Genesis 48

1 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.

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

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

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 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.

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

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 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.

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

Then Israel saw Joseph's sons, and said, "Who are these?"

9 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.

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 were dim through age, and he could not see; and he brought them near to him, and he 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 to Joseph, Behold, I have not been deprived of [seeing] your face, and behold! God has showed me your seed also.

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 [between] his knees, and they did reverence to him, with their face to the ground.

Then Joseph brought them out from between his knees, and he bowed himself with his face to the ground.

13 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.

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 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.

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 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;

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 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.

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 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.

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 to his father, Not so, father; for this is the firstborn; lay your 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 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.

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

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 to Joseph, Behold, I die; and God shall be with you, and restore you to 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 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.

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."