Genesis 48
Legacy Standard Bible
Israel Blesses Manasseh and Ephraim
48 Now it happened after these things that [a]Joseph was told, “Behold, your father is sick.” So he took his two sons (A)Manasseh and Ephraim with him. 2 Then [b]it was told to Jacob, “Behold, your son Joseph has come to you,” so Israel strengthened himself and sat [c]up in the bed. 3 Then Jacob said to Joseph, “[d](B)God Almighty appeared to me at (C)Luz in the land of Canaan and blessed me, 4 and He said to me, ‘Behold, I will make you fruitful and multiply, and I will make you an assembly of peoples, and I will give this land to your seed after you for (D)an everlasting possession.’ 5 So now your two sons, who were born to you in the land of Egypt before I came to you in Egypt, are mine; (E)Ephraim and Manasseh shall be mine, as (F)Reuben and Simeon are. 6 But your kin that [e]have been born after them shall be yours; they shall be called by the [f]names of their brothers in their inheritance. 7 Now as for me, when I came from (G)Paddan, (H)Rachel died, [g]to my sorrow, in the land of Canaan on the journey, when there was still some distance to go to Ephrath; and I buried her there on the way to Ephrath (that is, Bethlehem).”
8 Then Israel (I)saw Joseph’s sons and said, “Who are these?” 9 And Joseph said to his father, “(J)They are my sons, whom God has given me here.” So he said, “Bring them to me, please, that (K)I may bless them.” 10 Now (L)the eyes of Israel were so dim from age that he could not see. Then [h]Joseph brought them close to him, and he (M)kissed them and embraced them. 11 Then Israel said to Joseph, “I never [i]expected to see your face, and behold, God has let me see your seed as well.” 12 Then Joseph [j]took them from his knees and (N)bowed with his face to the ground. 13 And 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. 14 But Israel stretched out his right hand and laid it on the head of Ephraim, who was the younger, and his left hand on Manasseh’s head, [k]crossing his hands, [l]although (O)Manasseh was the firstborn. 15 And he blessed Joseph and said,
“(P)May the God before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac walked,
(Q)The God who has been my shepherd [m]throughout my life to this day,
16 (R)The angel who has redeemed me from all evil,
(S)Bless these boys;
And may my name [n]live on in them,
And the [o]names of my fathers Abraham and Isaac;
And (T)may they grow into a multitude in the midst of the earth.”
17 But Joseph saw that his father (U)set his right hand on Ephraim’s head, and it was displeasing in his sight; so he took hold of his father’s hand to remove it from Ephraim’s head to Manasseh’s head. 18 And Joseph said to his father, “Not so, my father, for this one is the firstborn. Place your right hand on his head.” 19 But 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 (V)his seed shall become the fullness of nations.” 20 (W)And he blessed them that day, saying,
“By you Israel will pronounce blessing, saying,
‘May God make you like Ephraim and Manasseh!’”
Thus he put Ephraim before Manasseh. 21 Then Israel said to Joseph, “Behold, I am about to die, but (X)God will be with you and (Y)will bring you back to the land of your fathers. 22 And I give you one [p]portion more than your brothers, (Z)which I took from the hand of the Amorite with my sword and my bow.”
Footnotes
- Genesis 48:1 Lit one said to Joseph
- Genesis 48:2 Lit one told Jacob and said
- Genesis 48:2 Lit upon the bed
- Genesis 48:3 Heb El Shaddai
- Genesis 48:6 Lit you have begotten
- Genesis 48:6 Lit name
- Genesis 48:7 Lit upon me
- Genesis 48:10 Lit he
- Genesis 48:11 Lit meditated, judged
- Genesis 48:12 Lit made them come out
- Genesis 48:14 Or consciously directing
- Genesis 48:14 Lit when
- Genesis 48:15 Lit from the continuance of me
- Genesis 48:16 Lit be called
- Genesis 48:16 Lit name
- Genesis 48:22 Or ridge; lit shoulder; Heb Shechem
Genesis 48
Douay-Rheims 1899 American Edition
48 After 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.
2 And it was told the old man: Behold thy son Joseph cometh to thee. And being strengthened he sat on his bed.
3 And 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,
4 And 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.
5 So 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.
6 But the rest whom thou shalt have after them, shall be thine, and shall be called by the name of their brethren in their possessions.
7 For, 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.
8 Then seeing his sons, he said to him: Who are these?
9 He 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.
10 For 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.
11 And said to his son: I am not deprived of seeing thee: moreover God hath shewed me thy seed.
12 And when Joseph had taken them from his father's lap, he bowed down with his face to the ground.
13 And 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.
14 But 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.
15 And 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;
16 The 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.
17 And 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.
18 And he said to his father: It should not be so, my father: for this is the firstborn, put thy right hand upon his head.
19 But 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.
20 And 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.
21 And 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.
22 I 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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