Jacob Blesses Ephraim and Manasseh
1Some time later, Joseph was told, “Your father is ill.” So he took his two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim, and went to him. 2When Jacob was told, “Your son Joseph has come to you,” Israel gathered his strength and sat up in bed. 3Jacob said to Joseph, “God Almighty appeared to me at Luz, in the land of Canaan, and blessed me, 4saying to me, ‘I will make you fruitful and numerous. I will make of you a community of peoples, and I will give this land to your descendants after you as an everlasting possession.’ 5Now then, your two sons born to you in Egypt before I came to you here will be reckoned as mine; Ephraim and Manasseh will be mine, just as Reuben and Simeon are. 6Any children born to you after them will be yours; in the territory they inherit they will be counted under the names of their brothers. 7As for me, when I was returning from Paddan, Rachel died, to my sorrow, in the land of Canaan while we were still on the way, some distance from Ephrath. So I buried her there beside the road to Ephrath” — that is, Bethlehem.
The Blessing
8When Israel saw Joseph’s sons, he asked, “Who are these?” 9“They are the sons God has given me here,” Joseph said to his father. “Bring them to me,” Israel said, “so that I may bless them.” 10Now Israel’s eyes were failing because of old age, and he could hardly see. So Joseph brought his sons close to him, and his father kissed them and embraced them. 11“I never expected to see your face again,” Israel said to Joseph, “and now God has even let me see your children.” 12Then Joseph took them from between his father’s knees and bowed down with his face to the ground. 13Joseph took them both, Ephraim on his right toward Israel’s left, and Manasseh on his left toward Israel’s right, and brought them close to him. 14But Israel reached out his right hand and put it on Ephraim’s head, though he was the younger, and crossing his arms, he put his left hand on Manasseh’s head, even though Manasseh was the firstborn. 15Then he blessed Joseph and said, “May the God before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac walked faithfully, the God who has been my shepherd all my life to this day, 16the angel who has redeemed me from all harm — may he bless these boys. May they be called by my name and the names of my fathers Abraham and Isaac, and may they grow into a multitude on the earth.” 17When Joseph saw his father placing his right hand on Ephraim’s head, he was displeased and took hold of his father’s hand to move it from Ephraim’s head to Manasseh’s. 18“No, my father,” Joseph said, “this one is the firstborn; put your right hand on his head.” 19“I know, my son, I know,” his father replied. “He too will become a people, and he too will become great. But his younger brother will be greater than he, and his descendants will become a group of nations.” 20That day he blessed them and said, “Through you, Israel will bless, saying, ‘May God make you like Ephraim and Manasseh.’” And he put Ephraim ahead of Manasseh. 21Then Israel said to Joseph, “I am about to die, but God will be with you and bring you back to the land of your fathers. 22And to you, as one who is above your brothers, I give the ridge of land that I took from the Amorites with my sword and my bow.”
