< Genesis 48 >

1 And it came to pass after these things, that one said to Joseph, Lo! thy father, is sick. So he took his two sons with him, Manasseh and Ephraim.
And it came about after these things that someone said to Joseph, "Look, your father is sick." And taking with him his two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim, he went to Jacob.
2 And one told Jacob, and said—Lo! thy son Joseph, coming in unto thee. So Israel strengthened himself, and sat up on the couch.
And someone reported to Jacob, and said, "Look, your son Joseph has come to you." Then Israel strengthened himself and sat up in the bed.
3 Then said Jacob unto Joseph, GOD Almighty, appeared unto me in Luz in the land of Canaan, —and blessed me;
And Jacob said to Joseph, "El Shaddai appeared to me at Luz in the land of Canaan and blessed me,
4 and said unto me—Behold me! about to make thee fruitful, so will I multiply thee, and give thee to become a multitude of peoples, —so will I give this land to thy seed after thee, as an age-abiding possession.
and said to me, 'Look, 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 descendants after you as an everlasting possession.'
5 Now, therefore thy two sons who were born to thee in the land of Egypt, before I came in unto thee in Egypt, are mine! Ephraim and Manasseh, like Reuben and Simeon, shall be mine!
And 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 will be mine, as Reuben and Simeon are.
6 But thine offspring which thou hast begotten after them, thine own shall they be, —after the name of their brethren, shall they be called in their inheritance.
And your offspring born to you after them will be yours. But in their inheritance they are to be called after the names of their brothers.
7 But, as for me, when I came in from Padan, Rachel died by me, in the land of Canaan, in the way, while yet there was a stretch of country to come into Ephrath, —so I buried her there in the way to Ephrath, the same, is Bethlehem.
But as for me, when I came from Paddan Aram, Rachel died, in my sorrow, in the land of Canaan on the journey, when there was still some distance to go to Ephrath. And I buried her there on the way to Ephrath (that is, Bethlehem)."
8 Then Israel saw Joseph’s sons, —and said—Who are these?
Then Israel saw Joseph's sons, and said, "Who are these?"
9 And Joseph said unto his father, My sons, they are, whom God hath given me, in this place. And he said—Bring them, I pray thee, unto me, that I may bless them.
And Joseph said to his father, "They are my sons, whom God has given me here." And he said, "Please bring them to me, so that I can bless them."
10 Now, the eyes of Israel, had become dim from old age, —he could not see, —so he drew them near unto him, and kissed them, and embraced them.
Now the eyes of Israel were failing because of his age, so that he couldn't see. Then he brought them near to him, and he kissed them and embraced them.
11 And Israel said unto Joseph, To see thine own face, had I not thought, —and lo! God hath caused me to see even thy seed!
And Israel said to Joseph, "I did not expect to see your face, but look, God has let me see your offspring as well."
12 And Joseph brought them out from beside his knees, and bowed himself down with his face towards the earth.
Then Joseph brought them out from between his knees, and he bowed himself with his face to the ground.
13 And Joseph took them both, —Ephraim in his right hand on Israel’s left hand, and Manasseh in his left hand, on Israel’s right hand, and drew them near unto him.
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 to him.
14 Then Israel put forth his right hand and laid it upon the head of Ephraim, though, he, was the younger, and his left hand upon the head of Manasseh, —crossing his hands, although, Manasseh, was the first-born.
And Israel stretched out his right hand and placed it on Ephraim's head, who was the younger, and his left hand on Manasseh's head, crossing his hands, although Manasseh was the firstborn.
15 Thus blessed he Joseph, and said, —God himself—before whom walked my fathers. Abraham and Isaac, God himself—who hath been my shepherd, since I came into being until this day; —
Then he blessed Joseph, and said, "The God before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac walked, the God who has been my shepherd all my life to this day,
16 The Messenger—who hath been my redeemer from all evil—bless the lads! And may there be called upon them, my name, and the name of my fathers. Abraham and Isaac; And may they swarm into a multitude, in the midst of the earth!
the Angel who has redeemed me from all evil, bless the boys. And may my name be carried on in them, and the names of my fathers Abraham and Isaac. And may they grow into a multitude upon the earth."
17 And Joseph saw that his father had laid his right hand on the head of Ephraim and it was displeasing in his eyes, —so he took hold of his father’s hand to remove it from off the head of Ephraim, on to the head of Manasseh.
When Joseph saw that his father placed his right hand on the head of Ephraim, 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 unto his father—Not so, my father! for, this, is the firstborn, lay thy right hand upon his head.
And Joseph said to his father, "Not so, my father, for this one is the firstborn. Put your right hand on his head."
19 And his father refused, and said—I know—my son, I know! He also, shall become a people, and he also, shall become great, —but nevertheless, his younger brother, shall become greater than he, and his seed, shall become a filling up of the nations.
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 will be greater than he, and his descendants will become a multitude of nations."
20 And he blessed them on that day, saying—In thee, let Israel bless himself saying, God set thee as Ephraim, and as Manasseh! So he set Ephraim before Manasseh.
So he blessed them that day, saying, "By you Israel will pronounce blessing, saying, 'God make you as Ephraim and as Manasseh.'" Thus he put Ephraim before Manasseh.
21 And Israel said unto Joseph: Lo! I, am about to die, —but it shall come to pass that, God will be with you, and will take you back into the land of your fathers.
Then Israel said to Joseph, "Look, I am about to die, but God will be with you, and God will bring you back from this land to the land of your fathers.
22 But, I, have given to thee one mountain-track above thy brethren, —which I took out of the hand of the Amorite, with my sword and with my bow.
Moreover, I give to you one portion more than your brothers, which I took out of the hand of the Amorites with my sword and with my bow."

< Genesis 48 >