Genesis 48

Israel’s Last Days

1Now it came about after these things that #48:1 Lit one said to JosephJoseph was told, “Behold, your father is sick.” So he took his two sons Manasseh and Ephraim with him. 2When #48:2 Lit one told Jacob and saidit was told to Jacob, “Behold, your son Joseph has come to you,” Israel #48:2 Lit strengthened himselfcollected his strength and sat #48:2 Lit upon the bedup in the bed. 3Then Jacob said to Joseph, “#48:3 Heb El ShaddaiGod Almighty appeared to me at Luz in the land of Canaan and blessed me, 4and He said to me, ‘Behold, I will make you fruitful and numerous, and I will make you a multitude of peoples, and will give this land to your #48:4 Lit seeddescendants after you as an everlasting possession.’ 5Now your two sons, who were born to you in the land of Egypt before I came to you in Egypt, are mine; Ephraim and Manasseh shall be mine, as Reuben and Simeon are. 6But your children that you have fathered after them shall be yours; they shall be called by the #48:6 Lit namenames of their brothers in their inheritance. 7Now as for me, when I came from Paddan, Rachel died, #48:7 Lit upon meto my sorrow, in the land of Canaan on the journey, when there was still some distance to go to Ephrath. I buried her there on 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, whom God has given me here.” So he said, “Bring them to me, please, so that I may bless them.” 10Now the eyes of Israel were so #48:10 Lit dulldim from age that he could not see. And #48:10 Lit heJoseph brought them close to him, and he kissed them and embraced them. 11And Israel said to Joseph, “I never #48:11 Lit assumedexpected to see your face, and behold, God has let me see your #48:11 Lit seedchildren as well!” 12Then Joseph #48:12 Lit made them come outtook them from his knees, and bowed with his face to the ground. 13And Joseph took them both, Ephraim with his right hand toward Israel’s left, and Manasseh with his left hand toward Israel’s right, and brought them close to him. 14But Israel reached out his right hand and placed it on the head of Ephraim, who was the younger, and his left hand on Manasseh’s head, crossing his hands, although Manasseh was the firstborn. 15And he blessed Joseph, and said,

“The God before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac walked,

The God who has been my shepherd #48:15 Lit from the continuance of meall my life to this day,

16The angel who has redeemed me from all evil,

Bless the boys;

And may my name #48:16 Lit be calledlive on in them,

And the #48:16 Lit namenames of my fathers Abraham and Isaac;

And may they grow into a multitude in the midst of the earth.”

17When Joseph saw that his father placed his right hand on Ephraim’s head, it displeased him; and he grasped his father’s hand to move 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. Place your right hand on his head.” 19But his father refused and said, “I know, my son, I know; he also will become a people and he also will be great. However, his younger brother shall be greater than he, and his #48:19 Lit seeddescendants shall become #48:19 Lit the fullnessa multitude of nations.” 20So he blessed them that day, saying,

“By you Israel will pronounce blessing, saying,

‘May God make you like Ephraim and Manasseh!’ ”

And so he put Ephraim before Manasseh. 21Then Israel said to Joseph, “Behold, I am about to die, but God will be with you, and bring you back to the land of your fathers. 22And I give you one #48:22 Or ridge; lit shoulder; Heb Shechemportion more than your brothers, which I took from the hand of the Amorite with my sword and my bow.”

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Genesis 48

Blessings for Manasseh and Ephraim

1Some time later Joseph learned that his father was very sick. So he took his two sons Manasseh and Ephraim and went to his father. 2When Joseph arrived, someone told Jacob, also called Israel, “Your son Joseph has come to see you.” Jacob was weak. So he used all his strength and sat up on his bed.

3Then Jacob said to Joseph, “God All-Powerful appeared to me at Luz in the land of Canaan. God blessed me there. 4He said to me, ‘I will give you many children. I will make you the father of many peoples. And I will give your descendants this land forever.’ 5Your two sons were born here in Egypt before I came. They will be counted as my own sons. Ephraim and Manasseh will be my sons just as Reuben and Simeon are my sons. 6But if you have other children, they will be your own. But their land will be part of the land given to Ephraim and Manasseh. 7When I came from Northwest Mesopotamia, Rachel died in the land of Canaan. We were traveling toward Ephrath. This made me very sad. I buried her there beside the road to Ephrath.” (Today Ephrath is Bethlehem.)

8Then Israel saw Joseph’s sons. He said, “Who are these boys?”

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

Israel said, “Bring your sons to me so I may bless them.”

10At this time Israel’s eyesight was bad because he was old. So Joseph brought the boys close to him. Israel kissed the boys and put his arms around them. 11He said to Joseph, “I thought I would never see you alive again. And now God has let me see you and also your children.” 12Then Joseph moved his sons off Israel’s lap. Joseph bowed facedown to the ground. 13He put Ephraim on his right side and Manasseh on his left. (So Ephraim was near Israel’s left hand, and Manasseh was near Israel’s right hand.) Joseph brought the boys close to Israel. 14But Israel crossed his arms. He put his right hand on the head of Ephraim, who was younger. He put his left hand on the head of Manasseh. But he was the firstborn son. 15And Israel blessed Joseph and said,

“My ancestors Abraham and Isaac served our God.

And like a shepherd God has led me all my life.

16He was the Angel who saved me from all my troubles.

Now I pray that he will bless these boys.

May my name be known through these boys.

And may the names of my ancestors Abraham and Isaac be known through them.

May they have many descendants on the earth.”

17Joseph saw that his father put his right hand on Ephraim’s head. Joseph didn’t like it. So he took hold of his father’s hand. He wanted to move it from Ephraim’s head to Manasseh’s head. 18Joseph said to his father, “You are doing it wrong, Father. Manasseh is the firstborn son. Put your right hand on his head.”

19But his father refused and said, “I know, my son, I know. Manasseh will be great and have many descendants. But his younger brother will be greater. And his descendants will be enough to make a nation.”

20So Israel blessed them that day. He said,

“When a blessing is given in Israel, they will say:

‘May God make you like Ephraim and Manasseh.’”

In this way he made Ephraim greater than Manasseh.

21Then Israel said to Joseph, “Look at me. I am about to die. But God will be with you. He will take you back to the land of your fathers. 22I have given you something that I did not give your brothers. I have given you the land of Shechem that I took from the Amorite people. I took it with my sword and my bow.”

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