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Genesis 48:1
英文原文
After these things. - After the arrangements concerning the funeral, recorded in the chapter. "Menasseh and Ephraim." They seem to have accompanied their father from respectful affection to their aged relative. "Israel strengthened himself" - summoned his remaining powers for the interview, which was now to him an effort. "God Almighty appeared unto me at Luz." From the terms of the blessing received it is evident that Jacob here refers to the last appearance of God to him at Bethel Genesis 35:11. "And now thy sons." After referring to the promise of a numerous offspring, and of a territory which they are to inherit, he assigns to each of the two sons of Joseph, who were born in Egypt, a place among his own sons, and a separate share in the promised land. In this way two shares fall to Joseph. "And thy issue." We are not informed whether Joseph had any other sons. But all such are to be reckoned in the two tribes of which Ephraim and Menasseh are the heads. These young men are now at least twenty and nineteen years of age, as they were born before the famine commenced. Any subsequent issue that Joseph might have, would be counted among the generations of their children. "Rachel died upon me" - as a heavy affliction falling upon me. The presence of Joseph naturally leads the father's thoughts to Rachel, the beloved mother of his beloved son, whose memory he honors in giving a double portion to her oldest son.
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Genesis 48:8
他如今認出並著手祝福約瑟的兩個兒子。「這是誰？」族長的視力與觀察力此時已經衰退。「請你領他們到我跟前，我要給他們祝福」。雅各坐在床上，兩個年輕人挨近他。他親吻他們，用雙臂摟抱他們。他晚年的安慰浮現心頭：他本不曾指望再見約瑟的面，如今神竟使他見到了約瑟的後裔。在這些慈父之情的流露之後，約瑟把他們從父親的兩膝之間拉開，好按合乎他們年齡的方式把他們引到父親面前。然後他自己面伏於地下拜，恭敬地承認即將舉行的敬拜之舉。約瑟以為祝福必按兒子們的長幼而行，因此留心安排他們的位置，使視力昏花的父親的右手能毫不費力地按在長子的頭上。然而這位可敬的族長，受那位憑己意行作萬事者的靈引導，故意把右手按在幼子的頭上，從而將更大的福分歸給了他。
按手是古老的習俗，在此首次受到注意。這是標明祝福對象的自然方式，表明祝福傳達給那人，並含著這福作為他一生的定命加於他身的意思。按手可以用任何一隻手；但當兩手分別按在不同對象上時——如眼前的情形——就可以表示較大的福由右手傳達。雙手按在一人身上，則可表明所傳之福的豐滿，或傳達祝福時願望的懇切。
英文原文
He now observes and proceeds to bless the two sons of Joseph. "Who are these?" The sight and the observant faculties of the patriarch were now failing. "Bring them now unto me, and I will bless them." Jacob is seated on the couch, and the young men approach him. He kisses and folds his arms around them. The comforts of his old age come up before his mind. He had not expected to see Joseph again in the flesh, and now God had showed him his seed. After these expressions of parental fondness, Joseph drew them back from between his knees, that he might present them in the way that was distinctive of their age. He then bowed with his face to the earth, in reverential acknowledgment of the act of worship about to be performed. Joseph expected the blessing to be regulated by the age of his sons, and is therefore, careful to present them so that the right hand of his dim-sighted parent may, without any effort, rest on the head of his first-born. But the venerable patriarch, guided by the Spirit of him who doth according to his own will, designedly lays his right hand on the head of the younger, and thereby attributes to him the greater blessing.
The imposition of the hand is a primitive custom which here for the first time comes into notice. It is the natural mode of marking out the object of the benediction, signifying its conveyance to the individual, and implying that it is laid upon him as the destiny of his life. It may be done by either hand; but when each is laid on a different object, as in the present case, it may denote that the higher blessing is conveyed by the right hand. The laying on of both hands on one person may express the fulness of the blessing conveyed, or the fullness of the desire with which it is conveyed.
