Hope Restored

Dr. Devorah Steinmetz explains:

Manasseh and Ephraim had been born outside of the patriarchal family; Joseph had tried to forget his father's house, and the names of his sons reflect that separation...Both Jacob and Joseph had children in exile, before they were reunited with their fathers. Jacob recognizes the fulfillment of his promise of increase in the sons born to Joseph under the same circumstances under which Jacob's sons were born to him.

In this reading Jacob's grandsons are the fulfillment of the long-awaited divine promise. Jacob's hopes for divine blessing had been dashed by the death of Rachel and the kidnapping of Joseph. The grandsons of Jacob were the tikkun, the corrective measure, as it were, the revitalization of blessing.