Genesis 48: Jacob blesses Ephraim and Manasseh
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What happens?
Joseph brings his two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim, to his dying father. Jacob takes them as his own sons and blesses them, crossing his hands so that his right hand rests on Ephraim, the younger. When Joseph objects, Jacob says the younger will be the greater.
Who is speaking?
Jacob (Israel) speaks most of the chapter, and Joseph answers him. In verses 3 and 4 Jacob tells what God Almighty said to him at Luz; those are Jacob's words, so they are not gold. God does not speak in this chapter. God's own words are printed in gold, and those verses are marked God speaks
1After these things, someone said to Joseph, “Behold, your father is sick.” He took with him his two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim.
In plain English: Some time later, Joseph was told, "Your father is sick." So he took his two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim, with him.
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2Someone told Jacob, and said, “Behold, your son Joseph comes to you,” and Israel strengthened himself, and sat on the bed.
In plain English: Jacob was told, "Your son Joseph has come to you." Israel gathered his strength and sat up in bed.
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3Jacob said to Joseph, “God Almighty appeared to me at Luz in the land of Canaan, and blessed me,
In plain English: Jacob said to Joseph, "God Almighty appeared to me at Luz in the land of Canaan and blessed me.
Good to know: Luz is the old name of Bethel (). "God Almighty" is El Shaddai, the name God uses of himself to Abraham in and to Jacob at Bethel in . In Jacob retells what God said to him there.
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4and 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 for an everlasting possession.’
In plain English: He said to me, 'I will make you fruitful and increase your numbers. I will make you a community of peoples, and I will give this land to your descendants after you, to own forever.'
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5Now your two sons, who were born to you in the land of Egypt before I came to you into Egypt, are mine; Ephraim and Manasseh, even as Reuben and Simeon, will be mine.
In plain English: Now your two sons, who were born to you in Egypt before I came to you here, are mine. Ephraim and Manasseh will be mine, just as Reuben and Simeon are.
Good to know: Jacob counts Joseph's two sons as his own, on the same level as his oldest sons, Reuben and Simeon. Later Ephraim and Manasseh are each counted as a tribe of Israel ().
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6Your offspring, whom you become the father of after them, will be yours. They will be called after the name of their brothers in their inheritance.
In plain English: Any children you have after them will be yours. When it comes to the inheritance, they will be called by their brothers' names.
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7As for me, when I came from Paddan, Rachel died beside me in the land of Canaan on the way, when there was still some distance to come to Ephrath, and I buried her there on the way to Ephrath (also called Bethlehem).”
In plain English: As for me, when I was coming from Paddan, Rachel died beside me on the way, in the land of Canaan, while we were still some distance from Ephrath. I buried her there, on the road to Ephrath (that is, Bethlehem)."
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8Israel saw Joseph’s sons, and said, “Who are these?”
In plain English: Israel saw Joseph's sons and asked, "Who are these?"
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9Joseph said to his father, “They are my sons, whom God has given me here.” He said, “Please bring them to me, and I will bless them.”
In plain English: Joseph said to his father, "They are my sons, whom God has given me here." Israel said, "Please bring them to me, so I can bless them."
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10Now the eyes of Israel were dim for age, so that he couldn’t see well. Joseph brought them near to him; and he kissed them, and embraced them.
In plain English: Israel's eyes were weak with age, and he could not see well. Joseph brought the boys close to him, and Israel kissed them and hugged them.
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11Israel said to Joseph, “I didn’t think I would see your face, and behold, God has let me see your offspring also.”
In plain English: Israel said to Joseph, "I never thought I would see your face, and now God has let me see your children too."
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12Joseph brought them out from between his knees, and he bowed himself with his face to the earth.
In plain English: Joseph took them out from between his knees and bowed down with his face to the ground.
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13Joseph 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 to him.
In plain English: Joseph took them both, Ephraim on his right toward Israel's left hand, and Manasseh on his left toward Israel's right hand, and brought them close to him.
