1And it came to pass after these things, that [one] told Yosef, Behold, youri father [is] sick: and he took with him his two sons, M’nasheh (causing to forget; from a debt) and Efrayim (Out of the Ashes I am Fruitful; fruitful in affliction).

2And [one] told Ya’akov (he who holds onto the heel of), and said, Behold, youri son Yosef (Increaser; May God the Powerful One add [Yah]) comes unto youi: and Isra’el (he who holds onto God-The Creator) strengthened himself, and sat upon the bed.

3And Ya’akov said unto Yosef, El-Shaddai [Almighty God the Creator] appeared unto me at Luz [Almond Tree] (almond tree) in the land of Kena’an (merchant; trader; or that humbles and subdues), and Blessed (Favored by God; happy; prosperous) me,

4And said unto me, Behold, I will make youi fruitful, and multiply youi, and I will make of youi a multitude of people; and will give this land to youri seed after youi [for] an everlasting possession.

5And now youri two sons, Efrayim (Out of the Ashes I am Fruitful; fruitful in affliction) and M’nasheh (causing to forget; from a debt), which were born unto youi in the land of Mitzrayim [Egypt] (Double Distress or Double Stronghold, Black Land) before I came unto youi into Mitzrayim [Egypt], [are] my; as Re’uven (behold a son) and Shim’on (heard; he who hears; man of hearing), they shall be my.

6And youri issue (what comes forth) [children], which youi father after them, shall be yoursi, [and] shall be called after the name of their brethren in their inheritance.

7And as for me, when I came from Paddan (a plain; a field), Rachel (ewe) died by me in the land of Kena’an (merchant; trader; or that humbles and subdues) in the way, when yet [there was] but a little way to come unto Efrat (ash-heap: place of fruitfulness): and I buried her there in the way of Efrat; the same [is] Beit-Lechem (House of Bread emphasizing: House of Battle).

8And Isra’el (he who holds onto God-The Creator) beheld Yosef’s (Increaser; May God the Powerful One add [Yah]) sons, and said, Who [are] these?

9And Yosef (Increaser; May God the Powerful One add [Yah]) said unto his father, They [are] my sons, whom God-Elōhīm [The Living Word - The Many Powered] has given me in this [place]. And he said, Bring them, I pray youi, unto me, and I will bless them.

10Now the eyes of Isra’el (he who holds onto God-The Creator) were dim for age, [so that] he could not see. And he brought them near unto him; and he kissed them, and embraced them.

11And Isra’el said unto Yosef, I had not thought to see youri face: and, lo, God-Elōhīm [The Living Word - The Many Powered] has showed me also youri seed.

12And Yosef brought them out from between his knees, and he bowed himself with his face to the earth.

13And Yosef (Increaser; May God the Powerful One add [Yah]) took them both, Efrayim (Out of the Ashes I am Fruitful; fruitful in affliction) in his right hand toward Isra’el’s (he who holds onto God-The Creator) left hand, and M’nasheh (causing to forget; from a debt) in his left hand toward Isra’el’s (he who holds onto God-The Creator) right hand, and brought [them] near unto him.

14And Isra’el (he who holds onto God-The Creator) stretched out his right hand, and laid [it] upon Efrayim’s head, who [was] the younger, and his left hand upon M’nasheh’s head, guiding his hands wittingly; for M’nasheh [was] the firstborn.

15And he Blessed (Favored by God; happy; prosperous) Yosef, and said, God-Elōhīm [The Living Word - The Many Powered], before whom my fathers’ Avraham [exalted father/Fly They Will] and Yitz’chak [Laughter] did walk, the God-Elōhīm [The Living Word - The Many Powered] which fed me all my life long unto this day,

16The Angel which redeemed me from all evil, bless the lads; and let my name be named on them, and the name of my fathers Avraham [exalted father/Fly They Will] and Yitz’chak [Laughter]; and let them grow into a multitude in the midst of the earth.

17And when Yosef saw that his father laid his right hand upon the head of Efrayim, it displeased him: and he held up his father’s hand, to remove it from Efrayim’s head unto M’nasheh’s head.

18And Yosef said unto his father, Not so, my father: for this [is] the firstborn; put youri right hand upon his head.

19And 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: but truly his younger brother shall be greater than he, and his seed shall become a multitude of nations.

20And he Blessed (Favored by God; happy; prosperous) them that day, saying, In youi shall Isra’el bless, saying, God-Elōhīm [The Living Word - The Many Powered] make youi as Efrayim and as M’nasheh: and he set Efrayim before M’nasheh.

21And Isra’el said unto Yosef, Behold, I die: but God-Elōhīm [The Living Word - The Many Powered] shall be with you, and bring youf again unto the land of yourf fathers.

22Moreover I have given to youi one portion above youri brethren, which I took out of the hand of the Emori with my sword and with my bow.

For more information about the NMV, details about why the names of God are notated and translated as they are, or to learn about the special markings and translations used in this text, click below.

Follow the instructions and you will receive the free e-book by email.

Learn More

Genesis 48

Jacob Blesses Ephraim and Manasseh

1Some time later Joseph was told, “Your father is ill.” So he set out with his two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim. 2When Jacob was told, “Your son Joseph has come to you,” Israel rallied his strength and sat up in bed.

3Jacob said to Joseph, “God Almighty #48:3 Hebrew El-Shaddai appeared to me at Luz in the land of Canaan, and there He blessed me 4and 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.’

5And 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. 6Any 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.

7Now as for me, when I was returning from Paddan,#48:7 That is, northwest Mesopotamia 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).

8When Israel saw the sons of Joseph, he asked, “Who are these?”

9Joseph 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.”

10Now 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“I never expected to see your face again,” Israel said to Joseph, “but now God has let me see your children as well.”

12Then Joseph removed his sons from his father’s knees and bowed facedown.

13And 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. 14But 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. 15Then 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,

16the angel #48:16 Or 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.”

17When 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“Not so, my father!” Joseph said. “This one is the firstborn; put your right hand on his head.”

19But 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.”

20So 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.

21Then 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. 22And to you, as one who is above your brothers, I give the ridge of land #48:22 Or one portion of the land; Hebrew shekem, which sounds like the town and district called Shechem that I took from the Amorites with my sword and bow.”

Learn More

Choose your language

Genesis 48

Genesis 48