Feb.
17
Genesis
48
Gen
48:1 It happened after these things, that someone said to Joseph,
"Behold, your father is sick." He took with him his two
sons, Manasseh and Ephraim.
Gen
48:2 Someone told Jacob, and said, "Behold, your son Joseph
comes to you," and Israel strengthened himself, and sat on the
bed.
Gen
48:3 Jacob said to Joseph, "God Almighty appeared to me at Luz
in the land of Canaan, and blessed me,
Gen
48:4 and said to me, 'Behold, I will make you fruitful, and multiply
you, and I will make of you a company of peoples, and will give this
land to your seed after you for an everlasting possession.'
Gen
48:5 Now your two sons, who were born to you in the land of Egypt
before I came to you into Egypt, are mine; Ephraim and Manasseh, even
as Reuben and Simeon, will be mine.
Gen
48:6 Your issue, who you become the father of after them, will be
yours. They will be called after the name of their brothers in their
inheritance.
Gen
48:7 As for me, when I came from Paddan, Rachel died by me in the
land of Canaan in the way, when there was still some distance to come
to Ephrath, and I buried her there in the way to Ephrath (the same
is Bethlehem)."
Gen
48:8 Israel saw Joseph's sons, and said, "Who are these?"
Gen
48:9 Joseph said to his father, "They are my sons, whom God has
given me here." He said, "Please bring them to me, and I
will bless them."
Gen
48:10 Now the eyes of Israel were dim for age, so that he couldn't
see. He brought them near to him; and he kissed them, and embraced
them.
Gen
48:11 Israel said to Joseph, "I didn't think I would see your
face, and behold, God has let me see your seed also."
Gen
48:12 Joseph brought them out from between his knees, and he bowed
himself with his face to the earth.
Gen
48:13 Joseph took them both, Ephraim in his right hand toward
Israel's left hand, and Manasseh in his left hand toward Israel's
right hand, and brought them near to him.
Gen
48:14 Israel stretched out his right hand, and laid it on Ephraim's
head, who was the younger, and his left hand on Manasseh's head,
guiding his hands knowingly, for Manasseh was the firstborn.
Gen
48:15 He blessed Joseph, and said, "The God before whom my
fathers Abraham and Isaac did walk, the God who has fed me all my
life long to this day,
Gen
48:16 the angel who has redeemed me from all evil, bless the lads,
and let my name be named on them, and the name of my fathers Abraham
and Isaac. Let them grow into a multitude in the midst of the earth."
Gen
48:17 When Joseph saw that his father laid his right hand on the
head of Ephraim, it displeased him. He held up his father's hand, to
remove it from Ephraim's head to Manasseh's head.
Gen
48:18 Joseph said to his father, "Not so, my father; for this
is the firstborn; put your right hand on his head."
Gen
48:19 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 will be greater than he, and his seed will become a
multitude of nations."
Gen
48:20 He blessed them that day, saying, "In you will Israel
bless, saying, 'God make you as Ephraim and as Manasseh' " He
set Ephraim before Manasseh.
Gen
48:21 Israel said to Joseph, "Behold, I am dying, but God will
be with you, and bring you again to the land of your fathers.
Gen
48:22 Moreover I have given to you one portion above your brothers,
which I took out of the hand of the Amorite with my sword and with my
bow."