Genesis 48

Jacob Blesses Ephraim and Manasseh

1After these things, Joseph was told, “Look, your father is ill.” So he took with him his two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim. 2And when Jacob was told, “Look, your son Joseph has come to you,” Israel gathered his strength and sat up in bed.

3Then Jacob said to Joseph, “God Almighty appeared to me at Luz in the land of Canaan and blessed me, 4and said to me, ‘Look, I will make you fruitful and multiply you, and I will make of you a company of peoples and will give this land to your offspring after you as an everlasting possession.’ 5And now your two sons, who were born to you in the land of Egypt before I came to you in Egypt, are mine. Ephraim and Manasseh will be mine, as Reuben and Simeon are. 6But the children born to you after them will be yours. They will be called by the name of their brothers in their inheritance. 7As for me, when I came from Paddan, Rachel died to 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).”

Joseph Presents His Sons

8When Israel saw Joseph’s sons, he said, “Who are these?” 9Joseph 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.” 10Now the eyes of Israel were dim with age, so that he could not see. So Joseph brought them near to him, and he kissed them and embraced them. 11Israel said to Joseph, “I never expected to see your face, and look, God has let me see your offspring also.”

12Then Joseph removed them from his knees, and he bowed himself with his face to the earth. 13Joseph 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 him. 14Yet Israel stretched out his right hand and laid it upon the head of Ephraim, though he was the younger, and his left hand upon the head of Manasseh, crossing his hands, though Manasseh was the firstborn.

The Blessing

15And he blessed Joseph and said,
“The God before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac walked,
the God who has shepherded me all my life long to this day, 16the angel who has redeemed me from all evil,
bless the boys.
And in them let my name be carried on,
and the name of my fathers Abraham and Isaac.
And let them multiply greatly
among the earth.”

17When Joseph saw that his father laid his right hand on the head of Ephraim, it displeased him. So he took hold of his father’s hand to move it from Ephraim’s head to Manasseh’s head. 18Joseph said to his father, “Not so, my father, for this one is the firstborn. Put 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. Even so, his younger brother will be greater than he, and his offspring will become a multitude of nations.”

20So he blessed them that day, saying,
“By you Israel will pronounce blessing, saying,
‘May God make you like Ephraim and like Manasseh.’”
Thus he put Ephraim before Manasseh.

Jacob’s Final Words to Joseph

21Then Israel said to Joseph, “Look, I am about to die, but God will be with you and will bring you again to the land of your fathers. 22Moreover, I have given to you one mountain slope more than to your brothers, which I took from the hand of the Amorite with my sword and with my bow.”