48 After some time, someone told Joseph, ‘Your father is ill.’ So Joseph went to see Jacob and he took his two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim, with him. 2 Someone told Jacob, ‘Your son Joseph has come to see you.’ Jacob's body became stronger and he sat up on the bed. 3 Jacob said to Joseph, ‘God Almighty appeared to me at Luz, in Canaan. God blessed me there. 4 He said to me, “I will give you many children, so that your descendants are many. In that way, you will become the ancestor of many nations. I will give this land to you so that it belongs to your descendants for ever.” ’
5 Jacob continued to say to Joseph, ‘You have two sons that were born to you in Egypt before I came here. They will become my own sons. Ephraim and Manasseh will be my sons, just as Reuben and Simeon are my sons. [ a ] 6 Any children born to you after them will be your own children. They will receive part of the land that belongs to their brothers, Ephraim and Manasseh.
7 As for me, I was very sad when your mother Rachel died on our journey from Paddan. She died near to Ephrath. So I buried her there, next to the road to Ephrath (that is now called Bethlehem).’
8 Joseph brought Ephraim and Manasseh to his father, Jacob. Jacob asked him, ‘Who are these boys?’ 9 Joseph replied, ‘They are the sons that God has given to me here in Egypt.’ Then Israel said, ‘Bring them near to me so that I can bless them.’
10 Jacob's eyes had become weak because he was very old. He was almost blind. So Joseph brought his sons near to his father. His father kissed them and he hugged them. 11 Jacob said to Joseph, ‘I never thought that I would see you again. But now God has let me see your children too.’
12 Then Joseph removed his sons from Jacob's knees. He bent down low, with his face towards the ground. 13 He took his two sons near to Jacob. With his right hand, he put Ephraim beside Jacob's left hand. With his left hand, he put Manasseh beside Jacob's right hand. [ b ]
14 Jacob then put out his right hand. But he put it on Ephraim's head, even though Ephraim was the younger son. Jacob crossed his arms so that he put his left hand on Manasseh's head. Manasseh was Joseph's firstborn son.
15 Then Jacob blessed Joseph. He said,
‘May God bless these two boys.
He is the God that my ancestors, Abraham and Isaac, served.
Like a shepherd takes care of his sheep,
God has taken care of me all my life, until this day.
16 He is the Angel who has kept me safe. [ c ]
I pray that he will bless these boys.
I pray that, because of them, people will remember my name,
and the names of my ancestors, Abraham and Isaac.
I pray that they will have many descendants who live all over the earth.’
17 Joseph saw that his father had put his right hand on Ephraim's head. This made Joseph upset. So he took hold of his father's right hand. He moved it from Ephraim's head on to Manasseh's head. 18 Joseph said to Jacob, ‘No, my father. This boy is the firstborn son. Put your right hand on his head.’
19 But Jacob refused to change. He said, ‘I know, my son. I know what I am doing. Manasseh will also have many descendants who become a great nation. But his younger brother, Ephraim, will become even greater. Ephraim's descendants will become many great nations.’
20 So Jacob blessed both of Joseph's sons that day. He said, ‘In your name Israel's people will give this blessing:
“May God be good to you, just like he was to Ephraim and Manasseh.” ’ [ d ]
In this way, Jacob put Ephraim before Manasseh when he blessed them.
21 Then Jacob said to Joseph, ‘I will die soon. But God will be with you. He will take you back to the land where your ancestors lived. 22 I give to you more than I give to your brothers. I give to you the good part of the land that I took from the Amorites. [ e ] I fought against them with my weapons to take that land.’
48 Some time later Joseph learned that his father was very sick. So he took his two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim, and went to his father. 2 When Joseph arrived, someone told Israel, “Your son Joseph has come to see you.” Israel was very weak, but he tried hard and sat up in his bed.
3 Then Israel said to Joseph, “God All-Powerful appeared to me at Luz in the land of Canaan. God blessed me there. 4 He said to me, ‘I will make you a great family. I will give you many children and you will be a great people. Your family will own this land forever.’ 5 Now you have two sons. These two sons were born here in the country of Egypt before I came. Your two sons, Ephraim and Manasseh, will be like my own sons. They will be like Reuben and Simeon to me. 6 So these two boys will be my sons. They will share in everything I own. But if you have other sons, they will be your sons. But they will also be like sons to Ephraim and Manasseh—that is, in the future, they will share in everything that Ephraim and Manasseh own. 7 On the trip from Paddan Aram, Rachel died in the land of Canaan. This made me very sad. We were still traveling toward Ephrath. I buried her there on the road to Ephrath.” (Ephrath is Bethlehem.)
