< Genesis 48 >

1 And it came to pass after these things, that one said to Joseph: 'Behold, thy father is sick.' And he took with him his two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim.
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.
2 And one told Jacob, and said: 'Behold, thy son Joseph cometh unto thee.' And Israel strengthened himself, and sat upon the bed.
And it was told to the old man, “Behold, your son Joseph is coming to you.” And being strengthened, he sat up in bed.
3 And Jacob said unto Joseph: 'God Almighty appeared unto me at Luz in the land of Canaan, and blessed me,
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.
4 and said unto me: Behold, I will make thee fruitful, and multiply thee, and I will make of thee a company of peoples; and will give this land to thy seed after thee for an everlasting possession.
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.’
5 And now thy two sons, who were born unto thee in the land of Egypt before I came unto thee into Egypt, are mine; Ephraim and Manasseh, even as Reuben and Simeon, shall be mine.
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.
6 And thy issue, that thou begettest after them, shall be thine; they shall be called after the name of their brethren in their inheritance.
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.
7 And as for me, when I came from Paddan, Rachel died unto me in the land of Canaan in the way, when there was still some way to come unto Ephrath; and I buried her there in the way to Ephrath — the same is Beth-lehem.'
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.”
8 And Israel beheld Joseph's sons, and said: 'Who are these?'
Then, seeing his sons, he said to him: “Who are these?”
9 And Joseph said unto his father: 'They are my sons, whom God hath given me here.' And he said: 'Bring them, I pray thee, unto me, and I will bless them.'
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.”
10 Now the eyes of Israel were dim for age, so that he could not see. And he brought them near unto him; and he kissed them, and embraced them.
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.
11 And Israel said unto Joseph: 'I had not thought to see thy face; and, lo, God hath let me see thy seed also.'
And he said to his son: “I have not been cheated out of seeing you. Moreover, God has shown me your offspring.”
12 And Joseph brought them out from between his knees; and he fell down on his face to the earth.
And when Joseph had taken them from his father’s lap, he reverenced prone on the ground.
13 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 unto him.
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.
14 And Israel stretched out his right hand, and laid it upon Ephraim's head, who was the younger, and his left hand upon Manasseh's head, guiding his hands wittingly; for Manasseh was the first-born.
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.
15 And he blessed Joseph, and said: 'The God before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac did walk, the God who hath been my shepherd all my life long unto this day,
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;
16 the angel who hath redeemed me from all evil, bless the lads; and let my name be named in them, and the name of my fathers Abraham and Isaac; and let them grow into a multitude in the midst of the earth.'
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.”
17 And when Joseph saw that his father was laying his right hand upon the head of Ephraim, it displeased him, and he held up his father's hand, to remove it from Ephraim's head unto Manasseh's head.
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.
18 And Joseph said unto his father: 'Not so, my father, for this is the first-born; put thy right hand upon his head.'
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.”
19 And his father refused, and said: 'I know it, my son, I know it; he also shall become a people, and he also shall be great; howbeit his younger brother shall be greater than he, and his seed shall become a multitude of nations.'
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.”
20 And he blessed them that day, saying: 'By thee shall Israel bless, saying: God make thee as Ephraim and as Manasseh.' And he set Ephraim before Manasseh.
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.
21 And Israel said unto Joseph: 'Behold, I die; but God will be with you, and bring you back unto the land of your fathers.
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.
22 Moreover I have given to thee one portion above thy brethren, which I took out of the hand of the Amorite with my sword and with my bow.'
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.”

< Genesis 48 >