[[Genesis 47|<< Genesis 47]] | [[Genesis|Genesis]] | [[Genesis 49|Genesis 49 >>]] ### Genesis 48 1 AND it came to pass after these things, that _one_ told Joseph, Behold, thy father _is_ sick: and he took with him his two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim. ^1 2 And _one_ told Jacob, and said, Behold, thy son Joseph comes unto thee: and Israel strengthened himself, and sat upon the bed. ^2 3 And Jacob said unto Joseph, God Almighty appeared unto me at Luz in the land of Canaan, and blessed me, ^3 4 And said unto me, Behold, I will make thee fruitful, and multiply thee, and I will make of thee a multitude of people; and will give this land to thy seed after thee _for_ an everlasting possession. ^4 5 ¶ And now thy two sons, Ephraim and Manasseh, which were born unto thee in the land of Egypt before I came unto thee into Egypt, _are_ mine; as Reuben and Simeon, they shall be mine. ^5 6 And thy issue, which thou begettest after them, shall be thine, _and_ shall be called after the name of their brethren in their inheritance. ^6 7 And as for me, when I came from Padan, Rachel died by me in the land of Canaan in the way, when yet _there_ _was_ but a little way to come unto Ephrath: and I buried her there in the way of Ephrath; the same _is_ Beth-lehem. ^7 8 And Israel beheld Joseph's sons, and said, Who _are_ these? ^8 9 And Joseph said unto his father, They _are_ my sons, whom God has given me in this _place_. And he said, Bring them, I pray thee, unto me, and I will bless them. ^9 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. ^10 11 And Israel said unto Joseph, I had not thought to see thy face: and, lo, God has shown me also thy seed. ^11 12 And Joseph brought them out from between his knees, and he bowed himself with his face to the earth. ^12 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. ^13 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. ^14 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, ^15 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. ^16 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. ^17 18 And Joseph said unto his father, Not so, my father: for this _is_ the firstborn; put thy right hand upon his head. ^18 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. ^19 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. ^20 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. ^21 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. ^22