Genesis 48

NEW AMERICAN BIBLE	Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition
1 Some time afterward, Joseph was informed, "Your father is failing." So he took along with him his two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim.	1 After this Joseph was told, "Behold, 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 rallied his strength and sat up in bed.	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 Jacob then said to Joseph: "God Almighty appeared to me at Luz in the land of Canaan, and blessing me,	3 And Jacob said to Joseph, "God Almighty appeared to me at Luz in the land of Canaan and blessed me,
4 he said, 'I will make you fertile and numerous and raise you into an assembly of tribes, and I will give this land to your descendants after you as a permanent possession.'	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 descendants after you for an everlasting possession.'
5 Your two sons, therefore, who were born to you in the land of Egypt before I joined you here, shall be mine; Ephraim and Manasseh shall be mine as much as Reuben and Simeon are mine.	5 And now your two sons, who were born to you in the land of Egypt before I came to you in Egypt, are mine; Ephraim and Manasseh shall be mine, as Reuben and Simeon are.
6 Progeny born to you after them shall remain yours; but their heritage shall be recorded in the names of their two brothers.	6 And the offspring born to you after them shall be yours; they shall be called by the name of their brothers in their inheritance.
7 I do this because, when I was returning from Paddan, your mother Rachel died, to my sorrow, during the journey in Canaan, while we were still a short distance from Ephrath; and I buried her there on the way to Ephrath (that is, Bethlehem)."	7 For when I came from Paddan, Rachel to my sorrow died in the land of Canaan on the way, 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 saw Joseph's sons, he asked, "Who are these?"	8 When Israel saw Joseph's sons, he said, "Who are these?"
9 "They are my sons," Joseph answered his father, "whom God has given me here." "Bring them to me," said his father, "that I may bless them."	9 Joseph said to his father, "They are my sons, whom God has given me here." And he said, "Bring them to me, I pray you, that I may bless them."
10 (Now Israel's eyes were dim from age, and he could not see well.) When Joseph brought his sons close to him, he kissed and embraced them.	10 Now the eyes of Israel were dim with age, so that he could not see. So Joseph brought them near him; and he kissed them and embraced them.
11 Then Israel said to Joseph, "I never expected to see your face again, and now God has allowed me to see your descendants as well!"	11 And Israel said to Joseph, "I had not thought to see your face; and lo, God has let me see your children also."
12 Joseph removed them from his father's knees and bowed down before him with his face to the ground.	12 Then Joseph removed them from his knees, and he bowed himself with his face to the earth.
13 Then Joseph took the two, Ephraim with his right hand, to Israel's left, and Manasseh with his left hand, to Israel's right, and led them to him.	13 And 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 him.
14 But Israel, crossing his hands, put out his right hand and laid it on the head of Ephraim, although he was the younger, and his left hand on the head of Manasseh, although he was the first-born.	14 And Israel stretched out his right hand and laid it upon the head of Ephraim, who was the younger, and his left hand upon the head of Manasseh, crossing his hands, for Manasseh was the first-born.
15 Then he blessed them with these words: "May the God in whose ways my fathers Abraham and Isaac walked, The God who has been my shepherd from my birth to this day,	15 And he blessed Joseph, and said, "The God before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac walked, the God who has led me all my life long to this day,
16 The Angel who has delivered me from all harm, bless these boys That in them my name be recalled, and the names of my fathers, Abraham and Isaac, And they may become teeming multitudes upon the earth!"	16 the angel who has redeemed me from all evil, bless the lads; and in them let my name be perpetuated, and the name of my fathers Abraham and Isaac; and let them grow into a multitude in the midst of the earth."
17 When Joseph saw that his father had laid his right hand on Ephraim's head, this seemed wrong to him; so he took hold of his father's hand, to remove it from Ephraim's head to Manasseh's,	17 When Joseph saw that his father laid his right hand upon the head of Ephraim, it displeased him; and he took his father's hand, to remove it from Ephraim's head to Manasseh's head.
18 saying, "That is not right, father; the other one is the first-born; lay your right hand on his head!"	18 And Joseph said to his father, "Not so, my father; for this one is the first-born; put your right hand upon his head."
19 But his father resisted. "I know it, son," he said, "I know. That one too shall become a tribe, and he too shall be great. Nevertheless, his younger brother shall surpass him, and his descendants shall become a multitude of nations."	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 descendants shall become a multitude of nations."
20 So when he blessed them that day and said, "By you shall the people of Israel pronounce blessings; may they say, 'God make you like Ephraim and Manasseh,'" he placed Ephraim before Manasseh.	20 So he blessed them that day, saying, "By you Israel will pronounce blessings, saying, 'God make you as Ephraim and as Manasseh"; and thus he put Ephraim before Manasseh.
21 Then Israel said to Joseph: "I am about to die. But God will be with you and will restore you to the land of your fathers.	21 Then Israel said to Joseph, "Behold, I am about to die, but God will be with you, and will bring you again to the land of your fathers.
22 As for me, I give to you, as to the one above his brothers, Shechem, which I captured from the Amorites with my sword and bow."	22 Moreover I have given to you rather than to your brothers one mountain slope which I took from the hand of the Amorites with my sword and with my bow."