But seventeen more years were granted to Israel in his quiet retirement of Goshen. Feeling that now the time

of his departure had really come, he sent for Joseph. It was not to express weak regrets, nor even primarily to

take such loving farewell as, under such circumstances, might be proper and fitting. Israel, as he is here

again characteristically named,78 was preparing for another great act of faith. On his dying bed, he still held

fast by the promises of God concerning the possession of Canaan, and all that was connected with it; and

he exacted an oath from his son to bury him with his fathers, in the cave of Machpelah. Having obtained this

solemn promise, it is said,79 "he bowed himself in worship over the head of the bed."

One thing still remained to be done. As yet the sons of Joseph had not been formally adopted into the

family of Israel. But the two oldest of them, Manasseh and Ephraim, were to become heads of separate

tribes; for Joseph was to have this right of the firstborn - two portions in Israel. Therefore, when, shortly

after his interview with his father, Joseph was informed that the last fatal sickness had come upon him, he

hastened to bring his two sons that they might be installed as co-heirs with the other sons of Jacob. In this

Joseph signally showed his faith. Instead of seeking for his sons the honors which the court of Egypt

offered them, he distinctly renounced all, to share the lot of the despised shepherd race. For the first time we

here find the blessing accompanied with the laying on of hands.80

But Jacob's eyes were dim, and when Joseph had brought his two sons close to his father, placing

Manasseh, as the eldest, to his father's right hand, and Ephraim, as the younger, to his left, he ascribed it to

failure of sight when Israel crossed his hands, laying the right on Ephraim and the left on Manasseh. But

Jacob had been "guiding his hands wittingly." In fact, he had done it prophetically. The event proved the

truth of this prophecy. A t the time of Moses, indeed, Manasseh still counted twenty thousand men more

than Ephraim.(Numbers 26:34, 37) But this comparative relationship was reversed in the days of the Judges;

and ever afterwards Ephraim continued, next to Judah, the most powerful tribe in Israel. What, however,

chiefly impresses us is, to see how intensely all the feelings, remembrances, and views of the dying man are

intertwined with his religion. No longer does he cherish any hard thoughts about his "evil" days in the past.

His memory of former days is now only of the gentleness and the goodness of God, Who had led him all

through his pilgrimage. His feelings come out most fully in the words of blessing which he spake: "The

God,81 before Whose face walked my fathers, Abraham and Isaac; the God Who pastured  82 me from my

existence on unto this day; THE ANGEL Who redeemed me from all evil, bless the lads; and let my name,

and the name of my fathers, Abraham and Isaac, be named upon them, and let them increase to a multitude

in the midst of the land." In this threefold reference to God as the covenant-God, the Shepherd and the

Angel-Redeemer, we have a distinct anticipation of the truth concerning the blessed Trinity.

The blessing having been spoken, "Jacob gave to his son Joseph," as a special gift, "that parcel of ground"

by Sychar (John 4:5), the ancient Shechem, which he had originally bought of "the children of Heth;"

(Genesis 33:19) but which, as he prophesied, he - that is, his descendants - would have to take again  83 with

sword and bow out of the hand of the Amorite. In this possession of Joseph, many centuries later, rested

the Redeemer-Shepherd, when, even in His weariness, He called and pastured His flock. (John 4) But as for

Jacob, the last assurance which he gave to his son was emphatically to repeat this confession of his faith:

"Behold, I die: but God shall be with you, and bring you again unto the land of your fathers." For men pass

away, but the word and purpose of the Lord abide for ever!