8 Then Israel saw Joseph’s sons. Israel said, “Who are these boys?”
9 Joseph said to his father, “These are my sons. These are the boys God gave me.”
Israel said, “Bring your sons to me. I will bless them.”
10 Israel was old and his eyes were not good. So Joseph brought the boys close to his father. Israel kissed and hugged the boys. 11 Then Israel said to Joseph, “I never thought I would see your face again. But look! God has let me see you and your children.”
12 Then Joseph took the boys off Israel’s lap, and they bowed down in front of his father. 13 Joseph put Ephraim on his right side and Manasseh on his left side. (So Ephraim was on Israel’s left side, and Manasseh was on Israel’s right side.) 14 But Israel crossed his hands and put his right hand on the head of the younger boy Ephraim. Then he put his left hand on Manasseh, even though Manasseh was the firstborn. 15 And Israel blessed Joseph and said,
“My ancestors, Abraham and Isaac, worshiped our God,
and that God has led me all my life.
16 He was the Angel who saved me from all my troubles.
And I pray that he will bless these boys.
Now they will have my name
and the name of our ancestors, Abraham and Isaac.
I pray that they will grow to become great families and nations
on earth.”
17 Joseph saw that his father put his right hand on Ephraim’s head. This didn’t make Joseph happy. Joseph took his father’s hand because he wanted to move it from Ephraim’s head and put it on Manasseh’s head. 18 Joseph said to his father, “You have your right hand on the wrong boy. Manasseh is the firstborn. Put your right hand on him.”
19 But his father refused and said, “I know, son. I know. Manasseh is the firstborn. He will be great and will be the father of many people. But his younger brother will be greater than he is. And the younger brother’s family will be much larger.”
20 So Israel blessed them that day. He said,
“The Israelites will use your names
whenever they bless someone.
They will say, ‘May God make you
like Ephraim and Manasseh.’”
In this way Israel made Ephraim greater than Manasseh.
21 Then Israel said to Joseph, “Look, my time to die is almost here, but God will still be with you. He will lead you back to the land of your ancestors. 22 I have given you one portion more than I gave to your brothers. I gave you the land that I won from the Amorites. I used my sword and bow to take that land.”
48 And it came to pass after these things, that one told Joseph, Behold, thy father is sick: and he took with him his two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim.
2 And one told Jacob, and said, Behold, thy son Joseph cometh unto thee: and Israel strengthened himself, and sat upon the bed.
3 And Jacob said unto Joseph, God Almighty appeared unto me at Luz in the land of Canaan, and blessed me,
4 And said unto me, Behold, I will make thee fruitful, and multiply thee, and I will make of thee a multitude of people; and will give this land to thy seed after thee for an everlasting possession.
5 And now thy two sons, Ephraim and Manasseh, which were born unto thee in the land of Egypt before I came unto thee into Egypt, are mine; as Reuben and Simeon, they shall be mine.
6 And thy issue, which thou begettest after them, shall be thine, and shall be called after the name of their brethren in their inheritance.
7 And as for me, when I came from Padan, Rachel died by me in the land of Canaan in the way, when yet there was but a little way to come unto Ephrath: and I buried her there in the way of Ephrath; the same is Bethlehem.
8 And Israel beheld Joseph's sons, and said, Who are these?
9 And Joseph said unto his father, They are my sons, whom God hath given me in this place. And he said, Bring them, I pray thee, unto me, and I will bless them.
10 Now the eyes of Israel were dim for age, so that he could not see. And he brought them near unto him; and he kissed them, and embraced them.
11 And Israel said unto Joseph, I had not thought to see thy face: and, lo, God hath shewed me also thy seed.
12 And Joseph brought them out from between his knees, and he bowed himself with his face to the earth.
13 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.
14 And Israel stretched out his right hand, and laid it upon Ephraim's head, who was the younger, and his left hand upon Manasseh's head, guiding his hands wittingly; for Manasseh was the firstborn.
