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创世记 48

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1 这事以,有人告诉约瑟:你的父亲病了。他就带着两个儿子玛拿西以法莲同去。

2 有人告诉雅各:请看,你儿子约瑟到你这里来了以色列就勉强在床上

3 雅各对约瑟全能的神曾在迦南的路斯向我显现,赐福与我,

4 对我:我必使你生养众多,成为多民,又要把这你的裔,永远为业。

5 未到埃及见你之先,你在埃及所生的以法莲玛拿西这两个儿子是我的,正如流便和西缅是我的一样。

6 你在他们以所生的就是你的,他们可以归於他们弟兄的名下得产业。

7 至於我,我从巴旦的时候,拉结在我眼前,在迦南上,离以法他还有一段程,我就把他葬在以法他上〈以法他就是伯利恒〉。

8 以色列见约瑟的两个儿子,就:这是谁?

9 约瑟对他父亲:这是在这里赐我的儿子。以色列:请你领他们到我跟前,我要他们祝福

10 以色列年纪老迈,眼睛昏花,不能见。约瑟领他们到他跟前,他就和他们亲嘴,抱着他们。

11 以色列对约瑟:我想不到得见你的面,不料,又使我得见你的儿子。

12 约瑟把两个儿子从以色列两膝中领出来,自己就脸伏於下拜。

13 随後,约瑟又拉着他们两个,以法莲在他的右手里,对着以色列的左手,玛拿西在他的左手里,对着以色列的右手,领他们到以色列的跟前。

14 以色列伸出来,按在以法莲上〈以法莲乃是次子〉,又剪搭过左来,按在玛拿西上〈玛拿西原是长子〉。

15 他就给约瑟祝福:愿我祖亚伯拉罕和我父以撒所事奉的,就是一生牧养我直到今日的

16 赎我脱离一切患难的那使者,赐福与这两个童子。愿他们归在我的名下和我祖亚伯拉罕、我父以撒的名下。又愿他们在世界中生养众多。

17 约瑟见他父亲把右按在以法莲上,就不喜悦,便提起他父亲,要从以法莲上挪到玛拿西上。

18 约瑟对他父亲:我父,不是这样。这本是长子,求你把右手按在他的上。

19 父亲不从,:我知道,我儿,我知道。他也必成为一族,也必昌大。只是他的兄弟将来比他还大;他兄弟的後裔要成为多族。

20 当日就给他们祝福以色列人要指着你们祝福:愿使你如以法莲玛拿西一样。於是立以法莲玛拿西以上。

21 以色列又对约瑟:我要死了,但必与你们同在,领你们回到你们列祖之

22 并且我从前用用刀从亚摩利人下夺的那块地,我都赐你,使你比众弟兄多得分。

   

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Ephraim

  
Jacob blessing the sons of Joseph, by Januarius Zick

Ephraim was the second son born to Joseph in Egypt and was, along with his older brother Manasseh, elevated by Jacob to the same status as Joseph’s brothers. Thus when the tribes of Israel are named, Ephraim and Manasseh are named as patriarchs along with their uncles – Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Dan, Naphtali, Gad, Asher, Issachar, Zebulun and Benjamin -- but Joseph is not. According to Swedenborg, Ephraim represents the intellectual aspect of the church, the part that explores and understands what is true – especially the true ideas that can be drawn from the Bible. Manasseh, meanwhile, represents the affectional aspect of the church, the part that feels and loves and cares. This plays into the best-known story of Ephraim’s life. When Jacob was old and nearing death, Joseph brought his two sons to be blessed. He presented Manasseh to Jacob’s right hand as the elder, and Ephraim to Jacob’s left hand. But Jacob crossed his hands and gave Ephraim the primary blessing. According to Swedenborg, Manasseh was the elder son because ultimately, what we love makes us who we are; our loves form our lives. So our loves are the most central, leading aspect of our human existence, with our intellect playing a secondary role. But as we develop, we need to reverse those. We can use our intellect to understand what is good and right and force ourselves to do it, even when our desires are for what’s selfish. If we stick to that out of a determination to follow the Lord and be good people, the Lord will eventually remove the selfishness from our hearts so we can truly love what is good. By having Jacob bless Ephraim above Manasseh, the Lord is telling us that we have to put our intellect first to pursue our spiritual journey.