And he said, “Swear to me.” So he swore to him. Then Israel bowed in worship at the head of the bed.

Israel’s Last Days

Now it came about after these things that Joseph was told, “Behold, your father is sick.” So he took his two sons Manasseh and Ephraim with him.

When it was told to Jacob, “Behold, your son Joseph has come to you,” Israel collected his strength and sat up in the bed.

When Israel saw Joseph’s sons, he said, “Who are these?”

Now the eyes of Israel were so dim from age that he could not see. And Joseph brought them close to him, and he kissed them and embraced them.

And Israel said to Joseph, “I never expected to see your face, and behold, God has let me see your children as well!”

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.

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 Manasseh was the firstborn.

So 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.

Then Israel said to Joseph, “Behold, I am about to die, but God will be with you, and bring you back to the land of your fathers.

Gather together and listen, sons of Jacob; Yes, listen to Israel your father.

Cursed be their anger, for it is fierce; And their wrath, for it is cruel. I will scatter them in Jacob, And disperse them among Israel.

“Dan shall judge his people, As one of the tribes of Israel.

But his bow remained firm, And his arms were agile, From the hands of the Mighty One of Jacob (From there is the Shepherd, the Stone of Israel),

All these are the twelve tribes of Israel, and this is what their father said to them when he blessed them. He blessed them, every one with the blessing appropriate to him.

Joseph commanded his servants the physicians to embalm his father. So the physicians embalmed Israel.

Then Joseph made the sons of Israel swear, saying, “God will assuredly take care of you, and you shall carry my bones up from here.”

Israel Multiplies in Egypt

Now these are the names of the sons of Israel who came to Egypt with Jacob; they came, each one with his household:

But the sons of Israel were fruitful and increased greatly, and multiplied, and became exceedingly mighty, so that the land was filled with them.

And he said to his people, “Behold, the people of the sons of Israel are too many and too mighty for us.

But the more they oppressed them, the more they multiplied and the more they spread out, so that they dreaded the sons of Israel.

The Egyptians used violence to compel the sons of Israel to labor;

Now it came about in the course of those many days that the king of Egypt died. And the sons of Israel groaned because of the bondage, and they cried out; and their cry for help because of their bondage ascended to God.

And God saw the sons of Israel, and God took notice of them.

And now, behold, the cry of the sons of Israel has come to Me; furthermore, I have seen the oppression with which the Egyptians are oppressing them.