The two good men own God in their comforts. Joseph says, They are my sons whom God has
given me. Jacob says, God hath showed me thy seed. Comforts are doubly sweet to us when we
see them coming from God's hand. He not only prevents our fears, but exceeds our hopes. Jacob
mentions the care the Divine providence had taken of him all his days. A great deal of hardship he
had known in his time, but God kept him from the evil of his troubles. Now he was dying, he looked
upon himself as redeemed from all sin and sorrow for ever. Christ, the Angel of the covenant,
redeems from all evil. Deliverances from misery and dangers, by the Divine power, coming through
the ransom of the blood of Christ, in Scripture are often called redemption. In blessing Joseph's
sons, Jacob crossed hands. Joseph was willing to support his first-born, and would have removed
his father's hands. But Jacob acted neither by mistake, nor from a partial affection to one more than
the other; but from a spirit of prophecy, and by the Divine counsel. God, in bestowing blessings
upon his people, gives more to some than to others, more gifts, graces, and comforts, and more of
the good things of this life. He often gives most to those that are least likely. He chooses the weak
things of the world; he raises the poor out of the dust. Grace observes not the order of nature, nor
does God prefer those whom we think fittest to be preferred, but as it pleases him. How poor are
they who have no riches but those of this world! How miserable is a death-bed to those who have
no well-grounded hope of good, but dreadful apprehensions of evil, and nothing but evil for ever!
Chapter 49
Chapter Outline
Jacob calls his sons to bless them. (1, 2)
Reuben, Simeon, Levi. (3–7)
Judah. (8–12)
Zebulun, Issachar, Dan. (13–18)
Gad, Asher, Naphtali. (19–21)
Joseph and Benjamin. (22–27)
Jacob's charge respecting his burial, His (28–33)
death.Verses 1, 2
All Jacob's sons were living. His calling them together was a precept for them to unite in love,
not to mingle with the Egyptians; and foretold that they should not be separated, as Abraham's sons
and Isaac's were, but should all make one people. We are not to consider this address as the
expression of private feelings of affection, resentment, or partiality; but as the language of the Holy
Ghost, declaring the purpose of God respecting the character, circumstances, and situation of the
tribes which descended from the sons of Jacob, and which may be traced in their histories.