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Genesis 48:8-22
New International Version
Genesis 48:8-22
New International Version
8 When Israel(A) saw the sons of Joseph,(B) he asked, “Who are these?”
9 “They are the sons God has given me here,”(C) Joseph said to his father.
Then Israel said, “Bring them to me so I may bless(D) them.”
10 Now Israel’s eyes were failing because of old age, and he could hardly see.(E) So Joseph brought his sons close to him, and his father kissed them(F) and embraced them.(G)
11 Israel(H) said to Joseph, “I never expected to see your face again,(I) and now God has allowed me to see your children too.”(J)
12 Then Joseph removed them from Israel’s knees(K) and bowed down with his face to the ground.(L) 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,(M) and brought them close to him. 14 But Israel(N) reached out his right hand and put it on Ephraim’s head,(O) though he was the younger,(P) and crossing his arms, he put his left hand on Manasseh’s head, even though Manasseh was the firstborn.(Q)
15 Then he blessed(R) Joseph and said,
“May the God before whom my fathers
Abraham and Isaac walked faithfully,(S)
the God who has been my shepherd(T)
all my life to this day,
16 the Angel(U) who has delivered me from all harm(V)
—may he bless(W) these boys.(X)
May they be called by my name
and the names of my fathers Abraham and Isaac,(Y)
and may they increase greatly
on the earth.”(Z)
17 When Joseph saw his father placing his right hand(AA) on Ephraim’s head(AB) 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.”(AC)
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.(AD) Nevertheless, his younger brother will be greater than he,(AE) and his descendants will become a group of nations.(AF)” 20 He blessed(AG) them that day(AH) and said,
“In your[a] name will Israel(AI) pronounce this blessing:(AJ)
‘May God make you like Ephraim(AK) and Manasseh.(AL)’”
So he put Ephraim ahead of Manasseh.
21 Then Israel said to Joseph, “I am about to die, but God will be with you[b](AM) and take you[c] back to the land of your[d] fathers.(AN) 22 And to you I give one more ridge of land[e](AO) than to your brothers,(AP) the ridge I took from the Amorites with my sword(AQ) and my bow.”
Footnotes
- 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 48:8-22
King James Version
Genesis 48:8-22
King James Version
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.
21 And Israel said unto Joseph, Behold, I die: but God shall be with you, and bring you again unto the land of your fathers.
22 Moreover I have given to thee one portion above thy brethren, which I took out of the hand of the Amorite with my sword and with my bow.
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Genesis 48:8-22
New King James Version
Genesis 48:8-22
New King James Version
8 Then Israel saw Joseph’s sons, and said, “Who are these?”
9 Joseph said to his father, “They are my sons, whom God has given me in this place.”
And he said, “Please bring them to me, and (A)I will bless them.” 10 Now (B)the eyes of Israel were dim with age, so that he could not see. Then Joseph brought them near him, and he (C)kissed them and embraced them. 11 And Israel said to Joseph, (D)“I had not thought to see your face; but in fact, God has also shown me your offspring!”
12 So Joseph brought them from beside his knees, and he bowed down with his face to the earth. 13 And Joseph took them both, Ephraim with his right hand toward Israel’s left hand, and Manasseh with his left hand toward Israel’s right hand, and brought them near him. 14 Then Israel stretched out his right hand and (E)laid it on Ephraim’s head, who was the younger, and his left hand on Manasseh’s head, (F)guiding his hands knowingly, for Manasseh was the (G)firstborn. 15 And (H)he blessed Joseph, and said:
“God, (I)before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac walked,
The God who has fed me all my life long to this day,
16 The Angel (J)who has redeemed me from all evil,
Bless the lads;
Let (K)my name be named upon them,
And the name of my fathers Abraham and Isaac;
And let them (L)grow into a multitude in the midst of the earth.”
17 Now when Joseph saw that his father (M)laid his right hand on the head of Ephraim, it displeased him; 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; put your right hand on his head.”
19 But his father refused and said, (N)“I know, my son, I know. He also shall become a people, and he also shall be great; but truly (O)his younger brother shall be greater than he, and his descendants shall become a multitude of nations.”
20 So he blessed them that day, saying, (P)“By you Israel will bless, saying, ‘May God make you as Ephraim and as Manasseh!’ ” And thus he set Ephraim before Manasseh.
21 Then Israel said to Joseph, “Behold, I am dying, but (Q)God will be with you and bring you back to the land of your fathers. 22 Moreover (R)I have given to you one [a]portion above your brothers, which I took from the hand (S)of the Amorite with my sword and my bow.”
Read full chapterFootnotes
- Genesis 48:22 Lit. shoulder
New International Version (NIV) 
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.
New King James Version (NKJV) 
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.