Choice observations and explanations upon the Old Testament containing in them many remarkable matters, either not taken notice of, or mistaken by most, which are additionals to the large annotations made by some of the Assembly of Divines : to which are added some further and larger observations of his upon the whole book of Genesis perused and attested by the Reverend Bishop of Armagh, and Mr. Gataker Pastor of Rederith / by ... John Richardson ...

CHAP. XLVIII.

Verse 1. WIth him his two sonnes] To receive the blessing of their venerable Grandfather, at his farewel from the world.

V. 2. And sate upon the bed] Ch. 47. 31.

V. 3. At Luz] Or Bethel, and that twice, ch. 28. 13, 19. and, ch. 35. 6.

V. 4. A multitude] Thirteen populous tribes.

for an everlasting possession] Literally, if his seed keepe Covenant with God, spiritually to his spiritual seed, he will give the heavenly Canaan for an everlasting posses∣sion.

V. 5. Ep••raim and Manasseh] Jacob still prefers Ephra∣im, v. 19.

are mine] My sons by adoption, and shall have the pri∣viledge of my sonnes; have either a twelfth share and be heads of tribes, as Reuben and Simeon. Thus Joseph had the double portion, that right of the first-borne, 1 Chron. 5. 1. A Law for this to the first-borne after, Deut. 21. 17. So the Sabbath, Circumcision, raising up seed to the brother, and many such more before Moses Law.

V. 6. begettest after them] Therfore he had no more at this time.

the name of their brethren] Therefore he had more chil∣dren after; which were sorted and counted to the stock and tribe of Ephraim or Manasse, as if they were their sons not their brethren: as all Jacobs other Grand-children like∣wise were.

V. 7. Rachel died] Thy mother, and my dear and only true wife, if I had been fairly dealt withal, and so thou hadst been my right first-borne: and therefore in thy sonnes I give thee a double portion, yet she was soon taken from me.

in the way of Ephrata] Even there, rather then to bury her among idolaters in Bethlehem, ch. 23. 9.

V. 8. Who are these] Named them before, yet knew not that they were present, or did not well discerne them for the dimnesse of his sight, v. 10.

V. 9. I will blesse them] Not by a meere apprecation of prosperity, for so the lesse may blesse the greater; but in the Name and Authority of God, guided with an especial e∣nergy or operation of Gods Spirit, and so ratified by God, as ordinary blessings were not; so, ch. 27. 33. See Annot. on ch. 27. 4. Gen. 49. 26.

V. 10. Dimme] Ch. 27. 1.

V. 11. I had not thought] Gods blessings are beyond our expectations and imaginations.

V. 12. From between] Jacobs knees rather then Josephs, for Jacob embraced and kissed them, v 10.

he bowed] In reverence and thankfulnesse for the former Adoption.

V. 13. Ephraim in his right hand] In a fit posture, as he thought, to receive the Patriarchal blessing, which it seems was usually done with Imposition of hands. And in this punctual order, as fearing haply Jacob might mistake their age and persons, naming Ephraim first, v. 5.

towards Israels right hand] The right hand hath the preheminence of the left, 1 Kings 2. 19. Mat. 25. 33. Ps. 20. 6. 110. 1. 118. 16. Esay 62. 8. Eph 1. 20. in strength and honour. To which the Scripture hath reference, in speech also of God.

V. 14. And laid it upon Ephraims head] Here is the first expresse mention of Imposition of hands, used after in benediction, Mat. 19. 13. Mar. 10. 16. at secrifices, Lev. 1. 4. as witnessing, Lev. 24. 14. in extraordinary giving of graces, Acts 8. 17. in miraculous cures, Mar. 6. 5. in or∣dination of Ministers, Numb. 8. 10. Acts 6. 6. 1 Tim 4. 14. so now Moses laid his hands upon Joshuah, Deut. 34. 9. in prayer, Acts 13. 3.

Ephraims head] Of him came Joshuah, and the Kings of the ten tribes. And the tribe of Ephraim is called the tribe of Joseph, Numb. 1. 32, 34. Apoc. 7. 6. 7. 8. The name of Ephraim is taken for the whole Kingdome of Israel, E∣say 7. 2. They both had a double lot, Josh. 17. 14.

wittingly] And therefore crossed his armes to that pur∣pose, as a signe, not of Christs Crosse, but of that which afterwards he foretold, by the special revelation of the Spirit of God, he being so dim of sight, that he could not thereby so well distinguish between them.

V. 16. the Angel which] Christ. See Annot. on ch. 31. 11. Exod. 14. 19. 13. 21.

my name be named on them] As, v. 5. no invocation of Saints departed; they shall be in the same state and degree as my other sons, my adopted children; so Gods Name is said to be called on us, Deut. 28. 10. 2 Chron. 7. 24. Jer. 14. 9. that is, we are called the sons of God, and the hus∣bands name is called upon the wife, Esay 4. 1. And the Lords Name upon the City Jerusalem, Dan. 9. 19. and up∣on the Temple, 1 Kings. 8. 43. Jer. 7. 10, 11.

grow into a multitude] Spawn like fishes. There were eighty five thousand two hundred men of war of these two

in Moses time, Numb. 26. 28, 34, 37. Thus Moses bles∣seth them, Deut 33. 17. Josh. 17. 17.

V. 17. it displeased him] Thinking his father was mistaken, he seeks to mend the error, and likely before that blessing, v. 15, 16. was uttered.

greater then he] In number of issue and power, though the birth-right remain with Manasseh, Josh. 17. 1. So, Numb. 1. eight thousand three hundred men more of Ephraim then of Manasseh, and, Deut. 33. 17. See Annot. on v. 14. Num. 2. 18, 20. yet sometimes Ephraim was at a losse, 1 Chron. 7. 20, 21, 22. lesse in number then Manasseh, Numb. 26. 28.

V. 20. In thee] Joseph using thy name and for thy sake, or taking thee for an example, as, Ruth 4. 11. and so for cursing, Jer. 29. 22.

Israel] My posterity.

I have given] Thus Prophetically bequeathing, as by Will and Testament to the posterity.

one portion] That bought, ch. 33. 19. nigh unto Sechem after called Sychar, John 4. 5. Not all the City Sechem, and all its territories, as some would have it out of Josh. 17. 7. This portion, though little, was all he had by pur∣chase, and so he designes him as it were his heire; Sechem was the inheritance of the Ephraimites, Josh. 16. 1. 20. 7. John 4. 5. And thither were Josephs bones carried and bu∣ried, Josh. 24. 1, 25, 32.

have taken] Shall take. So, Esay 9. 6. Thus Jacob in faith disposeth of it as already taken, Heb. 11. 21. or rather have taken it out of the hands of those neighbouring peo∣ple, that seised upon it among the rest, after the slaughter of the Sichemites, and would not restore it till Jacob by force of armes took and recovered it. Though this be not elsewhere mentioned in Scripture.

my sword] Of my children, Josh. 17. 14, to 18.