by reason of the long course of years which passed before ever he heard anything of him: and, lo, God hath showed me...

Genesis 48:12

John Gill - Exposition - John Gill

And Joseph brought them out from between his knees,.... Either from between his own, where they were kneeling, as he was sitting, in order that they might be nearer his father, to receive his blessing by the putting on of his hands; or rather from between his father's knees, he, as Aben Ezra observes, sitting on the bed, having kissed and embraced...

Genesis 48:13

John Gill - Exposition - John Gill

And Joseph took them both, Ephraim in his right hand toward Israel's left hand,.... He took Ephraim his youngest son in his right hand, and led him up to his father, by which means he would stand in a right position to have his grandfather's left hand put upon him: and Manasseh in his left hand toward Israel's right hand; Manasseh his eldest son...

Genesis 48:14

John Gill - Exposition - John Gill

And Israel stretched out his right hand,.... Not directly forward, but across, or otherwise it would have been laid on Manasseh, as Joseph designed it should by the position he placed him in: and laid [it] upon Ephraim's head, who [was] the younger, the right hand being the strongest and most in use, as it was reckoned most honourable to sit at...