Genesis 48

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.

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Genesis 48

Jacob Blesses Ephraim and Manasseh

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

3Jacob said to Joseph, “God Almighty#Gn 17:1 appeared to me at Luz#Gn 28:13,19; 35:6,9 in the land of Canaan and blessed me. 4He said to me, ‘I will make you fruitful and numerous; I will make many nations come from you, and I will give this land as a permanent possession#Gn 17:8 to your future descendants.’#Gn 35:9–12 5Your two sons#Gn 41:50–52; 46:20 born to you in the land of Egypt before I came to you in Egypt are now mine.#Jos 13:7; 14:4; 17:17 Ephraim and Manasseh belong to me just as Reuben and Simeon do. 6Children born to you after them will be yours and will be recorded under the names of their brothers with regard to their inheritance. 7When I was returning from Paddan, to my sorrow Rachel died along the way,#Gn 35:9–19 some distance from Ephrath in the land of Canaan. I buried her there along the way to Ephrath” (that is, Bethlehem).

8When Israel saw Joseph’s sons, he said, “Who are these?”

9And Joseph said to his father, “They are my sons God has given me here.”

So Israel said, “Bring them to me and I will bless them.”#Gn 27:4; 49:25–26; Heb 11:21 10Now his eyesight was poor because of old age; he could hardly#48:10 Lit he was not able to see.#Gn 27:1 Joseph brought them to him, and he kissed and embraced them.#Gn 27:27 11Israel said to Joseph, “I never expected to see your face again, but now God has even let me see your offspring.” 12Then Joseph took them from his father’s knees and bowed with his face to the ground.#Gn 18:2; 24:52; 33:3; 42:6; 43:26; Ex 34:8

Ephraim’s Greater Blessing

13Then Joseph took them both — with his right hand Ephraim toward Israel’s left, and with his left hand Manasseh toward Israel’s right — and brought them to Israel. 14But Israel stretched out his right hand and put it on the head of Ephraim, the younger, and crossing his hands, put his left on Manasseh’s head, although Manasseh was the firstborn.#Gn 25:23; 27:18–30 15Then he blessed Joseph and said:

The God before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac walked,#Gn 17:1; 24:40

the God who has been my shepherd#Gn 49:24; Ps 23:1; Jr 31:10 all my life to this day,

16the angel who has redeemed me from all harm#Gn 28:13–15; 31:11; Is 63:9; Ac 7:35 —

may he bless these boys.

And may they be called by my name

and the names of my fathers Abraham and Isaac,#Dt 28:10; 2Ch 7:14; Is 4:1; 43:1; 48:1

and may they grow to be numerous within the land.

17When Joseph saw that his father had placed his right hand on Ephraim’s head, he thought it was a mistake#48:17 Or he was displeased; lit head, it was bad in his eyes and took his father’s hand to move it from Ephraim’s head to Manasseh’s. 18Joseph said to his father, “Not that way, my father! This one is the firstborn. Put your right hand on his head.”

19But his father refused and said, “I know, my son, I know! He too will become a tribe,#48:19 Lit people and he too will be great; nevertheless, his younger brother will be greater than he, and his offspring will become a populous nation.”#48:19 Or a multitude of nations; lit a fullness of nations 20So he blessed them that day, putting Ephraim before Manasseh when he said, “The nation Israel will invoke blessings by you, saying, ‘May God make you like Ephraim and Manasseh.’”

21Israel said to Joseph, “Look, I am about to die, but God will be with you and will bring you back to the land of your fathers.#Gn 46:4; 50:24 22Over and above what I am giving your brothers, I am giving you the one mountain slope#48:22 Or Shechem, Joseph’s burial place; lit one shoulder that I took from the Amorites with my sword and bow.”#Gn 34:25–29; Jos 24:32; Jn 4:5

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