Holly Bible - KJV with Concise Commentaries by Z Selam - HTML preview
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13 And Joseph took them both, Ephraim in his right hand toward
Israel’s left hand, and Manasseh in his left hand toward Israel’s right hand, and brought them near unto him.
14 And Israel stretched out his right hand, and laid it upon Ephraim’s
head, who was the younger, and his left hand upon Manasseh’s head, guiding his hands wittingly; for Manasseh was the firstborn.
When he confers the blessing and name of Abraham and Isaac upon them he recommends the pattern and example of Abraham and Isaac to them, Ge 48:15. He calls God the God before whom his fathers Abraham and Isaac walked, that is, in whom they believed, whom they observed and obeyed, and with whom they kept up communion in instituted ordinances, according to the condition of the covenant. Walk before me, Ge 17:1. Note,
(1.) Those that would inherit the blessing of their godly ancestors, and have the benefit of God's covenant with them, must tread in the steps of their piety.
(2.) It should recommend religion and the service of God to us that God was the God of our fathers, and that they had satisfaction in walking before him.
15 And he blessed Joseph, and said,
God, before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac did walk, the God which fed me all my life long unto this day,
Before he entails his blessing, he recounts his experiences of God's goodness to him. He had spoken (Ge 48:3) of God's appearing to him. The particular visits of his grace, and the special communion we have sometimes had with him, ought never to be forgotten. But (Ge 48:15, 16) he mentions the constant care which the divine Providence had taken of him all his days.
(1.) He had fed him all his life long unto this day, Ge 48:15. Note, As long as we have lived in this world we have had continual experience of God's goodness to us, in providing for the support of our natural life. Our bodies have called for daily food, and no little has gone to feed us, yet we have never