“⁸Then Israel saw Joseph’s sons, and said, “Who are these?”

⁹Joseph said to his father, “They are my sons, whom God has given me in this place.”

And he said, “Please bring them to me, and I will bless them.”

– Genesis 48:8-9 (NKJV)

“Then Israel saw (😃) Joseph’s sons (recognise the subtle allusion made here to the fact that Jacob might full well already know precisely who these blessed children are, as seen also in the fact that they are already here referred to as “Joseph’s sons ” prior to Joseph’s calling them so; the reason then for the asking of the seemingly superfluous question to follow, will however soon become clear . . . ), and said, “Who are these?” (How precious, we can only imagine this grandpa gently and with much childlike wonder for the wee ones’ benefit 😉 asking “and who are the-ese . . . ?” ☺️. Nevertheless, let it not be lost on us, as I have already alluded to above, that this enquiry serves also as a prompt for their own father to start affirming their identity in their hearing verbally; setting the stage as it were for them to receive Words of even greater significance and Power and far-reaching consequence in The God-Ordained Blessing soon to follow. Let us then also be encouraged to prick our ears when God tells us who we are Dear Friends.) And Joseph said to his father (remember the reinforcement within the Scriptures here of paternity; of the image of the passing of the baton from one father to another: from Our Heavenly Father to Jacob [Gen 48:3] to Joseph to Ephraim and Manasseh), “They are my sons , (oh the wondrous beauty of this blessed phrase, calling to our remembrance those Anointed Words “This is My beloved Son . . .” [Matt 3:17]) whom God has given me (let us not neglect to pause and receive this blessed reiteration of the fact that it is by The Sovereign Will of God absolutely whereby the children of God’s Own People are conceived: “who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God” [John 1:13]) in this place (in exile, in a foreign land, “for such a time as this . . .”).” And he (Israel) said, “Please bring them to me (reminding us also of: “then they brought little children to Him, that He [Christ] might touch them . . . Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of God” [Mark 10:13-16]), and I will  bless them (let it be to our children according to Your Sovereign Decree Oh Lord 🙇🏽‍♀️🤲🏽).”