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Genesis 47:13-49:27
New American Standard Bible
Genesis 47:13-49:27
New American Standard Bible
13 Now there was no [a]food in all the land, because the famine was very severe, so that (A)the land of Egypt and the land of Canaan languished because of the famine. 14 And (B)Joseph collected all the money that was found in the land of Egypt and in the land of Canaan in payment for the grain which they bought, and Joseph brought the money into Pharaoh’s house. 15 When the money was all spent in the land of Egypt and in the land of Canaan, all the Egyptians came to Joseph saying, “Give us [b]food, for (C)why should we die in your presence? For our money is [c]gone.” 16 Then Joseph said, “Give up your livestock, and I will give you food for your livestock, since your money is [d]gone.” 17 So they brought their livestock to Joseph, and Joseph gave them [e]food in exchange for the horses and the [f]flocks and the herds and the donkeys; and he [g]fed them with [h]food in exchange for all their livestock [i]that year. 18 But when that year ended, they came to him the [j]next year and said to him, “We will not hide from my lord the fact that our money is all spent, and the [k]livestock are my lord’s. There is nothing left [l]for my lord except our bodies and our lands. 19 Why should we die before your eyes, both we and our land? Buy us and our land for [m]food, and we and our land will be slaves to Pharaoh. So give us seed, so that we may live and not die, and that the land may not be desolate.”
Result of the Famine
20 So Joseph bought all the land of Egypt for Pharaoh, for [n]every Egyptian sold his field, because the famine was severe upon them. So the land became Pharaoh’s. 21 As for the people, he relocated them to the cities from one end of Egypt’s border to the other. 22 Only the land of the priests he did not buy, because the priests had an allotment from Pharaoh, and they [o]lived off the allotment which Pharaoh gave them. Therefore, they did not sell their land. 23 Then Joseph said to the people, “Behold, today I have purchased you and your land for Pharaoh; now, here is seed for you, and you may sow the land. 24 [p]At the harvest you shall give a (D)fifth to Pharaoh, and [q]four-fifths shall be your own for seed of the field and for your food, and for those of your households and as food for your little ones.” 25 So they said, “You have saved our lives! Let us find favor in the sight of my lord, and we will be Pharaoh’s slaves.” 26 Joseph made it a statute concerning the land of Egypt, valid to this day, that Pharaoh was to have the fifth; (E)only the land of the priests [r]did not become Pharaoh’s.
27 Now Israel lived in the land of Egypt, in [s]Goshen, and they (F)acquired property in it and (G)were fruitful and became very numerous. 28 And Jacob lived in the land of Egypt for (H)seventeen years; so the [t]length of Jacob’s life was 147 years.
29 When [u](I)the time for Israel to die drew near, he called his son Joseph and said to him, “Please, if I have found favor in your sight, (J)place your hand under my thigh now and (K)deal with me in kindness and [v]faithfulness: please do not bury me in Egypt, 30 but when I (L)[w]lie down with my fathers, you shall carry me out of Egypt and bury me in (M)their burial place.” And he said, “I will do as you have said.” 31 And he said, “(N)Swear to me.” So he swore to him. Then (O)Israel bowed in worship at the head of the bed.
Israel’s Last Days
48 Now it came about after these things that [x]Joseph was told, “Behold, your father is sick.” So he took his two sons (P)Manasseh and Ephraim with him. 2 When [y]it was told to Jacob, “Behold, your son Joseph has come to you,” Israel [z]collected his strength and sat [aa]up in the bed. 3 Then Jacob said to Joseph, “[ab](Q)God Almighty appeared to me at (R)Luz in the land of Canaan and blessed me, 4 and 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 [ac]descendants after you as (S)an everlasting possession.’ 5 Now your two sons, who were born to you in the land of Egypt before I came to you in Egypt, are mine; (T)Ephraim and Manasseh shall be mine, as (U)Reuben and Simeon are. 6 But your children that you have fathered after them shall be yours; they shall be called by the [ad]names of their brothers in their inheritance. 7 Now as for me, when I came from (V)Paddan, (W)Rachel died, [ae]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 (X)saw Joseph’s sons, he said, “Who are these?” 9 And Joseph said to his father, “(Y)They are my sons, whom God has given me here.” So he said, “Bring them to me, please, so that (Z)I may bless them.” 10 Now (AA)the eyes of Israel were so [af]dim from age that he could not see. And [ag]Joseph brought them close to him, and he (AB)kissed them and embraced them. 11 And Israel said to Joseph, “I never [ah]expected to see your face, and behold, God has let me see your [ai]children as well!” 12 Then Joseph [aj]took them from his knees, and (AC)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 (AD)Manasseh was the firstborn. 15 And he blessed Joseph, and said,
“(AE)The God before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac walked,
(AF)The God who has been my shepherd [ak]all my life to this day,
16 (AG)The angel who has redeemed me from all evil,
(AH)Bless the boys;
And may my name [al]live on in them,
And the [am]names of my fathers Abraham and Isaac;
And (AI)may they grow into a multitude in the midst of the earth.”
