b. Jacob bestows blessings on his own sons (49:1-28)

The blessing of the two sons of Joseph would surely be out of place if there were no blessings given to Jacob’s other sons. So this penultimate chapter of Genesis provides closure to the transmission of the promise and leads into the death of the patriarch. In this proleptic address to his sons a connection is made with the previous chapter. Ephraim has been given the primary blessing before both Joseph’s firstborn (48-20) and even Jacob’s firstborn, who has forfeited primacy in the tribes (vv.3-4). The blessings on the sons generally relate to their settlement in the land promised to the patriarchs, and, in this sense, the narrative brings completion to the promise motif, which has run through most of the book. The promise given to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob will find its eventual fulfillment in the settlement of the tribes. Yet even in the fulfillment there is born a new promise of One who will rule the nations (v.10). The community is called to journey constantly onward.