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.

It came about after these things, that one said to Joseph, “Look, your father is sick.” So he took with him his two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim.

2 And one told Jacob, and said: 'Behold, thy son Joseph cometh unto thee.' And Israel strengthened himself, and sat upon the bed.

When Jacob was told, “Look, your son Joseph has arrived to see you,” Israel gathered strength and 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,

Jacob said to Joseph, “God Almighty appeared to me at Luz in the land of Canaan. 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 said to me, 'Behold, I will make you fruitful, and multiply you. I will make of you an assembly of nations. I will give this land to your descendants 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.

Now your two sons, who were born to you in the land of Egypt before I came to you into Egypt, they are mine. Ephraim and Manasseh will be mine, just as Reuben and Simeon are mine.

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.

The children you have after them will be yours; they will be listed under the names of their brothers in their inheritance.

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.'

But as for me, when I came from Paddan, to my sorrow Rachel died in the land of Canaan on the way, while there was still some distance to go to Ephrath. I buried her there on the way to Ephrath” (that is, Bethlehem).

8 And Israel beheld Joseph's sons, and said: 'Who are these?'

When Israel saw Joseph's sons, he said, “Whose 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.'

Joseph said to his father, “They are my sons, whom God has given me here.” Israel said, “Bring them to me, 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.

Now Israel's eyes were failing because of his age, so he could not see. So Joseph brought them near to him, and he kissed them 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.'

Israel said to Joseph, “I never expected to see your face again, but God has even allowed me to see your children.”

12 And Joseph brought them out from between his knees; and he fell down on his face to the earth.

Joseph brought them out from between Israel's knees, and then he bowed with his face to the earth.

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.

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 close to 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.

Israel reached out with his right hand and laid it upon Ephraim's head, who was the younger, and his left hand upon Manasseh's head. He crossed his hands, for Manasseh was the firstborn.

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,

Israel blessed Joseph, saying, “The God before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac walked, the God who has cared for me to this 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 has protected me from all harm, may he bless these boys. May my name be named in them, and the name of my fathers Abraham and Isaac. May they grow into a multitude on 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.

When Joseph saw his father place his right hand upon the head of Ephraim, it displeased him. He took 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 first-born; put thy right hand upon his head.'

Joseph said to his father, “Not so, my father; for this is the firstborn. Put your right hand upon 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.'

His father refused and said, “I know, my son, I know. He also will become a people, and he also will be great. Yet his younger brother will be greater than he, and his descendants will become a multitude of 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.

Israel blessed them that day with these words, “The people of Israel will pronounce blessings by your names saying, 'May God make you like Ephraim and like Manasseh'.” In this way, Israel put 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.

Israel said to Joseph, “See, I am about to die, but God will be with you, and will bring 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.'

To you, as one who is above your brothers, I give to you the mountain slope that I took from the Amorites with my sword and my bow.”