Jacob Blesses Ephraim and Manasseh

Genesis 48

1 After this, Joseph was told, "Behold, your father is ill." So he took with him his two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim. 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 And Jacob said to Joseph, z "God Almighty 1 appeared to me at a Luz in the land of Canaan and blessed me, 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 offspring after you b for an everlasting possession.' 5 And now your c two sons, who were born to you in the land of Egypt before I came to you in Egypt, d are mine; Ephraim and Manasseh shall be mine, as Reuben and Simeon are. 6 And the children that you fathered after them shall be yours. They shall be called by the name of their brothers in their inheritance. 7 As for me, when I came from Paddan, to my sorrow e Rachel died in the land of Canaan on the way, when there was still some distance 2 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 said, "Who are these?" 9 Joseph said to his father, f "They are my sons, whom God has given me here." And he said, "Bring them to me, please, that g I may bless them." 10 Now h the eyes of Israel were dim with age, so that he could not see. So Joseph brought them near him, i and he kissed them and embraced them. 11 And Israel said to Joseph, j "I never expected to see your face; and behold, God has let me see your offspring also." 12 Then Joseph removed them from his knees, and he bowed himself with his face to the earth. 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 k And Israel stretched out his right hand and laid it on the head of Ephraim, who was the younger, and his left hand on the head of Manasseh, l crossing his hands (for Manasseh was the firstborn).

15 And he blessed Joseph and said,
"The God m before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac walked,
the God who has been my shepherd all my life long to this day,
 16 n the angel who has o redeemed me from all evil, bless the boys;
and in them let p my name be carried on, and the name of my fathers Abraham and Isaac;
and let them q grow into a multitude 3 in the midst of the earth."

17 When Joseph saw that his father r laid his right hand on the head of Ephraim, it displeased him, and he took his father's hand to move it from Ephraim's head to Manasseh's head. 18 And Joseph said to his father, "Not this way, my father; since this one is the firstborn, put your right hand on his head." 19 But his father refused and said, r "I know, my son, I know. He also shall become a people, and he also shall be great. Nevertheless, s his younger brother shall be greater than he, and his offspring shall become a multitude 4 of nations."

20 So he blessed them that day, saying,
"By you Israel will pronounce blessings, saying,
t 'God make you as Ephraim and as Manasseh.'"
Thus he put Ephraim before Manasseh. 21 Then Israel said to Joseph, "Behold, I am about to die, but u God will be with you and will bring you again to the land of your fathers. 22 Moreover, I have given to v you rather than to your brothers one mountain slope 5 that I took from the hand of the Amorites with my sword and with my bow."

