1 Later Joseph was told that his father was ill. So he took his two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim, and went to see Jacob.

2 Jacob was told that his son Joseph had come to see him. He gathered his strength and sat up in bed.

3 Jacob said to Joseph: »Almighty God appeared to me at Luz in the land of Canaan and blessed me.

4 »He promised: ‘I will give you a large family with many descendants that will grow into a nation. I am giving you this land that will belong to you and your family from generation to generation.’« Hebrew: olam olamlong lasting possession

5 Jacob went on to say: »Joseph, your two sons Ephraim and Manasseh were born in Egypt. But I accept them as my own, just as Reuben and Simeon are mine.

6 »Any children you have later will be considered yours. Their inheritance will come from Ephraim and Manasseh.

7 »Your mother Rachel died in Canaan after we left northern Syria and before we reached Bethlehem. I had to bury her along the way.«

8 Then Israel saw Joseph’s sons. He asked Joseph: »Who are these boys?« Joseph answered:

9 »They are my sons. God has given them to me here in Egypt.« »Bring them to me,« Jacob said. »I want to give them my blessing.« Joseph brought the boys to him.

10 Israel’s eyesight was failing because of old age. He could hardly see. So Joseph brought his sons close to his father. Israel hugged them and kissed them.

11 Israel said to Joseph: »I never expected to see you again. Now God has even let me see your sons.«

12 Joseph took them off his father’s lap and bowed with his face touching the ground.

13 Then Joseph took both of them, Ephraim on his right, facing Israel’s left, and Manasseh on his left, facing Israel’s right, and brought them close to him.

14 But Israel crossed his hands and reached out. He put his right hand on Ephraim’s head, although Ephraim was the younger son. He put his left hand on Manasseh’s head, although Manasseh was older.

15 Jacob blessed Joseph. He said: »May God, in whose presence my grandfather Abraham and my father Isaac walked, may this God who has been my shepherd all my life to this very day,

16 »May the being who rescued me from all evil bless these boys! May they be called by my name and by the names of my grandfather Abraham and my father Isaac. May they have many children on the earth.«

17 Joseph saw that his father had put his right hand on Ephraim’s head. Joseph did not like it. So he took his father’s hand in order to move it from Ephraim’s head to Manasseh’s.

18 He said to his father: »That is not right, Father! This is the firstborn. Put your right hand on his head.«

19 His father refused and said: »I know, Son, I know! Manasseh, too, will become a nation. He, too, will be important. Nevertheless, his younger brother will be more important than he. His descendants will become many nations.«

20 That day he blessed them. He said: »Because of you, Israel will speak this blessing: ‘May God make you like Ephraim and Manasseh!’ In this way Israel put Ephraim ahead of Manasseh.«

21 Then Israel said to Joseph: »I am about to die. God will be with you. He will bring you back to the land of your fathers.

22 »I am giving you one more mountain ridge than your brothers. I took it from the Amorites with my own sword and bow.«