Genesis 48

1 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.

Some time later Joseph was told, “Your father is ill.” So he set out with his two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim.

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

When Jacob was told, “Your son Joseph has come to you,” Israel rallied his strength and sat up in bed.

3 Then said Jacob unto Joseph, GOD Almighty, appeared unto me in 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, and there He blessed me

4 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.

and told me, ‘Behold, I will make you fruitful and multiply you; I will make you a multitude of peoples, and will give this land to your descendants after you as an everlasting possession.’

5 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!

And now your two sons born to you in Egypt before I came to you here shall be reckoned as mine; Ephraim and Manasseh shall be mine, just as Reuben and Simeon are mine.

6 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.

Any children born to you after them shall be yours, and they shall be called by the names of their brothers in the territory they inherit.

7 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.

Now as for me, when I was returning from Paddan, to my sorrow Rachel died along the way in the land of Canaan, some distance from Ephrath. So I buried her there beside the road to Ephrath” (that is, Bethlehem).

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

When Israel saw the sons of Joseph, he asked, “Who are these?”

9 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.

Joseph said to his father, “They are the sons God has given me in this place.” So Jacob said, “Please bring them to me, that I may bless them.”

10 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.

Now Israel’s eyesight was poor because of old age; he could hardly see. Joseph brought his sons to him, and his father kissed them and embraced them.

11 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!

“I never expected to see your face again,” Israel said to Joseph, “but now God has let me see your children as well.”

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

Then Joseph removed his sons from his father’s knees and bowed facedown.

13 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.

And Joseph took both of them—with 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 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.

But Israel stretched out his right hand and put it on the head of Ephraim, the younger; and crossing his hands, he put his left on Manasseh’s head, although Manasseh was the firstborn.

15 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; —

Then he blessed Joseph and said: “May 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 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!

the angel who has redeemed me from all harm— may He bless these boys. And may they be called by my name and the names of my fathers Abraham and Isaac, and may they grow into a multitude upon the earth.”

17 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.

When Joseph saw that his father had placed his right hand on Ephraim’s head, he was displeased and took his father’s hand to move it from Ephraim’s head to Manasseh’s.

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

“Not so, my father!” Joseph said. “This one is the firstborn; put your right hand on his head.”

19 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.

But his father refused. “I know, my son, I know!” he said. “He too shall become a people, and he too shall be great; nevertheless, his younger brother shall be greater than he, and his offspring shall become a multitude of nations.”

20 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.

So that day Jacob blessed them and said: “By you shall Israel pronounce this blessing: ‘May God make you like Ephraim and Manasseh.’” So he put Ephraim before Manasseh.

21 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.

Then Israel said to Joseph, “Look, I am about to die, but God will be with you and bring you back to the land of your fathers.

22 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.

And to you, as one who is above your brothers, I give the ridge of land that I took from the Amorites with my sword and bow.”