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Genesis 48:5-20
English Standard Version
Genesis 48:5-20
English Standard Version
5 And now your (A)two sons, who were born to you in the land of Egypt before I came to you in Egypt, (B)are mine; Ephraim and Manasseh shall be mine, as Reuben and Simeon are. 6 And the children that you fathered after them shall be yours. They shall be called by the name of their brothers in their inheritance. 7 As for me, when I came from Paddan, to my sorrow (C)Rachel died in the land of Canaan on the way, when there was still some distance[a] to go to Ephrath, and I buried her there on the way to Ephrath (that is, Bethlehem).”
8 When Israel saw Joseph's sons, he said, “Who are these?” 9 Joseph said to his father, (D)“They are my sons, whom God has given me here.” And he said, “Bring them to me, please, that (E)I may bless them.” 10 Now (F)the eyes of Israel were dim with age, so that he could not see. So Joseph brought them near him, (G)and he kissed them and embraced them. 11 And Israel said to Joseph, (H)“I never expected to see your face; and behold, God has let me see your offspring also.” 12 Then Joseph removed them from his knees, and he bowed himself with his face to the earth. 13 And Joseph took them both, Ephraim in his right hand toward Israel's left hand, and Manasseh in his left hand toward Israel's right hand, and brought them near him. 14 (I)And Israel stretched out his right hand and laid it on the head of Ephraim, who was the younger, and his left hand on the head of Manasseh, (J)crossing his hands (for Manasseh was the firstborn). 15 And he blessed Joseph and said,
“The God (K)before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac walked,
the God who has been my shepherd all my life long to this day,
16 (L)the angel who has (M)redeemed me from all evil, bless the boys;
and in them let (N)my name be carried on, and the name of my fathers Abraham and Isaac;
and let them (O)grow into a multitude[b] in the midst of the earth.”
17 When Joseph saw that his father (P)laid his right hand on the head of Ephraim, it displeased him, and he took his father's hand to move it from Ephraim's head to Manasseh's head. 18 And Joseph said to his father, “Not this way, my father; since this one is the firstborn, put your right hand on his head.” 19 But his father refused and said, (Q)“I know, my son, I know. He also shall become a people, and he also shall be great. Nevertheless, (R)his younger brother shall be greater than he, and his offspring shall become a multitude[c] of nations.” 20 So he blessed them that day, saying,
“By you Israel will pronounce blessings, saying,
(S)‘God make you as Ephraim and as Manasseh.’”
Thus he put Ephraim before Manasseh.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- Genesis 48:7 Or about two hours' distance
- Genesis 48:16 Or let them be like fish for multitude
- Genesis 48:19 Hebrew fullness
Genesis 48:5-20
New International Version
Genesis 48:5-20
New International Version
5 “Now then, your two sons born to you in Egypt(A) before I came to you here will be reckoned as mine; Ephraim and Manasseh will be mine,(B) just as Reuben(C) and Simeon(D) are mine. 6 Any children born to you after them will be yours; in the territory they inherit they will be reckoned under the names of their brothers. 7 As I was returning from Paddan,[a](E) to my sorrow(F) Rachel died in the land of Canaan while we were still on the way, a little distance from Ephrath. So I buried her there beside the road to Ephrath” (that is, Bethlehem).(G)
8 When Israel(H) saw the sons of Joseph,(I) he asked, “Who are these?”
9 “They are the sons God has given me here,”(J) Joseph said to his father.
Then Israel said, “Bring them to me so I may bless(K) them.”
10 Now Israel’s eyes were failing because of old age, and he could hardly see.(L) So Joseph brought his sons close to him, and his father kissed them(M) and embraced them.(N)
11 Israel(O) said to Joseph, “I never expected to see your face again,(P) and now God has allowed me to see your children too.”(Q)
12 Then Joseph removed them from Israel’s knees(R) and bowed down with his face to the ground.(S) 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,(T) and brought them close to him. 14 But Israel(U) reached out his right hand and put it on Ephraim’s head,(V) though he was the younger,(W) and crossing his arms, he put his left hand on Manasseh’s head, even though Manasseh was the firstborn.(X)
15 Then he blessed(Y) Joseph and said,
“May the God before whom my fathers
Abraham and Isaac walked faithfully,(Z)
the God who has been my shepherd(AA)
all my life to this day,
16 the Angel(AB) who has delivered me from all harm(AC)
—may he bless(AD) these boys.(AE)
May they be called by my name
and the names of my fathers Abraham and Isaac,(AF)
and may they increase greatly
on the earth.”(AG)
17 When Joseph saw his father placing his right hand(AH) on Ephraim’s head(AI) 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.”(AJ)
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.(AK) Nevertheless, his younger brother will be greater than he,(AL) and his descendants will become a group of nations.(AM)” 20 He blessed(AN) them that day(AO) and said,
“In your[b] name will Israel(AP) pronounce this blessing:(AQ)
‘May God make you like Ephraim(AR) and Manasseh.(AS)’”
So he put Ephraim ahead of Manasseh.
