1Some time later, Joseph was told, “Your father is ill.” So he set out with his two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim. 2When Jacob was told, “Your son Joseph has come to you,” Israel rallied his strength and sat up in bed.
3Jacob said to Joseph, “God Almightyappeared to me at Luz in the land of Canaan, and there He blessed me 4and told me, ‘Behold, I will make you fruitful and multiply you; I will make you a multitude of peoples, and will give this land to your descendants after you as an everlasting possession.’
5And now your two sons born to you in Egypt before I came to you here shall be reckoned as mine; Ephraim and Manasseh shall be mine, just as Reuben and Simeon are mine. 6Any children born to you after them shall be yours, and they shall be called by the names of their brothers in the territory they inherit.
Luz is another name for Bethel.
Jacob passes down the exact words of the covenant. The exact words of God are important.
Jacob adopts Ephraim and Manasseh and because of this adoption they became his children and became heirs to the Promise. So there were actually 13 sons of Israel, 12 born and 1 adopted so Joseph was divided into two tribes.
Just like Jacob, God adopts us as His children when we accept His Son and we become heirs to the promise of Jesus Christ and everlasting life.
Are you one of His children?
Blessings, David
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