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Genesis 48:15
他祝福約瑟。——雅各祝福約瑟的後裔，也就是祝福他自己。他將約瑟的兩個兒子提升到與約瑟眾兄弟同等的地位和權利，便是將長子當得的雙份產業賜給他們。在祝福的言辭中，雅各首先標明主在成就罪人救恩時所施行的三重職分。「我列祖在其面前行走的神」，是救恩的創始者，是施行公義與憐憫的審判者，是蒙收養、蒙重生的兒女在其面前行走的父。救恩出於他，蒙救的人也歸向他，為要在他面前行走，作完全人。「一生牧養我直到今日的神」，是生命的創造者與維繫者，是使人甦醒並使人成聖的那位，是大能的運行者，在人心中運行，使人立志行事。「救贖我脫離一切患難的那使者」，是全然充足的朋友，他以自己滿足公義的要求、抵擋惡毒的詭計，從而抵禦兇惡。雅各將「在神面前行走」歸於他的列祖，同時以感恩承認那使他甦醒、使他稱義者向自己所施的恩典，這在情感上極為貼切。在這執事性的職分上，「使者」被明確地指向至高者。「這位神」是對真實、永活之神的著重稱謂，與一切假神有別。「賜福與這兩個童子。」「賜福」一詞用的是單數。因為雅各用三重稱謂，正是要描述那獨一的神——他定意、他運行、他護佑。「願他們歸在我的名下。」願他們被算入我親生的眾子之列，並像我其餘的兒子一樣，與亞伯拉罕、以撒相連。這是這祝福中唯一特殊之處。「願他們生養眾多。」原文中譯作「增多」的動詞，本指魚類的產卵或非凡的繁衍。以法蓮和瑪拿西日後的歷史，將可發現正與這一特殊預言相吻合。
英文原文
And he blessed Joseph. - In blessing his seed he blesses himself. In exalting his two sons into the rank and right of his brothers, he bestows upon them the double portion of the first-born. In the terms of the blessing Jacob first signalizes the threefold function which the Lord discharges in effecting the salvation of a sinner. "The God before whom walked my fathers," is the Author of salvation, the Judge who dispenses justice and mercy, the Father, before whom the adopted and regenerate child walks. From him salvation comes, to him the saved returns, to walk before him and be perfect. "The God, who fed me from my being unto this day," is the Creator and Upholder of life, the Quickener and Sanctifier, the potential Agent, who works both to will and to do in the soul. "The Angel that redeemed me from all evil," is the all-sufficient Friend, who wards off evil by himself satisfying the demands of justice and resisting the devices of malice. There is a beautiful propriety of feeling in Jacob ascribing to his fathers the walking before God, while he thankfully acknowledges the grace of the Quickener and Justifier to himself. The Angel is explicitly applied to the Supreme Being in this ministerial function. The God is the emphatic description of the true, living God, as contradistinguished from all false gods. "Bless the lads." The word bless is in the singular number. For Jacob's threefold periphrasis is intended to describe the one God who wills, works, and wards. "And let my name be put upon them." Let them be counted among my immediate sons, and let them be related to Abraham and Isaac, as my other sons are. This is the only thing that is special in the blessing. "Let them grow into a multitude." The word grow in the original refers to the spawning or extraordinary increase of the finny tribe. The after history of Ephraim and Menasseh will be found to correspond with this special prediction.
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Genesis 48:17
約瑟以為父親因知覺遲鈍而弄錯了，便設法更正他的錯誤。然而他發現，事實恰恰相反：超自然的異象如今賜給了他父親；父親完全知道自己所作的是什麼，因此堅持自己的作法。以法蓮將比瑪拿西更大。摩西的繼承者約書亞屬以法蓮支派，正如他的同伴迦勒屬猶大支派。以法蓮後來被用來指十支派的北方王國，正如猶大指包含其餘支派的南方王國；兩個名字都偶爾被用來指全以色列，並特別著眼於其突出的部分。「他的後裔要成為多民。」這不僅指他種族的數目，更指其完全，與他支派日後的卓越正相吻合。「在你裏面」——即在約瑟裏面；他此時仍與他的後裔視為一體。
在臨終之際，雅各表達了他對後裔必歸回應許之地的確信，並把一份產業——一塊地——賜給約瑟，過於他的眾弟兄；他說，這是我用刀用弓從亞摩利人手下奪來的。這一份在原文是 שׁכם shekem（示劍），意即肩頭或一帶地土。這地區包括「他支搭帳棚的那塊田」Genesis 33:19。這是指示劍的全境；那是被他的刀和他的弓所征服的——因為那城本身被他眾子率領他的武裝僕從洗劫，城中居民也被刀所殺，雖然未經他同意 Genesis 34。雖然此後他隨即退到伯特利 Genesis 35，但他既沒有逃走，也沒有放棄對這一征服之地的佔有；因為當他本人住在希伯崙時，我們發現他的眾子正在那裏牧放他的羊群 Genesis 37:13。這樣附帶征服一帶地土，與後來取得全地並不矛盾，正如亞伯拉罕買一塊田、或雅各自己買一塊地一樣。照著這份禮物，約瑟的骸骨在歸回的以色列人征服全地之後，葬在示劍。示劍的疆域在範圍上或許不及以法蓮，卻包括在以法蓮的境界之內。
- 雅各為眾子祝福
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מכרה mekêrāh——「兵器」；相關：כיר kārar 或 כרה kārāh——「挖」。「謀略、設計？」相關：מכר mākar——「賣」，阿拉伯語作「商議」。「居所」。
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מחקק mechoqēq——「頒律者、審判者、法律的頒賜者」。這詞另見於六處——Numbers 21:18；Deuteronomy 33:21；Jud. Deu 5:14；Psalm 60:9；Psalm 108:9；Isaiah 33:22；其中五處清楚指統治者或審判者。因此，「權杖」的譯法是有疑問的。שׁילה shı̂ylôh（細羅）是 שׁילון shı̂ylôn 的柔化形式，源出 שׁל shol——שׁלה shālâh、שׁלם shālam，可能也包括 שׁלט shālaṭ 的最終詞根——因而意為「和平的締造者、和平之君」。它不用作普通名詞。但後來它被用作一座城的名字，即現今確認的 Seilun。這城的名字，大概像許多其他古地一樣，來自一位建造或擁有它的同名之人。
現在，我們從與約瑟的特別會談轉到雅各對聚集的眾子所作的臨終訓言。這訓言既是預言，又是祝福。像一切預言一樣，它從眼前的事出發，在其最寬廣的開展中，透入現今自然行程最遙遠的未來。
英文原文
Joseph presumes that his father has gone astray through dulness of perception, and endeavors to rectify his mistake. He finds, however, that on the other hand a supernatural vision is now conferred on his parent, who is fully conscious of what he is about, and therefore, abides by his own act. Ephraim is to be greater than Menasseh. Joshua, the successor of Moses, was of the tribe of Ephraim, as Kaleb his companion was of Judah. Ephraim came to designate the northern kingdom of the ten tribes, as Judah denoted the southern kingdom containing the remaining tribes; and each name was occasionally used to denote all Israel, with a special reference to the prominent part. "His seed shall be the fullness of the nations." This denotes not only the number but the completeness of his race, and accords with the future pre-eminence of his tribe. In thee, in Joseph, who is still identified with his offspring.
