Genesis 48
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
Jacob Blesses Joseph’s Sons
48 After this Joseph was told, “Your father is ill.” So he took with him his two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim. 2 When Jacob was told, “Your son Joseph has come to you,” he[a] summoned his strength and sat up in bed. 3 And Jacob said to Joseph, “God Almighty[b] appeared to me at Luz in the land of Canaan, and he blessed me(A) 4 and said to me, ‘I am going to make you fruitful and increase your numbers; I will make of you a company of peoples and will give this land to your offspring after you for a perpetual holding.’(B) 5 Therefore your two sons, who were born to you in the land of Egypt before I came to you in Egypt, are now mine; Ephraim and Manasseh shall be mine, just as Reuben and Simeon are.(C) 6 As for the offspring born to you after them, they shall be yours. They shall be recorded under the names of their brothers with regard to their inheritance. 7 For when I came from Paddan, Rachel, alas, died in the land of Canaan on the way, while there was still some distance to go to Ephrath, and I buried her there on the way to Ephrath, that is, Bethlehem.”(D)
8 When Israel saw Joseph’s sons, he said, “Who are these?” 9 Joseph said to his father, “They are my sons, whom God has given me here.” And he said, “Bring them to me, please, that I may bless them.”(E) 10 Now the eyes of Israel were dim with age, and he could not see well. So Joseph brought them near him, and he kissed them and embraced them.(F) 11 Israel said to Joseph, “I did not expect to see your face, and here God has let me see your children also.”(G) 12 Then Joseph removed them from his father’s knees,[c] and he bowed himself with his face to the earth. 13 Joseph took them both, Ephraim in his right hand toward Israel’s left and Manasseh in his left hand toward Israel’s right, and brought them near him. 14 But 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, crossing his hands, for Manasseh was the firstborn.(H) 15 He blessed Joseph and said,
“The God before whom my ancestors Abraham and Isaac walked,
the God who has been my shepherd all my life to this day,(I)
16 the angel who has redeemed me from all harm, bless the boys,
and in them let my name be perpetuated and the name of my ancestors Abraham and Isaac,
and let them grow into a multitude on the earth.”(J)
17 When Joseph saw that his father laid his right hand on the head of Ephraim, it displeased him, so he took his father’s hand, to remove it from Ephraim’s head to Manasseh’s head.(K) 18 Joseph said to his father, “Not so, my father! Since this one is the firstborn, put your right hand on his head.” 19 But his father refused and said, “I know, my son, I know; he also shall become a people, and he also shall be great. Nevertheless his younger brother shall be greater than he, and his offspring shall become a multitude of nations.”(L) 20 So he blessed them that day, saying,
“By you Israel will invoke blessings, saying,
‘God make you like Ephraim and like Manasseh.’ ”
So he put Ephraim ahead of Manasseh. 21 Then Israel said to Joseph, “I am about to die, but God will be with you and will bring you again to the land of your ancestors.(M) 22 I now give to you one portion[d] more than to your brothers, the portion[e] that I took from the hand of the Amorites with my sword and with my bow.”(N)
Genesis 48
Common English Bible
48 After this happened, Joseph was told,[a] “Your father is getting weaker,” so he took his two sons Manasseh and Ephraim with him. 2 When Jacob was informed,[b] “Your son Joseph is here now,” he[c] pulled himself together and sat up in bed. 3 Jacob said to Joseph, “God Almighty[d] appeared to me in Luz in the land of Canaan. He blessed me 4 and said to me, ‘I am about to give you many children, to increase your numbers, and to make you a large group of peoples. I will give this land to your descendants following you as an enduring possession.’ 5 Now, your two sons born to you in the land of Egypt before I arrived in Egypt are my own. Ephraim and Manasseh are just like Reuben and Simeon to me. 6 Your family who is born to you after them are yours, but their inheritance will be determined under their brothers’ names. 7 When I came back from Paddan-aram,[e] Rachel died, to my sorrow, on the road in the land of Canaan, with some distance yet to go to Ephrathah, so I buried her there near the road to Ephrathah,[f] which is Bethlehem.”
8 When Israel saw Joseph’s sons, he said, “Who are these?”
9 Joseph told his father, “They’re my sons, whom God gave me here.”
Israel said, “Bring them to me and I will bless them.” 10 Because Israel’s eyesight had failed from old age and he wasn’t able to see, Joseph brought them close to him, and he kissed and embraced them.
11 Israel said to Joseph, “I didn’t expect I’d see your face, but now God has shown me your children too.” 12 Then Joseph took them from Israel’s knees, and he bowed low with his face to the ground. 13 Joseph took both of them, Ephraim in his right hand at Israel’s left hand, and Manasseh in his left hand at Israel’s right hand, and brought them close to him. 14 But Israel put out his right hand and placed it on the head of Ephraim, the younger one, and his left hand on Manasseh’s head, crossing his hands because Manasseh was the oldest son. 15 He blessed them[g] and said,
“May the God before whom my fathers
Abraham and Isaac walked,
may the God who was my shepherd
from the beginning until this day,
16 may the divine messenger who protected me from all harm,
bless the young men.
Through them may my name be kept alive
and the names of my fathers Abraham and Isaac.
May they grow into a great multitude
throughout the land.”
17 When Joseph saw that his father had placed his right hand on Ephraim’s head, he was upset and grasped his father’s hand to move it from Ephraim’s head to Manasseh’s head. 18 Joseph said to his father, “No, my father! This is the oldest son. Put your right hand on his head.”
19 But his father refused and said, “I know, my son, I know. He’ll become a people too, and he’ll also be great. But his younger brother will be greater than he will, and his descendants will become many nations.” 20 Israel blessed them that day, saying,
“Through you, Israel will pronounce blessings, saying,
‘May God make you like Ephraim and Manasseh.’”
So Israel put Ephraim before Manasseh. 21 Then Israel said to Joseph, “I’m about to die. God will be with you and return you to the land of your fathers. 22 I’m giving you one portion more than to your brothers,[h] a portion that I took from the Amorites with my sword and my bow.”
Footnotes
- Genesis 48:1 LXX, Syr, Tg, Vulg; MT he told
- Genesis 48:2 LXX; MT he informed
- Genesis 48:2 Heb Israel
- Genesis 48:3 Heb El Shaddai or God of the Mountain
- Genesis 48:7 Sam, LXX, Syr; MT lacks aram.
- Genesis 48:7 Sam; MT Ephrath
- Genesis 48:15 LXX; MT Joseph
- Genesis 48:22 Heb uncertain
New Revised Standard Version, Updated Edition. Copyright © 2021 National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Copyright © 2011 by Common English Bible