Nearing the end of his life, Jacob prepares to elevate Joseph's sons to the status of full, independent tribes. To establish this profound spiritual and legal shift, he reaches back to a pivotal encounter with God, invoking the divine name that expresses God's ultimate power and greatness [ביאור שטיינזלץ]. This historic revelation took place in the city of Bethel, formerly known as Luz [ביאור שטיינזלץ], during his return journey from Paddan Aram [רשב״ם]. In recounting this event, the patriarch refers to himself as Jacob rather than his elevated name, Israel. This choice emphasizes that he is not delivering a new prophecy, but simply passing down a tradition and promise he previously received directly from God [העמק דבר]. This specific framing also hints at the complex legal status these newly formed tribes will hold in future generations [צפנת פענח].
The primary approach among commentators is that Jacob is reflecting on the specific promise made at Bethel, where God commanded him to be fruitful and multiply. Bringing up this past promise serves an immediate practical purpose. When a person nears death and wishes to distribute assets to their heirs, they must first establish their own clear ownership. By recalling how God blessed him, Jacob officially declares that God granted him the land of Canaan. This establishes his absolute authority to inherit the land and pass it on to his descendants [תולדות יצחק].
Beyond the legal right to distribute the land, this past revelation ties directly into the decision to adopt Joseph's sons. The blessing received at Luz was not merely a physical instruction to have children, but a divine promise that a full community of nations would emerge from him [העמק דבר]. Because only Benjamin was born after this promise was made, Jacob understood through divine inspiration that the only way to fulfill the prophecy of becoming a community of nations was to divide Joseph's lineage. By elevating Ephraim and Manasseh into two distinct tribes, the ancient promise would finally be realized [ביאור יש״ר].
On a deeper level, this promise reveals the ultimate destiny of the nation. The concept of a community of nations teaches that the people were never meant to be a single, uniform group. Instead, they are designed to be a complex society made up of diverse tribes, each with its own distinct character and societal role, such as agriculture, commerce, the military, and science. This internal diversity is vital, yet all the different parts are meant to unite around a single moral and spiritual purpose guided by His teachings. Elevating Ephraim and Manasseh to independent tribes is the practical step that guarantees this national diversity, ensuring that the future division of the land will reflect and support the unique contribution of every tribe [רש״ר הירש].