15 And he blessed Joseph, and said, God, before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac did walk, the God which fed me all my life long unto this day,
16 The Angel which redeemed me from all evil, bless the lads; and let my name be named on them, and the name of my fathers Abraham and Isaac; and let them grow into a multitude in the midst of the earth.
17 And when Joseph saw that his father laid his right hand upon the head of Ephraim, it displeased him: and he held up his father's hand, to remove it from Ephraim's head unto Manasseh's head.
18 And Joseph said unto his father, Not so, my father: for this is the firstborn; put thy right hand upon his head.
19 And his father refused, and said, I know it, my son, I know it: he also shall become a people, and he also shall be great: but truly his younger brother shall be greater than he, and his seed shall become a multitude of nations.
20 And he blessed them that day, saying, In thee shall Israel bless, saying, God make thee as Ephraim and as Manasseh: and he set Ephraim before Manasseh.
21 And Israel said unto Joseph, Behold, I die: but God shall be with you, and bring you again unto the land of your fathers.
22 Moreover I have given to thee one portion above thy brethren, which I took out of the hand of the Amorite with my sword and with my bow.
48 Now it came about after these things that [ a ] Joseph was told, “Behold, your father is sick.” So he took his two sons ( A ) Manasseh and Ephraim with him. 2 When [ b ] it was told to Jacob, “Behold, your son Joseph has come to you,” Israel [ c ] collected his strength and sat [ d ] up in the bed. 3 Then Jacob said to Joseph, “ [ e ] ( B ) God Almighty appeared to me at ( C ) Luz in the land of Canaan and blessed me, 4 and He said to me, ‘Behold, I will make you fruitful and numerous, and I will make you a multitude of peoples, and will give this land to your [ f ] descendants after you as ( D ) an everlasting possession.’ 5 Now your two sons, who were born to you in the land of Egypt before I came to you in Egypt, are mine; ( E ) Ephraim and Manasseh shall be mine, as ( F ) Reuben and Simeon are. 6 But your children that you have fathered after them shall be yours; they shall be called by the [ g ] names of their brothers in their inheritance. 7 Now as for me, when I came from ( G ) Paddan, ( H ) Rachel died, [ h ] to my sorrow, in the land of Canaan on the journey, when there was still some distance to go to Ephrath. I buried her there on the way to Ephrath (that is, Bethlehem).”
8 When Israel ( I ) saw Joseph’s sons, he said, “Who are these?” 9 And Joseph said to his father, “ ( J ) They are my sons, whom God has given me here.” So he said, “Bring them to me, please, so that ( K ) I may bless them.” 10 Now ( L ) the eyes of Israel were so [ i ] dim from age that he could not see. And [ j ] Joseph brought them close to him, and he ( M ) kissed them and embraced them. 11 And Israel said to Joseph, “I never [ k ] expected to see your face, and behold, God has let me see your [ l ] children as well!” 12 Then Joseph [ m ] took them from his knees, and ( N ) bowed with his face to the ground. 13 And Joseph took them both, Ephraim with his right hand toward Israel’s left, and Manasseh with his left hand toward Israel’s right, and brought them close to him. 14 But Israel reached out his right hand and placed it on the head of Ephraim, who was the younger, and his left hand on Manasseh’s head, crossing his hands, although ( O ) Manasseh was the firstborn. 15 And he blessed Joseph, and said,
“ ( P ) The God before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac walked,
( Q ) The God who has been my shepherd [ n ] all my life to this day,
16 ( R ) The angel who has redeemed me from all evil,
( S ) Bless the boys;
And may my name [ o ] live on in them,
And the [ p ] names of my fathers Abraham and Isaac;
And ( T ) may they grow into a multitude in the midst of the earth.”
17 When Joseph saw that his father ( U ) placed his right hand on Ephraim’s head, it displeased him; and he grasped his father’s hand to move it from Ephraim’s head to Manasseh’s head. 18 And Joseph said to his father, “Not so, my father, for this one is the firstborn. Place your right hand on his head.” 19 But his father refused and said, “I know, my son, I know; he also will become a people and he also will be great. However, his younger brother shall be greater than he, and ( V ) his [ q ] descendants shall become [ r ] a multitude of nations.” 20 So ( W ) he blessed them that day, saying,
“By you Israel will pronounce blessing, saying,
‘May God make you like Ephraim and Manasseh!’”