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14Israel stretched out his right hand, and laid it on Ephraim’s head, who was the younger, and his left hand on Manasseh’s head, guiding his hands knowingly, for Manasseh was the firstborn.
In plain English: But Israel reached out his right hand and put it on the head of Ephraim, the younger, and his left hand on Manasseh's head. He crossed his hands (or: he did it knowingly), because Manasseh was the firstborn.
The Hebrew word: One Hebrew verb, sikkel, stands behind "guiding his hands knowingly". It can mean he crossed his hands, or that he acted wisely, knowing what he was doing.
Good to know: This is not the first time in Genesis that the younger is put ahead of the older. Before Jacob and Esau were born, Yahweh said to their mother, "The elder will serve the younger" ().
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15He blessed Joseph, and said, “The God before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac walked, the God who has fed me all my life long to this day,
In plain English: He blessed Joseph and said, "The God in whose presence my fathers Abraham and Isaac walked, the God who has fed me (been my shepherd) all my life to this day,
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16the angel who has redeemed me from all evil, bless the lads, and let my name be named on them, and the name of my fathers Abraham and Isaac. Let them grow into a multitude upon the earth.”
In plain English: the angel who has redeemed me from all evil (all harm): may he bless the boys. May they carry my name and the names of my fathers Abraham and Isaac. May they grow into a great number on the earth."
The Hebrew word: "Redeemed" is ga'al: to act as the next of kin, who buys back a relative's land or sets him free (as in ).
Good to know: Jacob names "the God" of his fathers, "the God who has fed me" and "the angel who has redeemed me", and then uses one word, "bless", written for one person: "may he bless the boys". Readers differ on whether the angel here is God himself or a messenger sent by God. The text does not say.
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17When Joseph saw that his father laid his right hand on the head of Ephraim, it displeased him. He held up his father’s hand, to remove it from Ephraim’s head to Manasseh’s head.
In plain English: When Joseph saw that his father had put his right hand on Ephraim's head, he was displeased. He took hold of his father's hand to move it from Ephraim's head to Manasseh's.
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18Joseph said to his father, “Not so, my father, for this is the firstborn. Put your right hand on his head.”
In plain English: Joseph said to his father, "Not like that, my father. This one is the firstborn. Put your right hand on his head."
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19His father refused, and said, “I know, my son, I know. He also will become a people, and he also will be great. However, his younger brother will be greater than he, and his offspring will become a multitude of nations.”
In plain English: But his father refused and said, "I know, my son, I know. He too will become a people, and he too will be great. But his younger brother will be greater than he is, and his descendants will become a great many nations."
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20He blessed them that day, saying, “Israel will bless in your name, saying, ‘God make you as Ephraim and as Manasseh’” He set Ephraim before Manasseh.
In plain English: He blessed them that day and said, "Israel will use your name when they bless, saying, 'May God make you like Ephraim and Manasseh.'" So he put Ephraim ahead of Manasseh.
Good to know: Some Jewish families use these words to bless their sons on Friday evening, at the start of the Sabbath.
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21Israel said to Joseph, “Behold, I am dying, but God will be with you, and bring you again to the land of your fathers.
In plain English: Israel said to Joseph, "I am about to die, but God will be with you and will bring you back to the land of your fathers.
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22Moreover I have given to you one portion above your brothers, which I took out of the hand of the Amorite with my sword and with my bow.”
In plain English: And to you, more than to your brothers, I give one portion (the Hebrew word can also mean a ridge of land, or the town of Shechem), which I took from the Amorites with my sword and my bow."
The Hebrew word: "Portion" is shekem: a shoulder, or a ridge of land. The same word is the name of the town Shechem.
What changes: Read as the place name, Jacob gives Joseph the town of Shechem itself. The old Greek translation reads it that way. Joseph's bones are later buried at Shechem (), and speaks of "the parcel of ground that Jacob gave to his son Joseph".
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