Over the next couple of days, we’re going to be talking about Jacob’s cross-handed blessing given to Ephraim and Manasseh who were originally Joseph’s two sons.
I say “originally” because one of the consequences of Jacob’s cross-handed blessing was that for all intents and purposes Ephraim and Joseph literally (not metaphorically or figuratively) became Jacob’s two sons.
This blessing went against some major traditions that were very deep-seated in this era.
The younger son Ephraim was handed over the first-born or double portion blessing that under normal circumstances would have gone to the older child Manasseh.
However, on an even higher level, the birthright should have really gone to Jacob’s firstborn son who was Rueben.
Rueben was displaced by Ephraim.
Here’s a piece of Scripture testifying that this is what really happened:
“……. Rueben the firstborn of Israel (Jacob) for he was the firstborn, but because he defiled his father’s bed, his birthright was given to the sons of Joseph, the son of Israel; so that he (Rueben) is not enrolled in the genealogy according to the birthright.”-1st Chronicles 5:1
Here’s what you’ve got to understand.
Since Reuben was Jacob’s firstborn, he was the rightful heir to the firstborn rights of inheritance.
However, Jacob decided to give those rights to Ephraim.
The problem was Ephraim was one of his grandchildren and not his son.
So in order to to do what he wanted to do, Jacob had to adopt Ephraim (and Manasseh) away from Joseph so that Ephraim would legally be his own son and NOT a grandson.
Once that happened, Jacob then possessed the legal right to give Ephraim the firstborn blessings.
Several years ago, when reading (again) the life of Jacob and Joseph, I thought I had a revelation that the “10 LOST Tribes” of Israel were lost into history because of their multiple sins of jealousy and hate of a sibling, planning and plotting his murder, selling a family member into slavery, and deceiving their father into believing one of his sons was killed by a wild animal and providing fake evidence in proof, for which the old man lived in grief and deep sorrow.
Your exposition of Jacob making Joseph’s sons equal heirs and his cross-handed blessing, now revealing that the Northern Kingdom was in reality known as “Ephraim”, would I be correct in understanding what I have believed about the 10 lost tribes?
God’s justice transcends generations and only repentance overcomes generational sin.
blessings and joy
Kalyan
Thanks for reading Kalyan.
Judah and his siblings sold Joseph into slavery. Josephs children, Ephraim and Manasseh formed the northern kingdom of Israel. When the United Kingdom divided 10 tribes sided with the northern kingdom of Israel (Ephraim). They were the ones who were exiled. 8 tribes could have been exiled for selling Josep into slavery but Josephs children shouldn’t suffer for the sins of the uncles.