Genesis 48 - New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

Jacob Blesses Joseph’s Sons

48 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 me at Luz in the land of Canaan, and he blessed me(A)4 and said to me, ‘I am going to make you fruitful and increase your numbers; I will make of you a company of peoples and will give this land to your offspring after you for a perpetual holding.’(B)5 Therefore your two sons, who were born to you in the land of Egypt before I came to you in Egypt, are now mine; Ephraim and Manasseh shall be mine, just as Reuben and Simeon are.(C)6 As for the offspring born to you after them, they shall be yours. They shall be recorded under the names of their brothers with regard to their inheritance. 7 For when I came from Paddan, Rachel, alas, died in the land of Canaan on the way, while there was still some distance to go to Ephrath, and I buried her there on the way to Ephrath, that is, Bethlehem.”(D)

8 When Israel saw Joseph’s sons, he said, “Who are these?” 9 Joseph 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.”(E)10 Now the eyes of Israel were dim with age, and he could not see well. So Joseph brought them near him, and he kissed them and embraced them.(F)11 Israel said to Joseph, “I did not expect to see your face, and here God has let me see your children also.”(G)12 Then Joseph removed them from his father’s knees,[c] and he bowed himself with his face to the earth. 13 Joseph took them both, Ephraim in his right hand toward Israel’s left and Manasseh in his left hand toward Israel’s right, and brought them near 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 the head of Manasseh, crossing his hands, for Manasseh was the firstborn.(H)15 He blessed Joseph and said,

“The God before whom my ancestors Abraham and Isaac walked,
the God who has been my shepherd all my life to this day,(I)
16 the angel who has redeemed me from all harm, bless the boys,
and in them let my name be perpetuated and the name of my ancestors Abraham and Isaac,
and let them grow into a multitude on the earth.”(J)

17 When Joseph saw that his father laid his right hand on the head of Ephraim, it displeased him, so he took his father’s hand, to remove it from Ephraim’s head to Manasseh’s head.(K)18 Joseph said to his father, “Not so, my father! Since this one is the firstborn, put your right hand on his head.” 19 But his father refused and said, “I know, my son, I know; he also shall become a people, and he also shall be great. Nevertheless his younger brother shall be greater than he, and his offspring shall become a multitude of nations.”(L)20 So he blessed them that day, saying,

“By you Israel will invoke blessings, saying,
‘God make you like Ephraim and like Manasseh.’ ”

So he put Ephraim ahead of Manasseh. 21 Then Israel said to Joseph, “I am about to die, but God will be with you and will bring you again to the land of your ancestors.(M)22 I now give to you one portion[d] more than to your brothers, the portion[e] that I took from the hand of the Amorites with my sword and with my bow.”(N)

Footnotes

  1. 48.2Heb Israel
  2. 48.3Traditional rendering of Heb El Shaddai
  3. 48.12Heb from his knees
  4. 48.22Or mountain slope
  5. 48.22Or mountain slope

Cross references

  1. 48.3 : Gen 28.19; 35.6, 9, 12
  2. 48.4 : Gen 17.8
  3. 48.5 : Gen 46.20; Josh 13.7; 14.4
  4. 48.7 : Gen 33.18; 35.19, 20
  5. 48.9 : Gen 33.5
  6. 48.10 : Gen 27.1, 27
  7. 48.11 : Gen 45.26
  8. 48.14 : v 19
  9. 48.15 : Gen 17.1; Heb 11.21
  10. 48.16 : Gen 28.14; 31.11, 13, 24; 46.3
  11. 48.17 : v 14
  12. 48.19 : v 14; Num 1.33, 35
  13. 48.21 : Gen 26.3; 28.15; 46.4; 50.24
  14. 48.22 : Josh 24.32; Jn 4.5

You Might Also Like:

Genesis 48 - Young's Literal Translation (YLT)

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...
Read More

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...
Read More

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...
Read More

Genesis 48 - The Voice (VOICE)

Jacob bows his final bow—perhaps in the weakness of old age or in thankfulness for Joseph’s promise, or maybe in prayer to the Lord.In the days of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, custom demands that the firstborn son become the next head of the family and inherit the name, status, and wealth of his fathe...
Read More

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...
Read More

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...
Read More

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...
Read More

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 ...
Read More

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...
Read More

Genesis 48 - New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

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 me...
Read More

Genesis 48 - New Living Translation (NLT)

Jacob Blesses Manasseh and Ephraim48 One day not long after this, word came to Joseph, “Your father is failing rapidly.” So Joseph went to visit his father, and he took with him his two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim. 2 When Joseph arrived, Jacob was told, “Your son Joseph has come to see you.” So Jacob...
Read More

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...
Read More

Genesis 48 - New King James Version (NKJV)

Jacob Blesses Joseph’s Sons(A)48 Now it came to pass after these things that Joseph was told, “Indeed your father is sick”; and he took with him his two sons, (B)Manasseh and Ephraim. 2 And Jacob was told, “Look, your son Joseph is coming to you”; and Israel [a]strengthened himself and sat up on th...
Read More

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...
Read More

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...
Read More

Genesis 48 - New International Reader's Version (NIRV)

Ephraim and Manasseh48 Some time later Joseph was told, “Your father is sick.” So he took his two sons Manasseh and Ephraim along with him. 2 Jacob was told, “Your son Joseph has come to you.” So Israel became stronger and sat up in bed. 3 Jacob said to Joseph, “The Mighty God appeared to me at Luz...
Read More

Genesis 48 - New English Translation (NET)

Manasseh and Ephraim48 After these things Joseph was told,[a] “Your father is weakening.” So he took his two sons Manasseh and Ephraim with him. 2 When Jacob was told,[b] “Your son Joseph has just[c] come to you,” Israel regained strength and sat up on his bed. 3 Jacob said to Joseph, “The Soverei...
Read More