²⁹ When the time drew near for Israel^(A) to die,^(B) he called for his son Joseph and said to him, “If I have found favor in your eyes,^(C) put your hand under my thigh^(D) and promise that you will show me kindness^(E) and faithfulness.^(F) Do not bury me in Egypt, ³⁰ but when I rest with my fathers,^(G) carry me out of Egypt and bury me where they are buried.”^(H)

“I will do as you say,” he said.

³¹ “Swear to me,”^(I) he said. Then Joseph swore to him,^(J) and Israel^(K) worshiped as he leaned on the top of his staff.^[a](L)

Manasseh and Ephraim

48 Some time later Joseph was told, “Your father is ill.” So he took his two sons Manasseh and Ephraim^(M) along with him. ² When Jacob was told, “Your son Joseph has come to you,” Israel^(N) rallied his strength and sat up on the bed.

³ Jacob said to Joseph, “God Almighty^[b](O) appeared to me at Luz^(P) in the land of Canaan, and there he blessed me^{(Q) 4} and said to me, ‘I am going to make you fruitful and increase your numbers.^(R) I will make you a community of peoples, and I will give this land^(S) as an everlasting possession to your descendants after you.’^(T)

⁵ “Now then, your two sons born to you in Egypt^(U) before I came to you here will be reckoned as mine; Ephraim and Manasseh will be mine,^(V) just as Reuben^(W) and Simeon^(X) 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,^[c](Y) to my sorrow^(Z) 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).^(AA)

⁸ When Israel^(AB) saw the sons of Joseph,^(AC) he asked, “Who are these?”

⁹ “They are the sons God has given me here,”^(AD) Joseph said to his father.

Then Israel said, “Bring them to me so I may bless^(AE) them.”

¹⁰ Now Israel’s eyes were failing because of old age, and he could hardly see.^(AF) So Joseph brought his sons close to him, and his father kissed them^(AG) and embraced them.^(AH)

¹¹ Israel^(AI) said to Joseph, “I never expected to see your face again,^(AJ) and now God has allowed me to see your children too.”^(AK)

¹² Then Joseph removed them from Israel’s knees^(AL) and bowed down with his face to the ground.^{(AM) 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,^(AN) and brought them close to him. ¹⁴ But Israel^(AO) reached out his right hand and put it on Ephraim’s head,^(AP) though he was the younger,^(AQ) and crossing his arms, he put his left hand on Manasseh’s head, even though Manasseh was the firstborn.^(AR)

¹⁵ Then he blessed^(AS) Joseph and said,