Israel’s Last Days
48 Now it came about after these things that [a]Joseph was told, “Behold, your father is sick.” So he took his two sons (A)Manasseh and Ephraim with him. 2 When [b]it was told to Jacob, “Behold, your son Joseph has come to you,” Israel [c]collected his strength and sat [d]up in the bed. 3 Then Jacob said to Joseph, “[e](B)God Almighty appeared to me at (C)Luz 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 [f]descendants after you for (D)an 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; (E)Ephraim and Manasseh shall be mine, as (F)Reuben and Simeon are. 6 But your offspring that [g]have been born after them shall be yours; they shall be called by the [h]names of their brothers in their inheritance. 7 Now as for me, when I came from (G)Paddan, (H)Rachel died, [i]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).”
8 When Israel (I)saw Joseph’s sons, he said, “Who are these?” 9 Joseph said to his father, “(J)They are my sons, whom God has given me here.” So he said, “Bring them to me, please, that (K)I may bless them.” 10 Now (L)the eyes of Israel were so dim from age that he could not see. Then [j]Joseph brought them close to him, and he (M)kissed them and embraced them. 11 Israel said to Joseph, “I never [k]expected to see your face, and behold, God has let me see your [l]children as well.” 12 Then Joseph [m]took them from his knees, and (N)bowed 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, [n]crossing his hands, [o]although (O)Manasseh was the firstborn. 15 He blessed Joseph, and said,
“(P)The God before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac walked,
(Q)The God who has been my shepherd [p]all my life to this day,
16 (R)The angel who has redeemed me from all evil,
(S)Bless the lads;
And may my name [q]live on in them,
And the [r]names of my fathers Abraham and Isaac;
And (T)may they grow into a multitude in the midst of the earth.”
17 When Joseph saw that his father (U)laid 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 (V)his [s]descendants shall become a [t]multitude of nations.” 20 (W)He blessed them that day, saying,
“By you Israel will pronounce blessing, saying,
‘May God make you like Ephraim and Manasseh!’”
Thus he put Ephraim before Manasseh. 21 Then Israel said to Joseph, “Behold, I am about to die, but (X)God will be with you, and (Y)bring you back to the land of your fathers. 22 I give you one [u]portion more than your brothers, (Z)which I took from the hand of the Amorite with my sword and my bow.”
Footnotes
- Genesis 48:1 Lit one said to Joseph
- Genesis 48:2 Lit one told Jacob and said
- Genesis 48:2 Lit strengthened himself
- Genesis 48:2 Lit upon the bed
- Genesis 48:3 Heb El Shaddai
- Genesis 48:4 Lit seed
- Genesis 48:6 Lit you have begotten
- Genesis 48:6 Lit name
- Genesis 48:7 Lit upon me
- Genesis 48:10 Lit he
- Genesis 48:11 Lit meditated, judged
- Genesis 48:11 Lit seed
- Genesis 48:12 Lit made them come out
- Genesis 48:14 Or consciously directing
- Genesis 48:14 Lit when
- Genesis 48:15 Lit from the continuance of me
- Genesis 48:16 Lit be called
- Genesis 48:16 Lit name
- Genesis 48:19 Lit seed
- Genesis 48:19 Lit fullness
- Genesis 48:22 Or ridge; lit shoulder; Heb Shechem
Cross references
- Genesis 48:1 : Gen 41:51, 52; Josh 14:4
- Genesis 48:3 : Gen 28:13f; 35:9-12
- Genesis 48:3 : Gen 28:19; 35:6
- Genesis 48:4 : Gen 17:8
- Genesis 48:5 : Gen 41:50-52; 46:20; 48:1; Josh 14:4
- Genesis 48:5 : 1 Chr 5:1, 2
- Genesis 48:7 : Gen 33:18
- Genesis 48:7 : Gen 35:19, 20
- Genesis 48:8 : Gen 48:10
- Genesis 48:9 : Gen 33:5
- Genesis 48:9 : Gen 27:4
- Genesis 48:10 : Gen 27:1
- Genesis 48:10 : Gen 27:27
- Genesis 48:12 : Gen 42:6
- Genesis 48:14 : Gen 41:51, 52
- Genesis 48:15 : Gen 17:1
- Genesis 48:15 : Gen 49:24
- Genesis 48:16 : Gen 22:11, 15-18; 28:13-15; 31:11
- Genesis 48:16 : Heb 11:21
- Genesis 48:16 : Gen 28:14; 46:3
- Genesis 48:17 : Gen 48:14
- Genesis 48:19 : Gen 28:14; 46:3
- Genesis 48:20 : Heb 11:21
- Genesis 48:21 : Gen 26:3
- Genesis 48:21 : Gen 28:15; 46:4; 50:24
- Genesis 48:22 : Josh 24:32; John 4:5