1 Now it came about after these things that 1Lit one said to JosephJoseph was told, “Behold, your father is sick.” So he took his two sons AGen 41:51, 52; Josh 14:4Manasseh and Ephraim with him. 2 When 1Lit one told Jacob and saidit was told to Jacob, “Behold, your son Joseph has come to you,” Israel 2Lit strengthened himselfcollected his strength and sat 3Lit upon the bedup in the bed. 3 Then Jacob said to Joseph, “1Heb El ShaddaiAGen 28:13f; 35:9-12God Almighty appeared to me at BGen 28:19; 35:6Luz in the land of Canaan and blessed me, 4 and 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 1Lit seeddescendants after you for AGen 17:8an everlasting possession.’ 5  “Now your two sons, who were born to you in the land of Egypt before I came to you in Egypt, are mine; AGen 41:50-52; 46:20; 48:1; Josh 14:4Ephraim and Manasseh shall be mine, as B1 Chr 5:1, 2Reuben and Simeon are. 6  “But your offspring that 1Lit you have begottenhave been born after them shall be yours; they shall be called by the 2Lit namenames of their brothers in their inheritance. 7  “Now as for me, when I came from AGen 33:18Paddan, BGen 35:19, 20Rachel died, 1Lit upon meto 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).”

8 When Israel AGen 48:10saw Joseph’s sons, he said, “Who are these?” 9 Joseph said to his father, “AGen 33:5They are my sons, whom God has given me here.” So he said, “Bring them to me, please, that BGen 27:4I may bless them.” 10 Now AGen 27:1the eyes of Israel were so dim from age that he could not see. Then 1Lit heJoseph brought them close to him, and he BGen 27:27kissed them and embraced them. 11 Israel said to Joseph, “I never 1Lit meditated, judgedexpected to see your face, and behold, God has let me see your 2Lit seedchildren as well.” 12 Then Joseph 1Lit made them come outtook them from his knees, and AGen 42:6bowed with his face to the ground. 13 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. 14 But 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, 1Or consciously directingcrossing his hands, 2Lit whenalthough AGen 41:51, 52Manasseh was the firstborn. 15 He blessed Joseph, and said,

17 When Joseph saw that his father AGen 48:14laid 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. 18 Joseph said to his father, “Not so, my father, for this one is the firstborn. Place your right hand on his head.” 19 But 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 AGen 28:14; 46:3his 1Lit seeddescendants shall become a 2Lit fullnessmultitude of nations.” 20 AHeb 11:21He blessed them that day, saying,

Thus he put Ephraim before Manasseh. 21 Then Israel said to Joseph, “Behold, I am about to die, but AGen 26:3God will be with you, and BGen 28:15; 46:4; 50:24bring you back to the land of your fathers. 22  “I give you one 1Or ridge; lit shoulder; Heb Shechemportion more than your brothers, AJosh 24:32; John 4:5which I took from the hand of the Amorite with my sword and my bow.”