Footnotes
- Genesis 48:7 That is, Northwest Mesopotamia
- Genesis 48:20 The Hebrew is singular.
Genesis 48:5-20
New American Standard Bible
Genesis 48:5-20
New American Standard Bible
5 Now your two sons, who were born to you in the land of Egypt before I came to you in Egypt, are mine; (A)Ephraim and Manasseh shall be mine, as (B)Reuben and Simeon are. 6 But your children that you have fathered after them shall be yours; they shall be called by the [a]names of their brothers in their inheritance. 7 Now as for me, when I came from (C)Paddan, (D)Rachel died, [b]to 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).”
8 When Israel (E)saw Joseph’s sons, he said, “Who are these?” 9 And Joseph said to his father, “(F)They are my sons, whom God has given me here.” So he said, “Bring them to me, please, so that (G)I may bless them.” 10 Now (H)the eyes of Israel were so [c]dim from age that he could not see. And [d]Joseph brought them close to him, and he (I)kissed them and embraced them. 11 And Israel said to Joseph, “I never [e]expected to see your face, and behold, God has let me see your [f]children as well!” 12 Then Joseph [g]took them from his knees, and (J)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 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 (K)Manasseh was the firstborn. 15 And he blessed Joseph, and said,
“(L)The God before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac walked,
(M)The God who has been my shepherd [h]all my life to this day,
16 (N)The angel who has redeemed me from all evil,
(O)Bless the boys;
And may my name [i]live on in them,
And the [j]names of my fathers Abraham and Isaac;
And (P)may they grow into a multitude in the midst of the earth.”
17 When Joseph saw that his father (Q)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. 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 (R)his [k]descendants shall become [l]a multitude of nations.” 20 So (S)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.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- Genesis 48:6 Lit name
- Genesis 48:7 Lit upon me
- Genesis 48:10 Lit dull
- Genesis 48:10 Lit he
- Genesis 48:11 Lit assumed
- Genesis 48:11 Lit seed
- Genesis 48:12 Lit made them come out
- Genesis 48:15 Lit from the continuance of me
- Genesis 48:16 Lit be called
- Genesis 48:16 Lit name
- Genesis 48:19 Lit seed
- Genesis 48:19 Lit the fullness
Genesis 48:5-20
King James Version
Genesis 48:5-20
King James Version
5 And now thy two sons, Ephraim and Manasseh, which were born unto thee in the land of Egypt before I came unto thee into Egypt, are mine; as Reuben and Simeon, they shall be mine.
6 And thy issue, which thou begettest after them, shall be thine, and shall be called after the name of their brethren in their inheritance.
7 And as for me, when I came from Padan, Rachel died by me in the land of Canaan in the way, when yet there was but a little way to come unto Ephrath: and I buried her there in the way of Ephrath; the same is Bethlehem.
8 And Israel beheld Joseph's sons, and said, Who are these?
9 And Joseph said unto his father, They are my sons, whom God hath given me in this place. And he said, Bring them, I pray thee, unto me, and I will bless them.
10 Now the eyes of Israel were dim for age, so that he could not see. And he brought them near unto him; and he kissed them, and embraced them.
11 And Israel said unto Joseph, I had not thought to see thy face: and, lo, God hath shewed me also thy seed.
12 And Joseph brought them out from between his knees, and he bowed himself with his face to the earth.
13 And Joseph took them both, Ephraim in his right hand toward Israel's left hand, and Manasseh in his left hand toward Israel's right hand, and brought them near unto him.
14 And Israel stretched out his right hand, and laid it upon Ephraim's head, who was the younger, and his left hand upon Manasseh's head, guiding his hands wittingly; for Manasseh was the firstborn.
15 And he blessed Joseph, and said, God, before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac did walk, the God which fed me all my life long unto this day,
16 The Angel which redeemed me from all evil, bless the lads; and let my name be named on them, and the name of my fathers Abraham and Isaac; and let them grow into a multitude in the midst of the earth.
17 And when Joseph saw that his father laid his right hand upon the head of Ephraim, it displeased him: and he held up his father's hand, to remove it from Ephraim's head unto Manasseh's head.
18 And Joseph said unto his father, Not so, my father: for this is the firstborn; put thy right hand upon his head.
19 And 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.
20 And he blessed them that day, saying, In thee shall Israel bless, saying, God make thee as Ephraim and as Manasseh: and he set Ephraim before Manasseh.
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English Standard Version (ESV) 
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New International Version (NIV) 
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New American Standard Bible (NASB) 
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