Genesis 48:17-22: a reflection

17When Joseph saw that his father laid his right hand on the head of Ephraim, it displeased him. He held up his father’s hand, to remove it from Ephraim’s head to Manasseh’s head. 18Joseph said to his father, “Not so, my father, for this is the firstborn. Put your right hand on his head.” 19His father refused, and said, “I know, my son, I know. He also will become a people, and he also will be great. However, his younger brother will be greater than he, and his offspring will become a multitude of nations.” 20He blessed them that day, saying, “Israel will bless in your name, saying, ‘God make you as Ephraim and as Manasseh’” He set Ephraim before Manasseh. 21Israel said to Joseph, “Behold, I am dying, but God will be with you, and bring you again to the land of your fathers. 22Moreover I have given to you one portion above your brothers, which I took out of the hand of the Amorite with my sword and with my bow.”

As Jacob blesses Joseph's two sons, he crosses his hands, placing his right hand, the hand of the greater blessing, on the younger, Ephraim, rather than the firstborn, Manasseh. Joseph objects, thinking his father has made a mistake, and tries to correct him. But Jacob refuses: I know, my son, I know, he says; the younger will be greater. Deliberately, contrary to the expected order of the firstborn, Jacob sets the younger before the elder, following God's choice rather than human convention.

Notice that Jacob's blessing did not follow the expected order. By convention, the firstborn received the greater blessing; and Joseph assumed this was how it should be. But Jacob, guided by God, crossed his hands and blessed the younger over the elder, following God's choice rather than the human rule of precedence. God's choice did not follow the expected order; he elevated the younger, the unexpected, contrary to convention. God was not bound by the human rule of who should be first.

That freedom of God, to choose and bless contrary to human convention and expectation, runs through Scripture, and is worth remembering. God is not bound by our conventions of who should be first, who deserves the greater place; again and again he chooses the younger, the unexpected, the overlooked, elevating those human convention would pass over. Do not assume that God's blessing must follow the expected order, going to those the world would rank first. God is free to choose and bless as he wills, often contrary to convention; he elevated Ephraim over Manasseh, and delights to raise the unexpected. If you feel yourself the younger, the overlooked, the one convention would pass over, take heart: God is not bound by human rankings, and delights to choose and bless the unexpected. And do not despise God's freedom to bless as he wills; his choices, like Jacob's crossed hands, may not follow the order we expect, but they follow his wise and sovereign purpose.

Lord, as Jacob blessed Joseph's sons, he crossed his hands, placing the greater blessing on the younger, Ephraim, over the firstborn; and when Joseph objected, he refused, following your choice rather than human convention. Help me remember that freedom of yours, to choose and bless contrary to human expectation. You are not bound by our conventions of who should be first, who deserves the greater place; again and again you choose the younger, the unexpected, the overlooked, elevating those human convention would pass over. Keep me from assuming that your blessing must follow the expected order, going to those the world would rank first. You are free to choose and bless as you will, often contrary to convention; you elevated Ephraim over Manasseh, and delight to raise the unexpected. If I feel myself the younger, the overlooked, the one convention would pass over, help me take heart: you are not bound by human rankings, and delight to choose and bless the unexpected. And keep me from despising your freedom to bless as you will; your choices, like Jacob's crossed hands, may not follow the order I expect, but they follow your wise and sovereign purpose. I trust your sovereign freedom to bless as you will, Lord.