Genesis Chapter 48 verse 15 Holy Bible

Pulpit Commentary

Pulpit CommentaryVerses 15,16. - And he blessed Joseph (i.e. in his sons), and said, God, - literally, the Elohim. The use of Elohim in a passage (vers. 15-19) which is undoubtedly Jehovistic in its import, and is by advanced critics (Davidson, Colenso) assigned to that writer, has been explained (Hengstenberg) as an indication that "the great spiritual Sun, Jehovah, was at that time," viz., at the entrance of the captivity, "concealed behind a cloud from the chosen race;" but, without resorting to any such doubtful hypothesis, it is sufficient to observe that Jacob practically identities the Elohim spoken of with Jehovah, while by using the former expression he conveys the thought that the blessing about to be pronounced proceeded forth, not from Deity in general, but from the particular Elohim who had graciously manifested himself in the manner after described - before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac did walk, - (cf. Genesis 17:1; Genesis 24:40) the God here referred to was one who had "a face," or manifested presence; in other words, was Jehovah - the God which fed me - literally, the Elohim shepherding me (cf. Psalm 23:1; Psalm 28:9) - all my life long - literally, from as yet (sc. I was), i.e. from the beginning of my existence, ἐξ νεότητος (LXX. ) - unto this day, the Angel - the Maleach here spoken of cannot possibly be a creature, since he is explicitly identified with Elohim, but must have been the Jehovah Angel with whom Jacob wrestled at the ford of Jabbok (Genesis 32:23-7-29). The reading of the Samaritan codex, הַמֶּלֶך, the king, is open to suspicion - which redeemed me from all evil, - literally, the (sc. angel) redeeming me; the first use of the term goel, from גָּאַל, to buy back or redeem (Gesenius), to separate or untie (Furst), or to stain as with blood, hence to be stained or polluted, as one who suffers a kinsman's blood to go unavenged, hence to remove the stain of blood by taking vengeance on the murderer (Taylor Lewis). Applied under the law to the next of kin (Leviticus 25:25; Leviticus 27:13, 15, 19, etc., etc.), it is also used of God redeeming men, and especially Israel, from captivity (Exodus 6:6; Isaiah 43:1). In this sense it was employed by Jacob (cf. Genesis 48:16 with Genesis 49:18) and by Job (Job 19:21) to describe the Divine Rescuer who had delivered them from ill both temporal and spiritual, and who was to complete his emancipating work by ultimately ransoming them from the power of the grave. The Goel to whom both Jacob and Job looked forward, and of whom both Moses and the prophets testified, was Christ (Galatians 3:11; Titus 2:14; 1 Peter 1:18) - bless the lads. The singular verb suggests to Luther the reflection that the writer "conjungit in uno opere benedicendi tres personas, Deum Patrem, Deum Pastorem, et Angelum," from which he draws the obvious conclusion, "aunt igitur hi tres unus Deus et unus benedictor." And let my name be named on them, and the name of my fathers Abraham and Isaac; - literally, and my name and the name of my fathers shall be named in them, i.e. they shall be counted my sons and the children of my ancestors, though born of thee (Calvin, Rosenmüller, Lawson, Murphy, Wordsworth, and others); or, May this name be preserved by them, and the race of Abraham propagated by them? may the fathers and I live in them! (Gerlach, Kalisch); or, what seems more appropriate than either, May the grace and salvation enjoyed by my fathers and myself be renewed in them! (Keil, Lange) - and let them grow into a multitude in the midst of the earth. The original conveys the sense of swarming like the fishes of the sea, the ἀπαξ λεγόμενον, דָּגָה (from which comes the term דָּג, a fish, from being so wonderfully prolific), signifying to cover over with a multitude (vide Gesenius, 'Lexicon,' sub voce).

Ellicott's Commentary

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(15, 16) He blessed Joseph, and said.--In Jacob's blessing there is a threefold appellation of the Deity, and a threefold blessing given to Joseph's sons. God is, first, the Elohim before whom his fathers had walked. Next, He is the Elohim who, as a shepherd, had watched over Jacob all his life long. But, thirdly, He is that Divine Presence which had been, and still was, Jacob's "goel," redeeming and rescuing him from all evil. The blessing is first general, the verb "bless" being singular, which, following the threefold repetition of God's name in the plural, is rightly used by Luther as a proof of a Trinity in Unity in the Godhead. Secondly, Ephraim and Manasseh are to bear the names, and be the representatives of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Lastly, they are to grow into a multitude with extraordinary rapidity, the word used signifying that they were to increase with a prolificness as great as that of fishes.The word "goel" is here used for the first time. It subsequently became the term for the nearest blood relative, whose duty it was to avenge a murder; but it is here used in its wider sense of a Saviour and a Deliverer. (Comp. Exodus 6:6; Isaiah 59:20, &c.) The angel who wrestled with Jacob cannot accurately be described as having appeared to him in the character of a deliverer (Genesis 32:24-30). He appeared as an adversary; and Jacob learned in the struggle, by overcoming him, that he had power with God and man, and would prevail over all the difficulties and foes that still stood in his way. Moreover, the verb is present, "the angel that redeemeth me from all evil." Jacob recognised a Divine Presence which constantly guarded him, and which was ever his Redeemer and Saviour.