  1. Cross References
    Genesis 17:1
    When Abram was ninety-nine years old the Lord appeared to Abram and said to him, "I am God Almighty; walk before me, and be blameless.
  2. Cross References
    Genesis 28:13
    And behold, the Lord stood above it and said, "I am the Lord, the God of Abraham your father and the God of Isaac. The land on which you lie I will give to you and to your offspring.
    Genesis 28:19
    He called the name of that place Bethel, but the name of the city was Luz at the first.
    Genesis 35:6
    And Jacob came to Luz (that is, Bethel), which is in the land of Canaan, he and all the people who were with him.
    Genesis 35:9
    God appeared to Jacob again, when he came from Paddan-aram, and blessed him.
  3. Cross References
    Genesis 17:8
    And I will give to you and to your offspring after you the land of your sojournings, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession, and I will be their God.
  4. Cross References
    Genesis 41:50 - 52
    Before the year of famine came, two sons were born to Joseph. Asenath, the daughter of Potiphera priest of On, bore them to him.
    Genesis 46:20
    And to Joseph in the land of Egypt were born Manasseh and Ephraim, whom Asenath, the daughter of Potiphera the priest of On, bore to him.
  5. Cross References
    Joshua 13:7
    Now therefore divide this land for an inheritance to the nine tribes and half the tribe of Manasseh.
    Joshua 14:4
    For the people of Joseph were two tribes, Manasseh and Ephraim. And no portion was given to the Levites in the land, but only cities to dwell in, with their pasturelands for their livestock and their substance.
    Joshua 17:17
    Then Joshua said to the house of Joseph, to Ephraim and Manasseh, "You are a numerous people and have great power. You shall not have one allotment only.
  6. Cross References
    Genesis 35:9 - 19
    God appeared to Jacob again, when he came from Paddan-aram, and blessed him.
  7. Cross References
    Genesis 33:5
    And when Esau lifted up his eyes and saw the women and children, he said, "Who are these with you?" Jacob said, "The children whom God has graciously given your servant.
  8. Cross References
    Genesis 49:25 - 26
    By the God of your father who will help you, by the Almighty who will bless you with blessings of heaven above, blessings of the deep that crouches beneath, blessings of the breasts and of the womb.
    Hebrews 11:21
    By faith Jacob, when dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, bowing in worship over the head of his staff.
    Genesis 27:4
    And prepare for me delicious food, such as I love, and bring it to me so that I may eat, that my soul may bless you before I die.
  9. Cross References
    Genesis 27:1
    When Isaac was old and his eyes were dim so that he could not see, he called Esau his older son and said to him, "My son"; and he answered, "Here I am.
  10. Cross References
    Genesis 27:27
    So he came near and kissed him. And Isaac smelled the smell of his garments and blessed him and said, "See, the smell of my son is as the smell of a field that the Lord has blessed!
  11. Cross References
    Genesis 37:33
    And he identified it and said, "It is my son's robe. A fierce animal has devoured him. Joseph is without doubt torn to pieces.
    Genesis 45:26
    And they told him, "Joseph is still alive, and he is ruler over all the land of Egypt." And his heart became numb, for he did not believe them.
  12. Cross References
    Genesis 48:17
    When Joseph saw that his father laid his right hand on the head of Ephraim, it displeased him, and he took his father's hand to move it from Ephraim's head to Manasseh's head.
  13. Cross References
    Genesis 48:19
    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 offspring shall become a multitude of nations.
  14. Cross References
    Genesis 17:1
    When Abram was ninety-nine years old the Lord appeared to Abram and said to him, "I am God Almighty; walk before me, and be blameless.
    Genesis 24:40
    But he said to me, 'The Lord, before whom I have walked, will send his angel with you and prosper your way. You shall take a wife for my son from my clan and from my father's house.
  15. Cross References
    Genesis 28:15
    Behold, I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land. For I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.
    Genesis 31:11
    Then the angel of God said to me in the dream, 'Jacob,' and I said, 'Here I am!
    Genesis 31:13
    I am the God of Bethel, where you anointed a pillar and made a vow to me. Now arise, go out from this land and return to the land of your kindred.'
    Genesis 31:24
    But God came to Laban the Aramean in a dream by night and said to him, "Be careful not to say anything to Jacob, either good or bad.
    Exodus 23:20
    Behold, I send an angel before you to guard you on the way and to bring you to the place that I have prepared.
  16. Cross References
    Isaiah 44:22 - 23
    I have blotted out your transgressions like a c...
    Isaiah 49:7
    Thus says the Lord, the Redeemer of Israel and ...
    Isaiah 63:9
    In all their affliction he was afflicted, and t...
    2 Samuel 4:9
    But David answered Rechab and Baanah his brothe...
    Psalms 34:22
    The Lord redeems the life of his servants; none...
    Psalms 121:7
    The Lord will keep you from all evil; he will k...
  17. Cross References
    Amos 9:12
    That they may possess the remnant of Edom and all the nations who are called by my name," declares the Lord who does this.
    Acts 15:17
    That the remnant of mankind may seek the Lord, and all the Gentiles who are called by my name, says the Lord, who makes these things
  18. Cross References
    Numbers 26:34
    These are the clans of Manasseh, and those listed were 52,700.
    Numbers 26:37
    These are the clans of the sons of Ephraim as they were listed, 32,500. These are the sons of Joseph according to their clans.
  19. Cross References
    Genesis 48:14
    And Israel stretched out his right hand and laid it on the head of Ephraim, who was the younger, and his left hand on the head of Manasseh, crossing his hands (for Manasseh was the firstborn).
  20. Cross References
    Genesis 48:17
    When Joseph saw that his father laid his right hand on the head of Ephraim, it displeased him, and he took his father's hand to move it from Ephraim's head to Manasseh's head.
  21. Cross References
    Numbers 1:33
    Those listed of the tribe of Ephraim were 40,500.
    Numbers 1:35
    Those listed of the tribe of Manasseh were 32,200.
    Numbers 2:19
    His company as listed being 40,500.
    Numbers 2:21
    His company as listed being 32,200.
    Deuteronomy 33:17
    A firstborn bull - he has majesty, and his horns are the horns of a wild ox; with them he shall gore the peoples, all of them, to the ends of the earth; they are the ten thousands of Ephraim, and they are the thousands of Manasseh.
  22. Cross References
    Ruth 4:11 - 12
    Then all the people who were at the gate and the elders said, "We are witnesses. May the Lord make the woman, who is coming into your house, like Rachel and Leah, who together built up the house of Israel. May you act worthily in Ephrathah and be renowned in Bethlehem.
  23. Cross References
    Genesis 46:4
    I myself will go down with you to Egypt, and I will also bring you up again, and Joseph's hand shall close your eyes.
    Genesis 50:24
    And Joseph said to his brothers, "I am about to die, but God will visit you and bring you up out of this land to the land that he swore to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob.
  24. Cross References
    Joshua 24:32
    As for the bones of Joseph, which the people of Israel brought up from Egypt, they buried them at Shechem, in the piece of land that Jacob bought from the sons of Hamor the father of Shechem for a hundred pieces of money. It became an inheritance of the descendants of Joseph.
    John 4:5
    So he came to a town of Samaria called Sychar, near the field that Jacob had given to his son Joseph.
English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers.
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