At the point of death Jacob expresses his assurance of the return of his posterity to the land of promise, and bestows on Joseph one share or piece of ground above his brethren, which, says he, I took out of the hand of the Amorite with my sword and with my bow. This share is, in the original, שׁכם shekem, Shekem, a shoulder or tract of land. This region included "the parcel of the field where he had spread his tent" Genesis 33:19. It refers to the whole territory of Shekem, which was conquered by his sword and his bow, inasmuch as the city itself was sacked, and its inhabitants put to the sword by his sons at the head of his armed retainers, though without his approval Genesis 34. Though he withdrew immediately after to Bethel Genesis 35, yet he neither fled nor relinquished possession of this conquest, as we find his sons feeding his flocks there when he himself was residing at Hebron Genesis 37:13. The incidental conquest of such a tract was no more at variance with the subsequent acquisition of the whole country than the purchase of a field by Abraham or a parcel of ground by Jacob himself. In accordance with this gift Joseph's bones were deposited in Shekem, after the conquest of the whole land by returning Israel. The territory of Shekem was probably not equal in extent to that of Ephraim, but was included within its bounds.
- Jacob Blesses His Sons
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מכרה mekêrāh, "weapon;" related: כיר kārar or כרה kārāh dig. "Device, design?" related: מכר mākar "sell," in Arabic "take counsel. Habitation."
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מחקק mechoqēq, "lawgiver, judge, dispenser of laws." This word occurs in six other places - Numbers 21:18; Deuteronomy 33:21; Jud. Deu 5:14; Psalm 60:9; Psalm 108:9; Isaiah 33:22; in five of which it clearly denotes ruler, or judge. The meaning "sceptre" is therefore doubtful. שׁילה shı̂ylôh, Shiloh, a softened form of שׁילון shı̂ylôn, a derivative of שׁל shol, the ultimate root of שׁלה shālâh, שׁלם shālam, and possibly שׁלט shālaṭ, and hence, denoting "the peacemaker, the prince of peace." It is not employed as an appellative noun. But it is used afterward as the name of a town, now identified as Seilun. This town probably had its name, like many other ancient places from a person of the same name who built or possessed it.
From the special conference with Joseph we now pass to the parting address of Jacob to his assembled sons. This is at the same time prophetic and benedictory. Like all prophecy, it starts from present things, and in its widest expanse penetrates into the remotest future of the present course of nature.
這事以後。——即本章所記關於葬禮的安排之後。「瑪拿西和以法蓮。」他們似乎出於對年長親屬的敬愛，隨父親同來。「以色列勉強在床頭坐起來」——為這次會面召集他剩餘的氣力，這會面如今對他已是費力之舉。「全能的神在路斯向我顯現。」從所得祝福的措辭看，雅各在此指的顯然是神在伯特利最後一次向他顯現 Genesis 35:11。「我未到埃及見你之先，你在這裡所生的以法蓮和瑪拿西」——在提到眾多後裔與他們將要承受之地業的應許之後，他把約瑟在埃及所生的兩個兒子各安置在自己的眾子之中，並在應許之地分給他們各自的產業。這樣，約瑟便得了兩份。「你以後所生的。」約瑟是否另有別的兒子，我們不得而知。但這樣的兒子都歸入以法蓮和瑪拿西這兩支派，二人乃是這兩派的首領。這兩個年輕人如今至少二十歲與十九歲，因為他們生在饑荒開始之前。約瑟後來若再有兒女，也都算在他們二人的兒孫世代之內。「拉結死在我跟前」——即如重擔臨到我身上而死。約瑟的在場，自然把父親的思念引向拉結——他愛子之愛母；他把雙份產業給她的長子，以表對她的記念與尊崇。