Elohim spoke to Israel in a vision that night and said, “Jacob, Jacob!” “Here I am,” he answered.

So Jacob left Beersheba. Israel’s sons put their father Jacob, their children, and their wives in the wagons Pharaoh had sent to bring him back.

Jacob’s [Israel’s] Descendants

These are the names of Israel’s descendants (Jacob and his descendants) who arrived in Egypt. Reuben was Jacob’s firstborn.

Joseph and Jacob [Israel] Reunited

Israel sent Judah ahead of him to Joseph to get directions to Goshen. When Israel’s family arrived in the region of Goshen,

Joseph prepared his chariot and went to meet his father Israel. As soon as he saw his father, he threw his arms around him and cried on his shoulder a long time.

Israel said to Joseph, “Now that I’ve seen for myself that you’re still alive, I’m ready to die.”

Jacob [Israel] Meets Pharaoh

Joseph went and told Pharaoh, “My father and my brothers have arrived from Canaan with their flocks, herds, and everything they have. Now they are in Goshen.”

Jacob’s [Israel’s] Last Days in Egypt

So the Israelites settled in Egypt in the region of Goshen. They acquired property there and had many children.

Israel was about to die. He called for his son Joseph and said to him, “I want you to swear that you love me and are faithful to me. Please don’t bury me here.

“Swear to me,” he said. So Joseph swore to him. Then Israel bowed down in prayer with his face at the head of his bed.

Jacob [Israel] Blesses Joseph’s Two Sons

Later Joseph was told, “Your father is ill.” So he took his two sons Manasseh and Ephraim to see Jacob.

When Jacob was told, “Your son Joseph is here to see you,” Israel gathered his strength and sat up in bed.

When Israel saw Joseph’s sons, he asked, “Who are they?”

“They are my sons, whom Elohim has given me here in Egypt,” Joseph answered his father. Then Israel said, “Please bring them to me so that I may bless them.”

Israel’s eyesight was failing because of old age, and he could hardly see. So Joseph brought his sons close to his father, and Israel hugged them and kissed them.

Israel said to Joseph, “I never expected to see you again, and now Elohim has even let me see your sons.”

Then Joseph took both of them, Ephraim on his right, facing Israel’s left, and Manasseh on his left, facing Israel’s right, and brought them close to him.

But Israel crossed his hands and reached out. He put his right hand on Ephraim’s head, although Ephraim was the younger son. He put his left hand on Manasseh’s head, although Manasseh was older.

That day he blessed them. He said, “Because of you, Israel will speak this blessing, ‘May God make you like Ephraim and Manasseh!’” In this way Israel put Ephraim ahead of Manasseh.

Then Israel said to Joseph, “Now I’m about to die, but Elohim will be with you. He will bring you back to the land of your fathers.

Jacob [Israel] Blesses His 12 Sons

Jacob called for his sons and said, “Come here, and let me tell you what will happen to you in the days to come.

“Gather around and listen, sons of Jacob. Listen to your father Israel.

May their anger be cursed because it’s so fierce. May their fury be cursed because it’s so cruel. I will divide them among the sons of Jacob and scatter them among the tribes of Israel.

“Dan will hand down decisions for his people as one of the tribes of Israel.

But his bow stayed steady, and his arms remained limber because of the help of the Mighty One of Jacob, because of the name of the Shepherd, the Rock of Israel,