17 When Joseph saw that his father (AJ)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 (AK)his [an]descendants shall become [ao]a multitude of nations.” 20 So (AL)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. 21 Then Israel said to Joseph, “Behold, I am about to die, but (AM)God will be with you, and (AN)bring you back to the land of your fathers. 22 And I give you one [ap]portion more than your brothers, (AO)which I took from the hand of the Amorite with my sword and my bow.”
Jacob’s Prophecy concerning His Sons
49 Then Jacob summoned his sons and said, “Assemble yourselves, so that I may tell you what will happen to you (AP)in the [aq]days to come.
2 Gather together and listen, sons of Jacob;
Yes, (AQ)listen to Israel your father.
3 “Reuben, you are my firstborn,
My might and (AR)the beginning of my strength,
Preeminent in dignity and preeminent in power.
4 [ar]Uncontrollable as water, you shall not have preeminence,
(AS)Because you went up to your father’s bed;
Then you defiled it—he went up to my couch.
5 “(AT)Simeon and Levi are brothers;
Their [as]swords are implements of violence.
6 (AU)May my soul not enter into their council;
May my glory not be united with their assembly;
For in their anger they killed [at]men,
And in their self-will they lamed [au]oxen.
7 Cursed be their anger, for it is fierce;
And their wrath, for it is cruel.
(AV)I will scatter them in Jacob,
And disperse them among Israel.
8 “As for you, Judah, your brothers shall praise you;
Your hand shall be on the neck of your enemies;
(AW)Your father’s sons shall bow down to you.
9 Judah is a (AX)lion’s cub;
From the prey, my son, you have gone up.
(AY)He [av]crouches, he lies down as a lion,
And as a [aw]lion, who [ax]dares to stir him up?
10 (AZ)The scepter will not depart from Judah,
Nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet,
[ay]Until Shiloh comes,
And (BA)to him shall be the obedience of the peoples.
11 (BB)He ties his foal to the vine,
And his donkey’s colt to the choice vine;
(BC)He washes his garments in wine,
And his robes in the blood of grapes.
12 His eyes are [az]dull from wine,
And his teeth [ba]white from milk.
13 “(BD)Zebulun will reside at the seashore;
And he shall be [bb]a harbor for ships,
And his flank shall be toward Sidon.
14 “Issachar is a [bc]strong donkey,
(BE)Lying down between the sheepfolds.
15 When he saw that a resting place was good
And that the land was pleasant,
He bowed his shoulder to carry burdens,
And became a slave at forced labor.
16 “(BF)Dan shall (BG)judge his people,
As one of the tribes of Israel.
17 Dan shall be a serpent in the way,
A horned viper in the path,
That bites the horse’s heels,
So that its rider falls backward.
18 (BH)For Your salvation I wait, Lord.
21 “(BL)Naphtali is a doe let loose;
He utters beautiful words.
22 “(BM)Joseph is a fruitful [bh]branch,
A fruitful [bi]branch by a spring;
Its [bj]branches hang over a wall.
23 The archers provoked him,
And shot at him and were hostile toward him;
24 But his (BN)bow remained [bk]firm,
And [bl](BO)his arms were agile,
From the hands of the (BP)Mighty One of Jacob
(From there is (BQ)the Shepherd, (BR)the Stone of Israel),
25 From (BS)the God of your father who helps you,
And [bm](BT)by the [bn]Almighty who blesses you
With (BU)blessings of heaven above,
Blessings of the deep that lies beneath,
Blessings of the breasts and of the womb.
26 The blessings of your father
Have surpassed the blessings of my ancestors
Up to the [bo]furthest boundary of (BV)the everlasting hills;
May they be on the head of Joseph,
And on the top of the head of the one distinguished among his brothers.
27 “Benjamin is a [bp]ravenous wolf;
In the morning he devours the prey,
And in the evening he divides the spoils.”
