48
1 After
these things, someone
said to Joseph, “Behold, your father is
sick.” He took
with him his
two sons, Manasseh
and Ephraim.
2 Someone told
Jacob, and said, “Behold, your son
Joseph comes to
you,” and Israel
strengthened himself,
and sat on
the bed.
3 Jacob said
to Joseph, “God
Almighty appeared
to me at
Luz in the land
of Canaan, and
blessed me,
4 and said
to me, ‘Behold,
I will make
you fruitful, and
multiply you, and
I will make
of you a
company of peoples,
and will give
this land to your
offspring after
you for an
everlasting possession.’
5 Now
your two sons,
who were born
to you in
the land of Egypt
before I came
to you into
Egypt, are mine; Ephraim
and Manasseh, even
as Reuben and
Simeon, will
be mine.
6 Your
offspring, whom
you become the
father of after
them, will
be yours. They
will be called
after the name
of their brothers
in their
inheritance.
7 As
for me, when
I came from Paddan,
Rachel died beside
me in the land
of Canaan on
the way, when
there was still
some distance to
come to Ephrath,
and I buried
her there on
the way to Ephrath
(also called
Bethlehem).”
8 Israel
saw Joseph’s sons,
and said, “Who
are these?”
9 Joseph said
to his father, “They
are my sons,
whom God has
given me here.”
He said, “Please
bring them to
me, and I
will bless them.”
10 Now
the eyes of
Israel were dim
for age, so
that he couldn’t
see well. Joseph
brought them near
to him; and
he kissed them,
and embraced them.
11 Israel said
to Joseph, “I
didn’t think I
would see your
face, and behold,
God has let
me see your
offspring also.”
12 Joseph
brought them out
from between his
knees, and he
bowed himself with
his face to
the earth.
13 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
to him.
14 Israel
stretched out his
right hand, and
laid it
on Ephraim’s head,
who was the
younger, and his
left hand on
Manasseh’s head,
guiding his
hands knowingly, for
Manasseh was the
firstborn.
15 He
blessed Joseph,
and said,
“The God before
whom my fathers Abraham
and Isaac walked,
the God who has
fed me all
my life long
to this day,
16 the
angel who has
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.
Let them grow
into a multitude
upon the earth.”
17 When
Joseph saw that
his father laid
his right hand
on the head
of Ephraim, it
displeased him. He
held up
his father’s hand,
to remove it
from Ephraim’s head
to Manasseh’s head.
18 Joseph
said to his father,
“Not so, my father,
for this is
the firstborn. Put
your right hand
on his head.”
19 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
will be greater
than he, and
his offspring will
become a multitude
of nations.”
20 He
blessed them that
day, saying, “Israel
will bless in
your name, saying, ‘God make
you as Ephraim and
as Manasseh’ ” He
set Ephraim before
Manasseh.
21 Israel said
to Joseph, “Behold,
I am dying,
but God will be
with you, and
bring you again
to the land of
your fathers.
22 Moreover I
have given to
you one portion
above your brothers,
which I took
out of the
hand of the Amorite
with my sword
and with my
bow.”