Genesis 48 - International Standard Version (ISV)

Joseph Visits His Ill Father

48 Some time later, somebody informed Joseph, “Your father is ill!” So he took his two sons Manasseh and Ephraim with him to visit Jacob.[a]

2 As soon as Jacob was informed, “Look! Your son Joseph has come to visit you,” Israel rallied his strength and sat up in bed.

3 Jacob reminded Joseph, “God Almighty revealed himself to me at Luz in Canaan and blessed me. 4 He told me, ‘Pay attention! I’m going to make you fruitful and numerous. I’m going to build you into a vast nation of people and then I’ll give this land to your descendants[b] for an eternal possession.’ 5 You have two sons who were born to you in Egypt before I came to be with you, whom I now take as my own. Ephraim and Manasseh are mine, just as Reuben and Simeon are. 6 Your descendants[c] are to be reckoned as yours, but are to be referred to among the names of their brothers in their respective[d] inheritances.

7 “Now as for me, Rachel died after I arrived in Canaan from Paddan, much to my sorrow. While I was on my journey to Ephrathah (also known as Bethlehem), I buried her there.”

Joseph Seeks Blessings for His Sons

8 Just then, Israel saw Joseph’s sons and asked, “Who are these?”

9 “These are my sons,” Joseph replied.[e] “God gave them to me here in Egypt.”[f]

“Please bring them close to me,” Jacob[g] said, “so I can bless them.”

10 Now Israel’s eyesight had become poor[h] from age. Because he couldn’t see well, Joseph brought them close to him, and Israel[i] kissed them both and embraced them. 11 Then he told Joseph, “I never thought I’d see you again, and now God has allowed me to see your children as well!”

12 Joseph took them off his knees and then bowed low with his face to the ground. 13 Then he brought them both close to his father,[j] placing Ephraim with his right hand toward Israel’s left and Manasseh with his left hand toward Israel’s right. 14 But Israel stretched out his right hand, laying it on Ephraim’s head (he was the younger son) and laying his left hand on Manasseh’s head (even though Manasseh was the firstborn).

Israel Blesses Joseph’s Sons

15 Then Israel blessed Joseph by saying:

“May the God in whose presence
my ancestors Abraham and Isaac walked,
the God who has continued shepherding me
my whole life even until today,
16 the angel who has been rescuing[k] me
from all sorts of evil,
bless these young men.
May my name continue to live on within them,
including the names
of my ancestors Abraham and Isaac,
and may they grow into a vast multitude
throughout the earth.”

17 But Joseph observed that his father had laid his right hand on Ephraim’s head. That displeased him, so he grabbed his father’s hand and started to move it from Ephraim’s head to Manasseh’s head. 18 “No, father, this one is the firstborn. Place your right hand on his head.”

19 But his father refused. “I know,” he said. “I know. He’s going to produce a large nation, and he’s going to be very great. However, his younger brother will become even greater than he, and his descendants will become a multitude of nations.”

20 That very day, Jacob[l] blessed them with this blessing:[m]

“By you Israel will extend this blessing:
‘May God make you like Ephraim and Manasseh!’”

By doing this, he placed Ephraim before Manasseh. 21 Then Israel told Joseph, “Pay attention! I’m about to die, but God will be with you. He’ll bring you back to the land that belongs to your ancestors. 22 I’m assigning you one portion more than your brothers from the land that I confiscated from the control[n] of the Amorites in battle.”[o]

Footnotes

  1. Genesis 48:1 The Heb. lacks to visit Jacob
  2. Genesis 48:4 Lit. descendants who come after you
  3. Genesis 48:6 Lit. descendants who come after you
  4. Genesis 48:6 The Heb. lacks respective
  5. Genesis 48:9 Lit. replied to his father
  6. Genesis 48:9 The Heb. lacks in Egypt
  7. Genesis 48:9 Lit. he
  8. Genesis 48:10 Lit. dim
  9. Genesis 48:10 Lit. he
  10. Genesis 48:13 The Heb. lacks to his father
  11. Genesis 48:16 Or redeeming
  12. Genesis 48:20 Lit. he
  13. Genesis 48:20 The Heb. lacks with this blessing
  14. Genesis 48:22 Lit. hand
  15. Genesis 48:22 Lit. Amorites with my sword and my bow

