Jacob Worshipping on the Top of His Staff.

 •  1 min. read  •  grade level: 9
"AND Joseph brought them out from between his [Jacob's] knees, and he [Jacob] bowed himself with his face to the earth. And Joseph took them both, Ephraim in his right hand toward Israel's left hand, and Manasseh in his left hand toward Israel's right hand, and brought them near unto him."
It was Jacob, not Joseph, who thus bowed himself with his face to the earth, and that at the moment when the Holy Ghost revealed to him God's purpose touching his own grandsons, Ephraim and Manasseh. This was his act of worshipping on the top of his staff, spoken of in Hebrew 11:21: the staff showing that he was a stranger to the end of his life, as we read, "With my staff I passed over this Jordan: and now I am become two bands." (Gen. 32:1010I am not worthy of the least of all the mercies, and of all the truth, which thou hast showed unto thy servant; for with my staff I passed over this Jordan; and now I am become two bands. (Genesis 32:10).) Had it been Joseph who did this, the sentence would have been differently constructed. FIRST, The pronoun "he" would not have been so soon introduced after. “Joseph:"and, SECONDLY, Joseph's name would not have been so quickly repeated. The sentence would have been as follows," And Joseph brought them out from between his knees, and bowed himself with his face to the earth, and he took them both," &c.
Observe, the fact that Jacob had just before been kissing and embracing the children, shows that it was from between his knees, and not Joseph's, that these were brought near in order to receive their grandfather's blessing.