Genesis 48

NEW AMERICAN BIBLE	DOUAI-RHEIMS
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 these things, it was told Joseph that his father was sick: and he set out to go to him, taking his two sons Manasses 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 the old man: Behold I thy son Joseph cometh to thee. And being strengthened he sat on his bed.
3 Jacob then said to Joseph: "God Almighty appeared to me at Luz in the land of Canaan, and blessing me,	3 And when Joseph was come in to him, he said : God Almighty appeared to me at Lute, which is in the land of Chanaan: and he 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 he said : I will cause thee to increase and multiply, and I will make of thee a multitude of people: and I will give this land to thee, and to thy seed after thee 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 So thy two sons who were born to thee in the land of Egypt before I came hither to thee, shall be mine: Ephraim and Manasses shall be reputed to me as Ruben and Simeon.
6 Progeny born to you after them shall remain yours; but their heritage shall be recorded in the names of their two brothers.	6 But the rest whom thou shalt have after them, shall be thine, and shall be called by the name of their brethren in their possessions.
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 out of Mesopotamia, Rachel died from me in the land of Ohanaan in the very journey, and it was springtime: and I was going to Ephrata, and I buried her near the way of Ephrata, which by another name is called Bethlehem.
8 When Israel saw Joseph's sons, he asked, "Who are these?"	8 Then seeing his sons, he said to him: 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 He answered: They are my sons, whom God hath given me in this place. And he said: Bring them to me 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 For Israel's eyes were dim by reason of his great age, and he could not see clearly. And when they were brought to him, he kissed 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 said to his son: I am not deprived of seeing thee: moreover God hath shewed me thy seed.
12 Joseph removed them from his father's knees and bowed down before him with his face to the ground.	12 And when Joseph had taken them from his father's lap, he bowed down with his face to the ground.
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 he set Ephraim on his right bend, that is, towards the left hand of Israel; but Manasses on his left hand, to wit, towards his father's right hand, and brought them near to 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 But he stretching forth his right hand, put it upon the head of Ephraim the younger brother; and the left upon the head of Manasses who was the elder, changing his hands.
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 Jacob blessed the sons of Joseph, and said: God, in whose sight my fathers Abraham and Isaac walked, God that feedeth me from my youth until 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 that delivereth me from all evils, bless these boys: and let my name be called upon them, and the names of my fathers Abraham, and Isaac, and may they grow into a multitude upon 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 And Joseph seeing that his father had put his right hand upon the head of Ephraim, was much displeased: and taking his father's hand he tried to lift it from Ephraims head, and to remove it to the head of Manasses.
18 saying, "That is not right, father; the other one is the first-born; lay your right hand on his head!"	18 And he said to his father: It should not be so, my father: for this is the firstborn, put thy 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 he refusing, said: I know, my son, I know: and this also shall become peoples, and shall be multiplied: but this younger brother shall be greater than he: and his seed shall grow into 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 And he blessed them at that time, saying: In thee shall Israel be blessed, and it shall be said: God do to thee as to Ephraim, and as to Manasses. And he set Ephraim before Manasses.
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 And he said to Joseph his son: Behold I die, and God will be with you, and will bring you back into 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 I give thee a portion above thy brethren, which I took out of the hand of the Amorrhite a with my sword and bow.