Footnotes
- Genesis 47:13 Or bread
- Genesis 47:15 Or bread
- Genesis 47:15 Lit at an end
- Genesis 47:16 Lit at an end
- Genesis 47:17 Or bread
- Genesis 47:17 Lit livestock of the flocks and livestock of the herds
- Genesis 47:17 Lit led them as a shepherd
- Genesis 47:17 Or bread
- Genesis 47:17 Lit in that year
- Genesis 47:18 Lit second
- Genesis 47:18 Lit livestock of the cattle
- Genesis 47:18 Lit in the presence of
- Genesis 47:19 Or bread
- Genesis 47:20 Lit Egypt, every man
- Genesis 47:22 Lit ate their allotment
- Genesis 47:24 Lit It shall come about...that you shall
- Genesis 47:24 Lit four parts
- Genesis 47:26 Lit alone did
- Genesis 47:27 Lit the land of Goshen
- Genesis 47:28 Lit days of Jacob, the years of his life
- Genesis 47:29 Lit the days of Israel
- Genesis 47:29 Lit truth
- Genesis 47:30 I.e., die
- Genesis 48:1 Lit one said to Joseph
- Genesis 48:2 Lit one told Jacob and said
- Genesis 48:2 Lit strengthened himself
- Genesis 48:2 Lit upon the bed
- Genesis 48:3 Heb El Shaddai
- Genesis 48:4 Lit seed
- 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 48:22 Or ridge; lit shoulder; Heb Shechem
- Genesis 49:1 Lit end of the days
- Genesis 49:4 Or Gushing over
- Genesis 49:5 Or plans; meaning uncertain
- Genesis 49:6 Lit a man
- Genesis 49:6 Lit an ox
- Genesis 49:9 Lit bows down
- Genesis 49:9 Lit lioness
- Genesis 49:9 Lit shall
- Genesis 49:10 Or Until he comes to Shiloh; or Until he comes to whom it belongs
- Genesis 49:12 Or darker than
- Genesis 49:12 Or whiter than
- Genesis 49:13 Lit a shore of ships
- Genesis 49:14 Lit donkey of bone
- Genesis 49:19 Lit heel
- Genesis 49:20 Lit From
- Genesis 49:20 Or bread
- Genesis 49:20 Lit fat
- Genesis 49:22 Lit son
- Genesis 49:22 Lit son
- Genesis 49:22 Lit daughters
- Genesis 49:24 I.e., in an unyielding position
- Genesis 49:24 Lit the arms of his hands
- Genesis 49:25 Or with
- Genesis 49:25 Heb Shaddai
- Genesis 49:26 Lit limit; or desire
- Genesis 49:27 Lit a wolf that tears
Genesis 47:13-49:27
New International Version
Genesis 47:13-49:27
New International Version
Joseph and the Famine
13 There was no food, however, in the whole region because the famine was severe; both Egypt and Canaan wasted away because of the famine.(A) 14 Joseph collected all the money that was to be found in Egypt and Canaan in payment for the grain they were buying,(B) and he brought it to Pharaoh’s palace.(C) 15 When the money of the people of Egypt and Canaan was gone,(D) all Egypt came to Joseph(E) and said, “Give us food. Why should we die before your eyes?(F) Our money is all gone.”
16 “Then bring your livestock,(G)” said Joseph. “I will sell you food in exchange for your livestock, since your money is gone.(H)” 17 So they brought their livestock to Joseph, and he gave them food in exchange for their horses,(I) their sheep and goats, their cattle and donkeys.(J) And he brought them through that year with food in exchange for all their livestock.
18 When that year was over, they came to him the following year and said, “We cannot hide from our lord the fact that since our money is gone(K) and our livestock belongs to you,(L) there is nothing left for our lord except our bodies and our land. 19 Why should we perish before your eyes(M)—we and our land as well? Buy us and our land in exchange for food,(N) and we with our land will be in bondage to Pharaoh.(O) Give us seed so that we may live and not die,(P) and that the land may not become desolate.”
20 So Joseph bought all the land in Egypt for Pharaoh. The Egyptians, one and all, sold their fields, because the famine was too severe(Q) for them. The land became Pharaoh’s, 21 and Joseph reduced the people to servitude,[a](R) from one end of Egypt to the other. 22 However, he did not buy the land of the priests,(S) because they received a regular allotment from Pharaoh and had food enough from the allotment(T) Pharaoh gave them. That is why they did not sell their land.
