Genesis 48:12-22
New Living Translation
12 Joseph moved the boys, who were at their grandfather’s knees, and he bowed with his face to the ground. 13 Then he positioned the boys in front of Jacob. With his right hand he directed Ephraim toward Jacob’s left hand, and with his left hand he put Manasseh at Jacob’s right hand. 14 But Jacob crossed his arms as he reached out to lay his hands on the boys’ heads. He put his right hand on the head of Ephraim, though he was the younger boy, and his left hand on the head of Manasseh, though he was the firstborn. 15 Then he blessed Joseph and said,
“May the God before whom my grandfather Abraham
and my father, Isaac, walked—
the God who has been my shepherd
all my life, to this very day,
16 the Angel who has redeemed me from all harm—
may he bless these boys.
May they preserve my name
and the names of Abraham and Isaac.
And may their descendants multiply greatly
throughout the earth.”
17 But Joseph was upset when he saw that his father placed his right hand on Ephraim’s head. So Joseph lifted it to move it from Ephraim’s head to Manasseh’s head. 18 “No, my father,” he said. “This one is the firstborn. Put your right hand on his head.”
19 But his father refused. “I know, my son; I know,” he replied. “Manasseh will also become a great people, but his younger brother will become even greater. And his descendants will become a multitude of nations.”
20 So Jacob blessed the boys that day with this blessing: “The people of Israel will use your names when they give a blessing. They will say, ‘May God make you as prosperous as Ephraim and Manasseh.’” In this way, Jacob put Ephraim ahead of Manasseh.
21 Then Jacob said to Joseph, “Look, I am about to die, but God will be with you and will take you back to Canaan, the land of your ancestors. 22 And beyond what I have given your brothers, I am giving you an extra portion of the land[a] that I took from the Amorites with my sword and bow.”
Read full chapterFootnotes
- 48:22 Or an extra ridge of land. The meaning of the Hebrew is uncertain.
Genesis 48:12-22
New International Version
12 Then Joseph removed them from Israel’s knees(A) and bowed down with his face to the ground.(B) 13 And Joseph took both of them, Ephraim on his right toward Israel’s left hand and Manasseh on his left toward Israel’s right hand,(C) and brought them close to him. 14 But Israel(D) reached out his right hand and put it on Ephraim’s head,(E) though he was the younger,(F) and crossing his arms, he put his left hand on Manasseh’s head, even though Manasseh was the firstborn.(G)
15 Then he blessed(H) Joseph and said,
“May the God before whom my fathers
Abraham and Isaac walked faithfully,(I)
the God who has been my shepherd(J)
all my life to this day,
16 the Angel(K) who has delivered me from all harm(L)
—may he bless(M) these boys.(N)
May they be called by my name
and the names of my fathers Abraham and Isaac,(O)
and may they increase greatly
on the earth.”(P)
17 When Joseph saw his father placing his right hand(Q) on Ephraim’s head(R) he was displeased; so he took hold of his father’s hand to move it from Ephraim’s head to Manasseh’s head. 18 Joseph said to him, “No, my father, this one is the firstborn; put your right hand on his head.”(S)
19 But his father refused and said, “I know, my son, I know. He too will become a people, and he too will become great.(T) Nevertheless, his younger brother will be greater than he,(U) and his descendants will become a group of nations.(V)” 20 He blessed(W) them that day(X) and said,
“In your[a] name will Israel(Y) pronounce this blessing:(Z)
‘May God make you like Ephraim(AA) and Manasseh.(AB)’”
So he put Ephraim ahead of Manasseh.
21 Then Israel said to Joseph, “I am about to die, but God will be with you[b](AC) and take you[c] back to the land of your[d] fathers.(AD) 22 And to you I give one more ridge of land[e](AE) than to your brothers,(AF) the ridge I took from the Amorites with my sword(AG) and my bow.”
Footnotes
- Genesis 48:20 The Hebrew is singular.
- Genesis 48:21 The Hebrew is plural.
- Genesis 48:21 The Hebrew is plural.
- Genesis 48:21 The Hebrew is plural.
- Genesis 48:22 The Hebrew for ridge of land is identical with the place name Shechem.
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