Genesis 48

Israel’s Last Days

1Now it came about after these things that 1Joseph was told, “Behold, your father is sick.” So he took his two sons 2Manasseh and Ephraim with him. 2When 3it was told to Jacob, “Behold, your son Joseph has come to you,” Israel 4collected his strength and sat 5up in the bed. 3Then Jacob said to Joseph, “67God Almighty appeared to me at 8Luz in the land of Canaan and blessed me, 4and He said to me, ‘Behold, I will make you fruitful and numerous, and I will make you a company of peoples, and will give this land to your 9descendants after you for 10an everlasting possession.’ 5Now your two sons, who were born to you in the land of Egypt before I came to you in Egypt, are mine; 11Ephraim and Manasseh shall be mine, as 12Reuben and Simeon are. 6But your offspring that 13have been born after them shall be yours; they shall be called by the 14names of their brothers in their inheritance. 7Now as for me, when I came from 15Paddan, 16Rachel died, 17to my sorrow, in the land of Canaan on the journey, when there was still some distance to go to Ephrath; and I buried her there on the way to Ephrath (that is, Bethlehem).”

8When Israel 18saw Joseph’s sons, he said, “Who are these?” 9Joseph said to his father, “19They are my sons, whom God has given me here.” So he said, “Bring them to me, please, that 20I may bless them.” 10Now 21the eyes of Israel were so dim from age that he could not see. Then 22Joseph brought them close to him, and he 23kissed them and embraced them. 11Israel said to Joseph, “I never 24expected to see your face, and behold, God has let me see your 25children as well.” 12Then Joseph 26took them from his knees, and 27bowed with his face to the ground. 13Joseph 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. 14But Israel stretched out his right hand and laid it on the head of Ephraim, who was the younger, and his left hand on Manasseh’s head, 28crossing his hands, 29although 30Manasseh was the firstborn. 15He blessed Joseph, and said, “31The God before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac walked, 32The God who has been my shepherd 33all my life to this day,1634The angel who has redeemed me from all evil, 35Bless the lads; And may my name 36live on in them, And the 37names of my fathers Abraham and Isaac; And 38may they grow into a multitude in the midst of the earth.”

17When Joseph saw that his father 39laid his right hand on Ephraim’s head, it displeased him; and he grasped his father’s hand to remove it from Ephraim’s head to Manasseh’s head. 18Joseph said to his father, “Not so, my father, for this one is the firstborn. Place your right hand on his head.” 19But his father refused and said, “I know, my son, I know; he also will become a people and he also will be great. However, his younger brother shall be greater than he, and 40his 41descendants shall become a 42multitude of nations.” 2043He blessed them that day, saying, “By you Israel will pronounce blessing, saying, ‘May God make you like Ephraim and Manasseh!’” Thus he put Ephraim before Manasseh. 21Then Israel said to Joseph, “Behold, I am about to die, but 44God will be with you, and 45bring you back to the land of your fathers. 22I give you one 46portion more than your brothers, 47which I took from the hand of the Amorite with my sword and my bow.”