23 Joseph said to the people, “Now that I have bought you and your land today for Pharaoh, here is seed(U) for you so you can plant the ground.(V) 24 But when the crop comes in, give a fifth(W) of it to Pharaoh. The other four-fifths you may keep as seed for the fields and as food for yourselves and your households and your children.”
25 “You have saved our lives,” they said. “May we find favor in the eyes of our lord;(X) we will be in bondage to Pharaoh.”(Y)
26 So Joseph established it as a law concerning land in Egypt—still in force today—that a fifth(Z) of the produce belongs to Pharaoh. It was only the land of the priests that did not become Pharaoh’s.(AA)
27 Now the Israelites settled in Egypt in the region of Goshen.(AB) They acquired property there(AC) and were fruitful and increased greatly in number.(AD)
28 Jacob lived in Egypt(AE) seventeen years, and the years of his life were a hundred and forty-seven.(AF) 29 When the time drew near for Israel(AG) to die,(AH) he called for his son Joseph and said to him, “If I have found favor in your eyes,(AI) put your hand under my thigh(AJ) and promise that you will show me kindness(AK) and faithfulness.(AL) Do not bury me in Egypt, 30 but when I rest with my fathers,(AM) carry me out of Egypt and bury me where they are buried.”(AN)
“I will do as you say,” he said.
31 “Swear to me,”(AO) he said. Then Joseph swore to him,(AP) and Israel(AQ) worshiped as he leaned on the top of his staff.[b](AR)
Manasseh and Ephraim
48 Some time later Joseph was told, “Your father is ill.” So he took his two sons Manasseh and Ephraim(AS) along with him. 2 When Jacob was told, “Your son Joseph has come to you,” Israel(AT) rallied his strength and sat up on the bed.
3 Jacob said to Joseph, “God Almighty[c](AU) appeared to me at Luz(AV) in the land of Canaan, and there he blessed me(AW) 4 and said to me, ‘I am going to make you fruitful and increase your numbers.(AX) I will make you a community of peoples, and I will give this land(AY) as an everlasting possession to your descendants after you.’(AZ)
5 “Now then, your two sons born to you in Egypt(BA) before I came to you here will be reckoned as mine; Ephraim and Manasseh will be mine,(BB) just as Reuben(BC) and Simeon(BD) 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,[d](BE) to my sorrow(BF) 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).(BG)
8 When Israel(BH) saw the sons of Joseph,(BI) he asked, “Who are these?”
9 “They are the sons God has given me here,”(BJ) Joseph said to his father.
Then Israel said, “Bring them to me so I may bless(BK) them.”
10 Now Israel’s eyes were failing because of old age, and he could hardly see.(BL) So Joseph brought his sons close to him, and his father kissed them(BM) and embraced them.(BN)
11 Israel(BO) said to Joseph, “I never expected to see your face again,(BP) and now God has allowed me to see your children too.”(BQ)
12 Then Joseph removed them from Israel’s knees(BR) and bowed down with his face to the ground.(BS) 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,(BT) and brought them close to him. 14 But Israel(BU) reached out his right hand and put it on Ephraim’s head,(BV) though he was the younger,(BW) and crossing his arms, he put his left hand on Manasseh’s head, even though Manasseh was the firstborn.(BX)
15 Then he blessed(BY) Joseph and said,
“May the God before whom my fathers
Abraham and Isaac walked faithfully,(BZ)
the God who has been my shepherd(CA)
all my life to this day,
16 the Angel(CB) who has delivered me from all harm(CC)
—may he bless(CD) these boys.(CE)
May they be called by my name
and the names of my fathers Abraham and Isaac,(CF)
and may they increase greatly
on the earth.”(CG)
17 When Joseph saw his father placing his right hand(CH) on Ephraim’s head(CI) 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.”(CJ)
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.(CK) Nevertheless, his younger brother will be greater than he,(CL) and his descendants will become a group of nations.(CM)” 20 He blessed(CN) them that day(CO) and said,
“In your[e] name will Israel(CP) pronounce this blessing:(CQ)
‘May God make you like Ephraim(CR) and Manasseh.(CS)’”
So he put Ephraim ahead of Manasseh.
21 Then Israel said to Joseph, “I am about to die, but God will be with you[f](CT) and take you[g] back to the land of your[h] fathers.(CU) 22 And to you I give one more ridge of land[i](CV) than to your brothers,(CW) the ridge I took from the Amorites with my sword(CX) and my bow.”