And so he put Ephraim before Manasseh. 21 Then Israel said to Joseph, “Behold, I am about to die, but ( X ) God will be with you, and ( Y ) bring you back to the land of your fathers. 22 And I give you one [ s ] portion more than your brothers, ( Z ) which I took from the hand of the Amorite with my sword and my bow.”
48 Some time later Joseph was told, “Your father is ill.” So he took his two sons Manasseh and Ephraim ( A ) along with him. 2 When Jacob was told, “Your son Joseph has come to you,” Israel ( B ) rallied his strength and sat up on the bed.
3 Jacob said to Joseph, “God Almighty [ a ] ( C ) appeared to me at Luz ( D ) in the land of Canaan, and there he blessed me ( E ) 4 and said to me, ‘I am going to make you fruitful and increase your numbers. ( F ) I will make you a community of peoples, and I will give this land ( G ) as an everlasting possession to your descendants after you.’ ( H )
5 “Now then, your two sons born to you in Egypt ( I ) before I came to you here will be reckoned as mine; Ephraim and Manasseh will be mine, ( J ) just as Reuben ( K ) and Simeon ( L ) are mine. 6 Any children born to you after them will be yours; in the territory they inherit they will be reckoned under the names of their brothers. 7 As I was returning from Paddan, [ b ] ( M ) to my sorrow ( N ) Rachel died in the land of Canaan while we were still on the way, a little distance from Ephrath. So I buried her there beside the road to Ephrath” (that is, Bethlehem). ( O )
8 When Israel ( P ) saw the sons of Joseph, ( Q ) he asked, “Who are these?”
9 “They are the sons God has given me here,” ( R ) Joseph said to his father.
Then Israel said, “Bring them to me so I may bless ( S ) them.”
10 Now Israel’s eyes were failing because of old age, and he could hardly see. ( T ) So Joseph brought his sons close to him, and his father kissed them ( U ) and embraced them. ( V )
11 Israel ( W ) said to Joseph, “I never expected to see your face again, ( X ) and now God has allowed me to see your children too.” ( Y )
12 Then Joseph removed them from Israel’s knees ( Z ) and bowed down with his face to the ground. ( AA ) 13 And Joseph took both of them, Ephraim on his right toward Israel’s left hand and Manasseh on his left toward Israel’s right hand, ( AB ) and brought them close to him. 14 But Israel ( AC ) reached out his right hand and put it on Ephraim’s head, ( AD ) though he was the younger, ( AE ) and crossing his arms, he put his left hand on Manasseh’s head, even though Manasseh was the firstborn. ( AF )
15 Then he blessed ( AG ) Joseph and said,
“May the God before whom my fathers
Abraham and Isaac walked faithfully, ( AH )
the God who has been my shepherd ( AI )
all my life to this day,
16 the Angel ( AJ ) who has delivered me from all harm ( AK )
—may he bless ( AL ) these boys. ( AM )
May they be called by my name
and the names of my fathers Abraham and Isaac, ( AN )
and may they increase greatly
on the earth.” ( AO )
17 When Joseph saw his father placing his right hand ( AP ) on Ephraim’s head ( AQ ) he was displeased; so he took hold of his father’s hand to move it from Ephraim’s head to Manasseh’s head. 18 Joseph said to him, “No, my father, this one is the firstborn; put your right hand on his head.” ( AR )
19 But his father refused and said, “I know, my son, I know. He too will become a people, and he too will become great. ( AS ) Nevertheless, his younger brother will be greater than he, ( AT ) and his descendants will become a group of nations. ( AU ) ” 20 He blessed ( AV ) them that day ( AW ) and said,
“In your [ c ] name will Israel ( AX ) pronounce this blessing: ( AY )
‘May God make you like Ephraim ( AZ ) and Manasseh. ( BA ) ’”
So he put Ephraim ahead of Manasseh.
21 Then Israel said to Joseph, “I am about to die, but God will be with you [ d ] ( BB ) and take you [ e ] back to the land of your [ f ] fathers. ( BC ) 22 And to you I give one more ridge of land [ g ] ( BD ) than to your brothers, ( BE ) the ridge I took from the Amorites with my sword ( BF ) and my bow.”