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48 And it cometh to pass, after these things, that [one] saith to Joseph, `Lo, thy father is sick;' and he taketh his two sons with him, Manasseh and Ephraim. 2 And [one] declareth to Jacob, and saith, `Lo, thy son Joseph is coming unto thee;' and Israel doth strengthen himself, and sit upon the bed...
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Genesis 48 - Wycliffe Bible (WYC)

48 And so when these things were done, it was told to Joseph, that his father was sick. And he took his two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim, and he disposed him to go. (And so after that these things were done, it was told to Joseph, that his father was sick. And he took his two sons, Manasseh and Ephrai...
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Genesis 48 - World English Bible (WEB)

48 After these things, someone said to Joseph, “Behold, your father is sick.” He took with him his two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim. 2 Someone told Jacob, and said, “Behold, your son Joseph comes to you,” and Israel strengthened himself, and sat on the bed. 3 Jacob said to Joseph, “God Almighty appe...
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Genesis 48 - The Voice (VOICE)

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Genesis 48 - Tree of Life Version (TLV)

Blessing of Ephraim and Manasseh48 After these things, someone told Joseph, “Behold, your father is sick.” So he took his two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim, with him. 2 When someone told Jacob, saying, “Behold, your son Joseph has come to you,” Israel summoned his strength and sat up in the bed. 3 The...
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Genesis 48 - Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (RSVCE)

Jacob Blesses Joseph’s Sons48 After this Joseph was told, “Behold, your father is ill”; so he took with him his two sons, Manas′seh and E′phraim. 2 And it was told to Jacob, “Your son Joseph has come to you”; then Israel summoned his strength, and sat up in bed. 3 And Jacob said to Joseph, “God Al...
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Genesis 48 - Revised Standard Version (RSV)

Jacob Blesses Joseph’s Sons48 After this Joseph was told, “Behold, your father is ill”; so he took with him his two sons, Manas′seh and E′phraim. 2 And it was told to Jacob, “Your son Joseph has come to you”; then Israel summoned his strength, and sat up in bed. 3 And Jacob said to Joseph, “God Al...
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Genesis 48 - New Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (NRSVCE)

Jacob Blesses Joseph’s Sons48 After this Joseph was told, “Your father is ill.” So he took with him his two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim. 2 When Jacob was told, “Your son Joseph has come to you,” he[a] summoned his strength and sat up in bed. 3 And Jacob said to Joseph, “God Almighty[b] appeared to ...
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Genesis 48 - New Revised Standard Version, Anglicised (NRSVA)

Jacob Blesses Joseph’s Sons48 After this Joseph was told, ‘Your father is ill.’ So he took with him his two sons Manasseh and Ephraim. 2 When Jacob was told, ‘Your son Joseph has come to you’, he[a] summoned his strength and sat up in bed. 3 And Jacob said to Joseph, ‘God Almighty[b] appeared to m...
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Genesis 48 - New Living Translation (NLT)

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Genesis 48 - New Life Version (NLV)

Jacob and Joseph’s Sons48 After this Joseph was told, “See, your father is sick.” So he took his two sons Manasseh and Ephraim with him. 2 When Jacob was told, “Your son Joseph has come to you,” Israel gathered his strength and sat up in bed. 3 Then Jacob said to Joseph, “The All-powerful God show...
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Genesis 48 - New King James Version (NKJV)

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Genesis 48 - New International Version - UK (NIVUK)

Manasseh and Ephraim48 Some time later Joseph was told, ‘Your father is ill.’ So he took his two sons Manasseh and Ephraim along with him. 2 When Jacob was told, ‘Your son Joseph has come to you,’ Israel rallied his strength and sat up on the bed. 3 Jacob said to Joseph, ‘God Almighty[a] appeared t...
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Genesis 48 - New International Version (NIV)

Manasseh and Ephraim48 Some time later Joseph was told, “Your father is ill.” So he took his two sons Manasseh and Ephraim(A) along with him. 2 When Jacob was told, “Your son Joseph has come to you,” Israel(B) rallied his strength and sat up on the bed. 3 Jacob said to Joseph, “God Almighty[a](C) ap...
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Genesis 48 - New International Reader's Version (NIRV)

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Genesis 48 - New English Translation (NET)

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