Jacob Blesses His Sons(CY)
49 Then Jacob called for his sons and said: “Gather around so I can tell you what will happen to you in days to come.(CZ)
3 “Reuben, you are my firstborn,(DC)
my might, the first sign of my strength,(DD)
excelling in honor,(DE) excelling in power.
4 Turbulent as the waters,(DF) you will no longer excel,
for you went up onto your father’s bed,
onto my couch and defiled it.(DG)
5 “Simeon(DH) and Levi(DI) are brothers—
their swords[j] are weapons of violence.(DJ)
6 Let me not enter their council,
let me not join their assembly,(DK)
for they have killed men in their anger(DL)
and hamstrung(DM) oxen as they pleased.
7 Cursed be their anger, so fierce,
and their fury,(DN) so cruel!(DO)
I will scatter them in Jacob
and disperse them in Israel.(DP)
8 “Judah,[k](DQ) your brothers will praise you;
your hand will be on the neck(DR) of your enemies;
your father’s sons will bow down to you.(DS)
9 You are a lion’s(DT) cub,(DU) Judah;(DV)
you return from the prey,(DW) my son.
Like a lion he crouches and lies down,
like a lioness—who dares to rouse him?
10 The scepter will not depart from Judah,(DX)
nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet,[l]
until he to whom it belongs[m] shall come(DY)
and the obedience of the nations shall be his.(DZ)
11 He will tether his donkey(EA) to a vine,
his colt to the choicest branch;(EB)
he will wash his garments in wine,
his robes in the blood of grapes.(EC)
12 His eyes will be darker than wine,
his teeth whiter than milk.[n](ED)
13 “Zebulun(EE) will live by the seashore
and become a haven for ships;
his border will extend toward Sidon.(EF)
14 “Issachar(EG) is a rawboned[o] donkey
lying down among the sheep pens.[p](EH)
15 When he sees how good is his resting place
and how pleasant is his land,(EI)
he will bend his shoulder to the burden(EJ)
and submit to forced labor.(EK)
16 “Dan[q](EL) will provide justice for his people
as one of the tribes of Israel.(EM)
17 Dan(EN) will be a snake by the roadside,
a viper along the path,(EO)
that bites the horse’s heels(EP)
so that its rider tumbles backward.
22 “Joseph(EZ) is a fruitful vine,(FA)
a fruitful vine near a spring,
whose branches(FB) climb over a wall.[t]
23 With bitterness archers attacked him;(FC)
they shot at him with hostility.(FD)
24 But his bow remained steady,(FE)
his strong arms(FF) stayed[u] limber,
because of the hand of the Mighty One of Jacob,(FG)
because of the Shepherd,(FH) the Rock of Israel,(FI)
25 because of your father’s God,(FJ) who helps(FK) you,
because of the Almighty,[v](FL) who blesses you
with blessings of the skies above,
blessings of the deep springs below,(FM)
blessings of the breast(FN) and womb.(FO)
26 Your father’s blessings are greater
than the blessings of the ancient mountains,
than[w] the bounty of the age-old hills.(FP)
Let all these rest on the head of Joseph,(FQ)
on the brow of the prince among[x] his brothers.(FR)
Footnotes
- Genesis 47:21 Samaritan Pentateuch and Septuagint (see also Vulgate); Masoretic Text and he moved the people into the cities
- Genesis 47:31 Or Israel bowed down at the head of his bed
- Genesis 48:3 Hebrew El-Shaddai
- Genesis 48:7 That is, Northwest Mesopotamia
- 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.
- Genesis 49:5 The meaning of the Hebrew for this word is uncertain.
- Genesis 49:8 Judah sounds like and may be derived from the Hebrew for praise.
- Genesis 49:10 Or from his descendants
- Genesis 49:10 Or to whom tribute belongs; the meaning of the Hebrew for this phrase is uncertain.
- Genesis 49:12 Or will be dull from wine, / his teeth white from milk
- Genesis 49:14 Or strong
- Genesis 49:14 Or the campfires; or the saddlebags
- Genesis 49:16 Dan here means he provides justice.
- Genesis 49:19 Gad sounds like the Hebrew for attack and also for band of raiders.
- Genesis 49:21 Or free; / he utters beautiful words
- Genesis 49:22 Or Joseph is a wild colt, / a wild colt near a spring, / a wild donkey on a terraced hill
- Genesis 49:24 Or archers will attack … will shoot … will remain … will stay
- Genesis 49:25 Hebrew Shaddai
- Genesis 49:26 Or of my progenitors, / as great as
- Genesis 49:26 Or of the one separated from
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