Genesis 48

1 Againe after this, one sayd to Ioseph, Loe, thy father is sicke: then hee tooke with him his two sonnes, Manasseh and Ephraim.

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

2 Also one told Iaakob, and said, Behold, thy sonne Ioseph is come to thee, and Israel tooke his strength vnto him and sate vpon the bed.

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.

3 Then Iaakob sayde vnto Ioseph, God almightie appeared vnto me at Luz in the land of Canaan, and blessed me.

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,

4 And he sayde vnto me, Behold, I wil make thee fruitefull, and will multiplie thee, and will make a great number of people of thee, and will giue this lande vnto thy seede after thee for an euerlasting possession.

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.

5 And now thy two sonnes, Manasseh and Ephraim, which are borne vnto thee in the lande of Egypt, before I came to thee into Egypt, shall be mine, as Reuben and Simeon are mine.

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.

6 But the linage, which thou hast begotten after them, shalbe thine: they shall be called after the names of their brethren in their inheritance.

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

7 Nowe when I came from Padan, Rahel died vpon mine hande in the lande of Canaan, by the way when there was but halfe a dayes iourney of grounde to come to Ephrath: and I buryed her there in the way to Ephrath: the same is Beth-lehem.

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.

8 Then Israel beheld Iosephs sonnes and sayd, Whose are these?

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

9 And Ioseph sayd vnto his father, They are my sonnes, which God hath giuen mee here. Then he sayd, I pray thee, bring them to me, that I may blesse them:

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.

10 (For the eyes of Israel were dimme for age, so that hee coulde not well see) Then he caused them to come to him, and he kissed them and embraced them.

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.

11 And Israel sayde vnto Ioseph, I had not thought to haue seene thy face: yet lo, God hath shewed me also thy seede.

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.

12 And Ioseph tooke them away from his knees, and did reuerence downe to the ground.

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

13 Then tooke Ioseph them both, Ephraim in his right hand towarde Israels left hand, and Manasseh in his left hand toward Israels right hand, so he brought them vnto him.

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.

14 But Israel stretched out his right hand, and layde it on Ephraims head, which was the yonger, and his left hande vpon Manassehs head (directing his handes of purpose) for Manasseh was the elder.

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.

15 Also he blessed Ioseph and sayde, The God, before whom my fathers Abraham and Izhak did walke, the God, which hath fed me al my life long vnto this day, blesse thee.

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,

16 The Angel, which hath deliuered me from all euill, blesse the children, and let my name be named vpon them, and the name of my fathers Abraham and Izhak, that they may growe as fish into a multitude in the middes of the earth.

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.

17 But when Ioseph sawe that his father layde his right hande vpon the head of Ephraim, it displeased him: and he stayed his fathers hand to remooue it from Ephraims head to Manassehs head.

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.

18 And Ioseph sayde vnto his father, Not so, my father, for this is the eldest: put thy right hand vpon his head.

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

19 But his father refused, and sayd, I know well, my sonne, I know well: he shalbe also a people, and he shalbe great likewise: but his yonger brother shalbe greater then he, and his seede shall be full of nations.

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.

20 So he blessed them that day, and sayde, In thee Israel shall blesse, and say, God make thee as Ephraim and as Manasseh. and he set Ephraim before Manasseh.

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.

21 Then Israel said vnto Ioseph, Behold, I die, and God shall be with you, and bring you againe vnto the land of your fathers.

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.

22 Moreouer, I haue giuen vnto thee one portion aboue thy brethren, which I gate out of the hand of the Amorite by my sworde and by my bowe.

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.