Richard kean

by Richard Kean
(Vacaville ca solano)

In regards to you article on Ephraim,I found it to be quite informative. Thank you.
What's interesting is, the name given to Joseph's second son has a far reaching meaning then most realize.
According to Strong's definition of the word, "double fruitful" it also means, exhausted and ash-heap.
It would seem, there is no connection to double fruitful in those two words.
I think we forget, Joseph was a prophet in his own right. So the question should be asked, was Joseph seeing more in Ephraim than meets the eye here.
There certainly is no doubt Ephraim was chosen to be the dominant tribe. He was to established the other tribes in Cannan, but, over time, the Ephraimite became arrogant and prideful.
In their minds they were the boss because, Moses had given them a mandate. Not to comply made them very angry and it took their older brother to put them in check.
I believe Joseph saw in Ephraim's future ,a time when their fruit would
be exhausted and become a ash-heap. Then out of that ash would rise a brithright people in the person of the people of Manasseh.
That is not to say Ephraim is finished, for they will return as Ezekiel prophesied in chapter 37.
There are those who believe, Genesis 48 is where Jacob gave Ephraim the brithright.That would be a wrong assumption. Jacob did in the earlier part give it to Joseph. Verses 3 & 4,but, the rest of that chapter has nothing to do with a brithright. As a matter of fact after verses 3,4 Jacob had no right to give it to either Ephraim or Manasseh, according to the establish law of brithright.That was Joseph's responsible. Furthermore, Joshua 17:1-2 states the brithright was Manasseh's. The blessing given to Manasseh & Ephraim by Jacob were independent of the brithright.

Those who think Jacob switch the brithright claim because Ephraim was set "before " Manasseh, he was given preference over Manasseh.
Again check Strong definition for a proper understanding.
The words are, " face, faces and forward." Have no meaning to preference, favored or above.
Did not Joshua (a Ephraimite ) go forward and take the children of Israel into Cannan? Is not Ephraim the face of Israel and Ephraim synonymous with the ten tribes? Another simple illustration will due. Is John the Baptist greater because he went " Before " Jesus? Is the Speaker of the House of the United States more important then the President because, we see, he or,she face before the President and they go before him and give a induction before he address the Nation.
I think we have to qualify the word,"superior" When using it comparing Ephraim & Manasseh. Ephraim was "that" in leadership and deplomacy, but, the birthright was a inheritance from brith, that carry with it a superiority of is own.
Since Jacob said, " I will tell you what shall befall you in the LAST DAYS... we should pay more attention to what he said about those two son's. For without understanding his vision, no prophecy will be understood.
If we can pin point these two peoples in the present day by their characteristics than, what's happening today in our world will be clear.
Then ask yourself this question.
What nation or nations is the biggest threat to Satan's kingdom today.