Whom did Jacob bless in his family and why?

Answer 1

Christian answer: There are many reasons why Biblical figures did what they did, they were predestined to do it from before time, and also the blessed son of Jacob was a picture of Christ, the Messiah, to whom Joseph was to be a great ancestor. Jacob chose to bless Joseph because Jacob saw a special something inside Joseph that he did not see in his other sons; this was why Jacob chose Joseph for his gift of the multicolored coat. Joseph was betrayed just like Christ would be, by his own brothers/brethren; and just like Christ, Joseph was left for dead; and even more like Christ, Joseph seemingly rose from the dead to be the leader over his brothers, thereby proving Jacob correct in choosing Joseph in the first place; just as God the Father chose Jesus Christ, His Son, to die for the world, though Christ was perfect in all of His ways, as Joseph appeared to be in his tale in The Bible.

Jewish answer:

Jacob blessed:

1) His son Joseph, and Joseph's sons Menasheh and Ephraim;

2) All his (Jacob's) twelve sons, except for Reuben, Shim'on and Levi, whom he rebuked;

and 3) All his (Jacob's) twelve sons, no exceptions.

Answer 2

Jacob blessed his sons in his family before he died. Each son received a unique blessing that reflected his character and future. The blessings outlined the destiny and role of each son among the twelve tribes of Israel.

Answer 3

Jewish answer:
Jacob blessed:
1) His son Joseph, and Joseph's sons Menasheh and Ephraim;
2) All his (Jacob's) twelve sons, except for Reuben, Shim'on and Levi, whom he rebuked;
and 3) All his (Jacob's) twelve sons, no exceptions.
More detail:
1) Jacob blessed his son Joseph, and Joseph's two sons Menasheh and Ephraim (Genesis ch.48). He blessed Joseph separately from his (Jacob's) other sons as a mark of importance for Joseph, in whose merit the family had survived the famine (Genesis ch.45). Joseph was like a king for the family, as he had prophetically dreamt (Genesis ch.37); and his descendant Joshua would lead the nation after Moses.

Link: Joseph's importance
2) Jacob blessed all of his (Jacob's) twelve sons, except for Reuben, Shim'on and Levi, whom he rebuked (Genesis ch.49). He blessed each of his sons prophetically, in accordance with their future, as all of them would have a part in the Holy Land and the Israelite nation. But he rebuked Reuben; and he rebuked Shim'on and Levi because of Genesis 34:30 and 37:19. Shim'on and Levi would not have a contiguous territory within the Holy Land; and Reuben, Jacob's firstborn, would never become important in any way (Genesis 49:4).

3) Jacob blessed all his twelve sons, no exception (Rashi commentary, on Genesis 49:28). Despite whatever errors they had made (Genesis ch.34, 35 and 37), their intentions had always been for the service of God.

See also the other Related Link.

Link: Abraham, Isaac and Jacob