Genesis 48

1 Now after these things, word came to Joseph that his father was ill: and he took with him his sons Manasseh and Ephraim.

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.

2 And when they said to Jacob, Your son Joseph is coming to see you: then Israel, getting all his strength together, had himself lifted up in his bed.

And one told Jacob, and said—Lo! thy son Joseph, coming in unto thee. So Israel strengthened himself, and sat up on the couch.

3 And Jacob said to Joseph, God, the Ruler of all, came to me in a vision at Luz in the land of Canaan, and gave me his blessing,

Then said Jacob unto Joseph, GOD Almighty, appeared unto me in Luz in the land of Canaan, —and blessed me;

4 And said to me, Truly, I will make you fertile and give you increase and will make of you a great family of nations: and I will give this land to your seed after you to be their heritage for ever.

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.

5 And now your two sons who came to birth in Egypt before I came to you here, are mine; Ephraim and Manasseh will be mine, in the same way as Reuben and Simeon are.

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!

6 And any other offspring which you have after them, will be yours, and will be named after their brothers in their heritage.

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.

7 And as for me, when I came from Paddan, death overtook Rachel on the way, when we were still some distance from Ephrath; and I put her to rest there on the road to Ephrath, which is Beth-lehem.

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.

8 Then Israel, looking at Joseph's sons, said, Who are these?

Then Israel saw Joseph’s sons, —and said—Who are these?

9 And Joseph said to his father, They are my sons, whom God has given me in this land. And he said, Let them come near me, and I will give them a blessing.

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.

10 Now because Israel was old, his eyes were no longer clear, and he was not able to see. So he made them come near to him, and he gave them a kiss, folding them in his arms.

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.

11 And Israel said to Joseph, I had no hope of seeing your face again, but God in his mercy has let me see you and your children.

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!

12 Then Joseph took them from between his knees, and went down on his face to the earth.

And Joseph brought them out from beside his knees, and bowed himself down with his face towards the earth.

13 Then taking Ephraim with his right hand, Joseph put him at Israel's left side, and with his left hand he put Manasseh at Israel's right side, placing them near him.

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.

14 And Israel, stretching out his right hand, put it on the head of Ephraim, the younger, and his left hand on the head of Manasseh, crossing his hands on purpose, for Manasseh was the older.

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.

15 And he gave Joseph a blessing, saying, May the God to whom my fathers, Abraham and Isaac, gave worship, the God who has taken care of me all my life till this day,

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; —

16 The angel who has been my saviour from all evil, send his blessing on these children: and let my name and the name of my fathers, Abraham and Isaac, be given to them; and let them become a great nation in the earth.

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!

17 Now when Joseph saw that his father had put his right hand on the head of Ephraim, it did not seem right to him; and lifting his father's hand he would have put it on the head of Manasseh.

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.

18 And Joseph said to his father, Not so, my father, for this is the older; put your right hand on his head.

And Joseph said unto his father—Not so, my father! for, this, is the firstborn, lay thy right hand upon his head.

19 But his father would not, saying, I am doing it on purpose, my son; he will certainly become a nation and a great one; but his younger brother will be greater than he, and his seed will become a great family of nations.

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.

20 So he gave them his blessing that day, saying, You will be the sign of blessing in Israel, for they will say, May God make you like Ephraim and Manasseh; and he put Ephraim before Manasseh.

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.

21 Then Israel said to Joseph, Now my death is near; but God will be with you, guiding you back to the land of your fathers.

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.

22 And I have given you more than your brothers, even Shechem as your heritage, which I took from the Amorites with my sword and my bow.

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.