Genesis 48:5-22 ▼

5 And now your two sons born to you in Egypt (land of bondage) before I came to you here shall be reckoned as mine; Ephraim (doubly fruitful) and Manasseh (causing to forget) shall be mine, just as Reuben (behold a son) and Simeon are mine (heard).

6 Any children born to you after them shall be yours, and they shall be called by the names of their brothers in the territory they inherit.

7 Now as for me, when I was returning from Paddan (northwest Mesopotamia), to my sorrow Rachel (little lamb) died along the way in the land of Canaan (lowland), some distance from Ephrath (place of fruitfulness). So I buried her there beside the road to Ephrath” (that is, Bethlehem (house of bread)).

8 When Israel (he wrestles with God) saw the sons of Joseph (YHWH has added), he asked, “Who are these?”

9 Joseph (YHWH has added) said to his father, “They are the sons God {Elohim} has given me in this place.” So Jacob said, “Please bring them to me, that I may bless them.”

10 Now Israel’s (he wrestles with God) eyesight was poor because of old age; he could hardly see. Joseph brought his sons to him, and his father kissed them and embraced them.

11 “I never expected to see your face again,” Israel (he wrestles with God) said to Joseph (YHWH has added), “but now God {Elohim} has let me see your children as well.”

12 Then Joseph (YHWH has added) removed his sons from his father’s knees and bowed facedown.

13 And Joseph (YHWH has added) took both of them—with Ephraim (doubly fruitful) in his right hand toward Israel’s (he wrestles with God) left hand, and Manasseh (causing to forget) in his left hand toward Israel’s right hand—and brought them close to him.

14 But Israel (he wrestles with God) stretched out his right hand and put it on the head of Ephraim (doubly fruitful), the younger; and crossing his hands, he put his left on Manasseh’s (causing to forget) head, although Manasseh was the firstborn.

15 Then he blessed Joseph (YHWH has added) and said: “May the God {Elohim} before whom my fathers Abraham (father of many) and Isaac (he laughs) walked, the God who has been my shepherd all my life to this day,

16 the angel (Angel) who has redeemed me from all harm—may He bless these boys. And may they be called by my name and the names of my fathers Abraham (father of many) and Isaac (he laughs), and may they grow into a multitude upon the earth.”

17 When Joseph (YHWH has added) saw that his father had placed his right hand on Ephraim’s (doubly fruitful) head, he was displeased and took his father’s hand to move it from Ephraim’s head to Manasseh’s (causing to forget).

18 “Not so, my father!” Joseph (YHWH has added) said. “This one is the firstborn; put your right hand on his head.”

19 But his father refused. “I know, my son, I know!” he said. “He too shall become a people, and he too shall be great; nevertheless, his younger brother shall be greater than he, and his offspring shall become a multitude of nations.”

20 So that day Jacob blessed them and said: “By you shall Israel (he wrestles with God) pronounce this blessing: ‘May God {Elohim} make you like Ephraim (doubly fruitful) and Manasseh (causing to forget).’” So he put Ephraim before Manasseh.

21 Then Israel (he wrestles with God) said to Joseph (YHWH has added), “Look, I am about to die, but God {Elohim} will be with you⁺ and bring you⁺ back to the land of your⁺ fathers.

22 And to you, as one who is above your brothers, I give the ridge of land (one portion of the land) that I took from the Amorites (sayers) with my sword and bow.”