Genesis 48
48
1After these things, it was told Joseph that his father was sick: and he set out to go to him, taking his two sons Manasses and Ephraim.
2And it was told the old man: Behold, thy son Joseph cometh to thee. And being strengthened he sat on his bed.
3And when Joseph was come in to him, he said: God Almighty appeared to me at Luza, which is in the land of Chanaan, and he blessed me.
4And he said: I will cause thee to increase and multiply, and I will make of thee a multitude of people. And I will give this land to thee, and to thy seed after thee for an everlasting possession.
5So thy two sons, who were born to thee in the land of Egypt before I came hither to thee, shall be mine: Ephraim and Manasses shall be reputed to me as Ruben and Simeon.
6But the rest, whom thou shalt have after them, shall be thine, and shall be called by the name of their brethren in their possessions.
7For, when I came out of Mesopotamia, Rachel died from me in the land of Chanaan in the very journey. And it was springtime, and I was going to Ephrata, and I buried her near the way of Ephrata, which by another name is called Bethlehem.
8Then seeing his sons, he said to him: Who are these?
9He answered: They are my sons, whom God hath given me in this place. And he said: Bring them to me that I may bless them.
10For Israel's eyes were dim by reason of his great age, and he could not see clearly. And when they were brought to him, he kissed and embraced them.
11And said to his son: I am not deprived of seeing thee. Moreover God hath shewed me thy seed.
12And when Joseph had taken them from his father's lap, he bowed down with his face to the ground.
13And he set Ephraim on his right hand, that is, towards the left hand of Israel; but Manasses on his left hand, to wit, towards his father's right hand: and brought them near to him.
14But he stretching forth his right hand, put it upon the head of Ephraim the younger brother; and the left upon the head of Manasses who was the elder, changing his hands.
15And Jacob blessed the sons of Joseph, and said: God, in whose sight my fathers Abraham and Isaac walked, God that feedeth me from my youth until this day:
16The angel that delivereth me from all evils bless these boys: and let my name be called upon them, and the names of my fathers Abraham, and Isaac: and may they grow into a multitude upon the earth.
17And Joseph, seeing that his father had put his right hand upon the head of Ephraim, was much displeased: and taking his father's hand he tried to lift it from Ephraim's head, and to remove it to the head of Manasses.
18And he said to his father: It should not be so, my father: for this is the firstborn, put thy right hand upon his head.
19But he refusing, said: I know, my son, I know. And this also shall become peoples, and shall be multiplied: but this younger brother shall be greater than he: and his seed shall grow into nations.
20And he blessed them at that time, saying: In thee shall Israel be blessed. And it shall be said: God do to thee as to Ephraim, and as to Manasses. And he set Ephraim before Manasses.
21And he said to Joseph his son: Behold, I die, and God will be with you, and will bring you back into the land of your fathers.
22I give thee a portion above thy brethren, which I took out of the hand of the Amorrhite with my sword and bow.
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Genesis 48: DRC1752
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An historical text maintained by the British and Foreign Bible Society.
Genesis 48
48
Jacob Blesses Joseph’s Sons
1Now it came to pass after these things that Joseph was told, “Indeed your father is sick”; and he took with him his two sons, #Gen. 41:51, 56; 46:20; 50:23; Josh. 14:4Manasseh and Ephraim. 2And Jacob was told, “Look, your son Joseph is coming to you”; and Israel strengthened himself and sat up on the bed. 3Then Jacob said to Joseph: “God #Gen. 43:14; 49:25Almighty appeared to me at #Gen. 28:13, 19; 35:6, 9Luz in the land of Canaan and blessed me, 4and said to me, ‘Behold, I will #Gen. 46:3make you fruitful and multiply you, and I will make of you a multitude of people, and #Gen. 35:12; Ex. 6:8give this land to your descendants after you #Gen. 17:8as an everlasting possession.’ 5And now your #Gen. 41:50; 46:20; 48:8; Josh. 13:7; 14:4two sons, Ephraim and Manasseh, who were born to you in the land of Egypt before I came to you in Egypt, are mine; as Reuben and Simeon, they shall be mine. 6Your offspring whom you beget after them shall be yours; they will be called by the name of their brothers in their inheritance. 7But as for me, when I came from Padan, #Gen. 35:9, 16, 19, 20Rachel died beside me in the land of Canaan on the way, when there was but a little distance to go to Ephrath; and I buried her there on the way to Ephrath (that is, Bethlehem).”
8Then Israel saw Joseph’s sons, and said, “Who are these?”
9And Joseph said to his father, “They are my sons, whom God has given me in this place.”
And he said, “Please bring them to me, and #Gen. 27:4; 47:15I will bless them.” 10Now #Gen. 27:1; 1 Sam. 3:2the eyes of Israel were dim with age, so that he could not see. Then Joseph brought them near him, and he #Gen. 27:27; 45:15; 50:1kissed them and embraced them. 11And Israel said to Joseph, #Gen. 45:26“I had not thought to see your face; but in fact, God has also shown me your offspring!”
12So Joseph brought them from beside his knees, and he bowed down with his face to the earth. 13And Joseph took them both, Ephraim with his right hand toward Israel’s left hand, and Manasseh with his left hand toward Israel’s right hand, and brought them near him. 14Then Israel stretched out his right hand and #Matt. 19:15; Mark 10:16laid it on Ephraim’s head, who was the younger, and his left hand on Manasseh’s head, #Gen. 48:19guiding his hands knowingly, for Manasseh was the #Gen. 41:51, 52; Josh. 17:1firstborn. 15And #Gen. 47:7, 10; 49:24; (Heb. 11:21)he blessed Joseph, and said:
“God, #Gen. 17:1; 24:40; 2 Kin. 20:3before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac walked,
The God who has fed me all my life long to this day,
16The Angel #Gen. 22:11, 15–18; 28:13–15; 31:11; (Ps. 34:22; 121:7)who has redeemed me from all evil,
Bless the lads;
Let #Amos 9:12; Acts 15:17my name be named upon them,
And the name of my fathers Abraham and Isaac;
And let them #Num. 26:34, 37grow into a multitude in the midst of the earth.”
17Now when Joseph saw that his father #Gen. 48:14laid his right hand on the head of Ephraim, it displeased him; so he took hold of his father’s hand to remove it from Ephraim’s head to Manasseh’s head. 18And Joseph said to his father, “Not so, my father, for this one is the firstborn; put your right hand on his head.”
19But his father refused and said, #Gen. 48:14“I know, my son, I know. He also shall become a people, and he also shall be great; but truly #Num. 1:33, 35; Deut. 33:17his younger brother shall be greater than he, and his descendants shall become a multitude of nations.”
20So he blessed them that day, saying, #Ruth 4:11, 12“By you Israel will bless, saying, ‘May God make you as Ephraim and as Manasseh!’ ” And thus he set Ephraim before Manasseh.
21Then Israel said to Joseph, “Behold, I am dying, but #Gen. 28:15; 46:4; 50:24God will be with you and bring you back to the land of your fathers. 22Moreover #Gen. 14:7; Josh. 24:32; John 4:5I have given to you one portion above your brothers, which I took from the hand #Gen. 34:28of the Amorite with my sword and my bow.”
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The Holy Bible, New King James Version, Copyright © 1982 Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved.