Genesis 47:29-48:16

English Standard Version

²⁹ And ^(A)when the time drew near that Israel must die, he called his son Joseph and said to him, “If now ^(B)I have found favor in your sight, ^(C)put your hand under my thigh and ^(D)promise to deal kindly and truly with me. ^(E)Do not bury me in Egypt, ³⁰ but let me lie with my fathers. Carry me out of Egypt and ^(F)bury me in their burying place.” He answered, “I will do as you have said.” ³¹ And he said, “Swear to me”; and he swore to him. Then ^(G)Israel bowed himself upon the head of his bed.^[a]

Jacob Blesses Ephraim and Manasseh

48 After this, Joseph was told, “Behold, your father is ill.” So he took with him his two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim. ² And it was told to Jacob, “Your son Joseph has come to you.” Then Israel summoned his strength and sat up in bed. ³ And Jacob said to Joseph, ^(H)“God Almighty^[b] appeared to me at ^(I)Luz in the land of Canaan and blessed me, ⁴ and said to me, ‘Behold, I will make you fruitful and multiply you, and I will make of you a company of peoples and will give this land to your offspring after you ^(J)for an everlasting possession.’ ⁵ And now your ^(K)two sons, who were born to you in the land of Egypt before I came to you in Egypt, ^(L)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 ^(M)Rachel died in the land of Canaan on the way, when there was still some distance^[c] 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, ^(N)“They are my sons, whom God has given me here.” And he said, “Bring them to me, please, that ^(O)I may bless them.” ¹⁰ Now ^(P)the eyes of Israel were dim with age, so that he could not see. So Joseph brought them near him, ^(Q)and he kissed them and embraced them. ¹¹ And Israel said to Joseph, ^(R)“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 (S)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, ^(T)crossing his hands (for Manasseh was the firstborn). ¹⁵ And he blessed Joseph and said,