Study Desk

Manasseh and Ephraim

Some time later Joseph was told, "Your father is ill." So he took his two sons Manasseh and Ephraim^(a) along with him.

When Jacob was told, "Your son Joseph has come to you," Israel^(b) rallied his strength and sat up on the bed.

Jacob said to Joseph, "God Almighty^[a](c) appeared to me at Luz^(d) in the land of Canaan, and there he blessed me^(e)

and said to me, ‘I am going to make you fruitful and increase your numbers.^(f) I will make you a community of peoples, and I will give this land^(g) as an everlasting possession to your descendants after you.'^(h)

"Now then, your two sons born to you in Egypt⁽ⁱ⁾ before I came to you here will be reckoned as mine; Ephraim and Manasseh will be mine,^(j) just as Reuben^(k) and Simeon^(l) are mine.

Any children born to you after them will be yours; in the territory they inherit they will be reckoned under the names of their brothers.

As I was returning from Paddan,^[b](m) to my sorrow⁽ⁿ⁾ Rachel died in the land of Canaan while we were still on the way, a little distance from Ephrath. So I buried her there beside the road to Ephrath" (that is, Bethlehem).^(o)

When Israel^(p) saw the sons of Joseph,^(q) he asked, "Who are these?"

"They are the sons God has given me here,"^(r) Joseph said to his father. Then Israel said, "Bring them to me so I may bless^(s) them."

Now Israel's eyes were failing because of old age, and he could hardly see.^(t) So Joseph brought his sons close to him, and his father kissed them^(u) and embraced them.^(v)

Israel^(w) said to Joseph, "I never expected to see your face again,^(x) and now God has allowed me to see your children too."^(y)

Then Joseph removed them from Israel's knees^(z) and bowed down with his face to the ground.^(aa)

And Joseph took both of them, Ephraim on his right toward Israel's left hand and Manasseh on his left toward Israel's right hand,^(ab) and brought them close to him.

But Israel^(ac) reached out his right hand and put it on Ephraim's head,^(ad) though he was the younger,^(ae) and crossing his arms, he put his left hand on Manasseh's head, even though Manasseh was the firstborn.^(af)

Then he blessed^(ag) Joseph and said, "May the God before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac walked faithfully,^(ah) the God who has been my shepherd^(ai) all my life to this day,

the Angel^(aj) who has delivered me from all harm^(ak) —may he bless^(al) these boys.^(am) May they be called by my name and the names of my fathers Abraham and Isaac,^(an) and may they increase greatly on the earth."^(ao)

When Joseph saw his father placing his right hand^(ap) on Ephraim's head^(aq) he was displeased; so he took hold of his father's hand to move it from Ephraim's head to Manasseh's head.

Joseph said to him, "No, my father, this one is the firstborn; put your right hand on his head."^(ar)

But his father refused and said, "I know, my son, I know. He too will become a people, and he too will become great.^(as) Nevertheless, his younger brother will be greater than he,^(at) and his descendants will become a group of nations.^(au)"

He blessed^(av) them that day^(aw) and said, "In your^[c] name will Israel^(ax) pronounce this blessing:^(ay) ‘May God make you like Ephraim^(az) and Manasseh.^(ba)'" So he put Ephraim ahead of Manasseh.

Then Israel said to Joseph, "I am about to die, but God will be with you^[d](bb) and take you^[e] back to the land of your^[f] fathers.^(bc)

And to you I give one more ridge of land^[g](bd) than to your brothers,^(be) the ridge I took from the Amorites with my sword^(bf) and my bow."