Jacob's last days were full of faith. Joseph brought his two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim, to their grandfather's bed. Jacob adopted them as his own: “Ephraim and Manasseh… shall be mine.” Joseph placed Manasseh, the firstborn, at Jacob's right hand, but Jacob crossed his arms and laid his right hand on the younger, Ephraim. When Joseph tried to correct him, Jacob said, “I know, my son, I know.” The man who once took his brother's blessing now gives the greater blessing to the younger by the leading of God.
Jacob blessed the boys in the name of the God of his life: “The God who has fed me all my life long to this day, The Angel who has redeemed me from all evil, Bless the lads.” Hebrews 11:21 remembers this moment: “By faith Jacob, when he was dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, and worshiped, leaning on the top of his staff.” Jacob ended his journey as a worshiper.
Then Jacob called his twelve sons: “Gather together, that I may tell you what shall befall you in the last days.” Reuben, the firstborn, lost his place because he defiled his father's bed: “Unstable as water, you shall not excel.” Simeon and Levi were rebuked for their cruel anger at Shechem and would be scattered in Israel. Yet God later turned Levi's scattering into a blessing, as the Levites were spread through the land to serve as priests and teachers.
Judah received the royal blessing: “Judah, you are he whom your brothers shall praise.” He is called a lion's whelp, and “The scepter shall not depart from Judah… Until Shiloh comes; And to Him shall be the obedience of the people.” Many Jewish and Christian teachers have understood Shiloh as a title of the Messiah. Israel's kings came from Judah — David, Solomon and their line — and Jesus, the Son of David, is the King to whom the nations will bow.
Each of the other sons received a word as well: Zebulun by the seashore, Issachar the strong donkey, Dan who would judge his people, Gad who would overcome, Asher's rich bread, Naphtali the deer let loose, Joseph the fruitful bough by a well whose arms were made strong “by the hands of the Mighty God of Jacob,” and Benjamin the ravenous wolf. In the middle of the blessings, Jacob paused and prayed: “I have waited for your salvation, O LORD!” Then he gave instructions for his burial in Canaan, drew his feet into the bed, and was gathered to his people.