Genesis 48

1 After these things were done, it was reported to Joseph that his father was sick. And taking his two sons Manasseh and Ephraim, he went directly to him.

And it came to pass after these things, that it was reported to Joseph, Behold, your father is ill; and, having taken his two sons, Manasse and Ephraim, he came to Jacob.

2 And it was told to the old man, “Behold, your son Joseph is coming to you.” And being strengthened, he sat up in bed.

And it was reported to Jacob, saying, Behold, your son Joseph comes to you; and Israel having strengthened himself, sat upon the bed.

3 And when he had entered to him, he said: “Almighty God appeared to me at Luz, which is in the land of Canaan, and he blessed me.

And Jacob said to Joseph, My God appeared to me in Luza, in the land of Chanaan, and blessed me,

4 And he said: ‘I will increase and multiply you, and I will make you influential among the people. And I will give this land to you, and to your offspring after you, as an everlasting possession.’

and said to me, Behold, I will increase you, and multiply you, and will make of you multitudes of nations; and I will give this land to you, and to your seed after you, for an everlasting possession.

5 Therefore, your two sons, who were born to you in the land of Egypt before I came here to you, will be mine. Ephraim and Manasseh will be treated by me just like Reuben and Simeon.

Now then your two sons, who were born to you in the land of Egypt, before I came to you into Egypt, are mine; Ephraim and Manasse, as Ruben and Symeon they shall be mine.

6 But the remainder, whom you will conceive after them, will be yours, and they will be called by the name of their brothers among their possessions.

And the children which you shall beget hereafter, shall be in the name of their brethren; they shall be named after their inheritances.

7 As for me, when I came from Mesopotamia, Rachel died in the land of Canaan on the very journey, and it was springtime. And I entered Ephrath and buried her next to the way of Ephrath, which by another name is called Bethlehem.”

And as for me, when I came out of Mesopotamia of Syria, Rachel, your mother, died in the land of Chanaan, as I drew night to the horse-course of Chabratha of the land [of Chanaan], so as to come to Ephratha; and I buried her in the road of the course; this is Bethlehem.

8 Then, seeing his sons, he said to him: “Who are these?”

And when Israel saw the sons of Joseph, he said, Who are these to you?

9 He responded, “They are my sons, whom God gave to me as a gift in this place.” “Bring them to me,” he said, “so that I may bless them.”

And Joseph said to his father, They are my sons, whom God gave me here; and Jacob said, Bring me them, that I may bless them.

10 For Israel’s eyes were clouded by reason of his great age, and he was unable to see clearly. And when they were placed up against him, he kissed and embraced them.

Now the eyes of Israel were dim through age, and he could not see; and he brought them near to him, and he kissed them, and embraced them.

11 And he said to his son: “I have not been cheated out of seeing you. Moreover, God has shown me your offspring.”

And Israel said to Joseph, Behold, I have not been deprived of [seeing] your face, and behold! God has showed me your seed also.

12 And when Joseph had taken them from his father’s lap, he reverenced prone on the ground.

And Joseph brought them out from [between] his knees, and they did reverence to him, with their face to the ground.

13 And he placed Ephraim on his right, that is, towards the left hand of Israel. Yet truly Manasseh was on his left, namely, towards his father’s right hand. And he placed them both up against him.

And Joseph took his two sons, both Ephraim in his right hand, but on the left of Israel, and Manasse on his left hand, but on the right of Israel, and brought them near to him.

14 And he, extending his right hand, placed it over the head of Ephraim, the younger brother, but the left hand was on the head of Manasseh, who was the elder, so that his hands were crossed.

But Israel having stretched out his right hand, laid it on the head of Ephraim, and he was the younger; and his left hand on the head of Manasse, [guiding] his hands crosswise.

15 And Jacob blessed the sons of Joseph, and he said: “God, in whose sight my fathers, Abraham and Isaac, walked; God, who pastured me from my youth until the present day;

And he blessed them and said, The God in whose sight my fathers were well pleasing, [even] Abraam and Isaac, the God who continues to feed me from my youth until this day;

16 the Angel, who rescues me from all evils: bless these boys. And let my name be invoked over them, and also the names of my fathers, Abraham and Isaac. And may they increase into a multitude across the earth.”

the angel who delivers me from all evils, bless these boys, and my name shall be called upon them, and the name of my fathers, Abraam and Isaac; and let them be increased to a great multitude on the earth.

17 But Joseph, seeing that his father had placed his right hand over the head of Ephraim, took it gravely. And grasping his father’s hand, he tried to lift it from Ephraim’s head and transfer it onto the head of Manasseh.

And Joseph having seen that his father put his right hand on the head of Ephraim—it seemed grievous to him; and Joseph took hold of the hand of his father, to remove it from the head of Ephraim to the head of Manasse.

18 And he said to his father: “It should not have come to pass this way, father. For this one is the firstborn. Place your right hand over his head.”

And Joseph said to his father, Not so, father; for this is the firstborn; lay your right-hand upon his head.

19 But refusing, he said: “I know, my son, I know. And this one, indeed, will be among the people and will be multiplied. But his younger brother will be greater than he. And his offspring will increase among the nations.”

And he would not, but said, I know it, son, I know it; he also shall be a people, and he shall be exalted, but his younger brother shall be greater than he, and his seed shall become a multitude of nations.

20 And he blessed them at that time, saying: “In you, Israel will be blessed, and it will be said: ‘May God treat you like Ephraim, and like Manasseh.’” And he established Ephraim before Manasseh.

And he blessed them in that day, saying, In you shall Israel be blessed, saying, God make you as Ephraim and Manasse; and he set Ephraim before Manasse.

21 And he said to his son Joseph: “See, I am dying, and God will be with you, and he will lead you back to the land of your fathers.

And Israel said to Joseph, Behold, I die; and God shall be with you, and restore you to the land of your fathers.

22 I give you one part beyond that of your brothers, which I took from the hand of the Amorite with my sword and my bow.”

And I give to you Sicima, a select portion above your brethren, which I took out of the hand of the Amorites with my sword and bow.