Génesis 48

Bible in Basic English

1Now after these things, word came to Joseph that his father was ill: and he took with him his sons Manasseh and Ephraim.

2And when they said to Jacob, Your son Joseph is coming to see you: then Israel, getting all his strength together, had himself lifted up in his bed.

3And Jacob said to Joseph, God, the Ruler of all, came to me in a vision at Luz in the land of Canaan, and gave me his blessing,

4And said to me, Truly, I will make you fertile and give you increase and will make of you a great family of nations: and I will give this land to your seed after you to be their heritage for ever.

5And now your two sons who came to birth in Egypt before I came to you here, are mine; Ephraim and Manasseh will be mine, in the same way as Reuben and Simeon are.

6And any other offspring which you have after them, will be yours, and will be named after their brothers in their heritage.

7And as for me, when I came from Paddan, death overtook Rachel on the way, when we were still some distance from Ephrath; and I put her to rest there on the road to Ephrath, which is Beth-lehem.

8Then Israel, looking at Joseph's sons, said, Who are these?

9And Joseph said to his father, They are my sons, whom God has given me in this land. And he said, Let them come near me, and I will give them a blessing.

10Now because Israel was old, his eyes were no longer clear, and he was not able to see. So he made them come near to him, and he gave them a kiss, folding them in his arms.

11And Israel said to Joseph, I had no hope of seeing your face again, but God in his mercy has let me see you and your children.

12Then Joseph took them from between his knees, and went down on his face to the earth.

13Then taking Ephraim with his right hand, Joseph put him at Israel's left side, and with his left hand he put Manasseh at Israel's right side, placing them near him.

14And Israel, stretching out his right hand, put it on the head of Ephraim, the younger, and his left hand on the head of Manasseh, crossing his hands on purpose, for Manasseh was the older.

15And he gave Joseph a blessing, saying, May the God to whom my fathers, Abraham and Isaac, gave worship, the God who has taken care of me all my life till this day,

16The angel who has been my saviour from all evil, send his blessing on these children: and let my name and the name of my fathers, Abraham and Isaac, be given to them; and let them become a great nation in the earth.

17Now when Joseph saw that his father had put his right hand on the head of Ephraim, it did not seem right to him; and lifting his father's hand he would have put it on the head of Manasseh.

18And Joseph said to his father, Not so, my father, for this is the older; put your right hand on his head.

19But his father would not, saying, I am doing it on purpose, my son; he will certainly become a nation and a great one; but his younger brother will be greater than he, and his seed will become a great family of nations.

20So he gave them his blessing that day, saying, You will be the sign of blessing in Israel, for they will say, May God make you like Ephraim and Manasseh; and he put Ephraim before Manasseh.

21Then Israel said to Joseph, Now my death is near; but God will be with you, guiding you back to the land of your fathers.

22And I have given you more than your brothers, even Shechem as your heritage, which I took from the Amorites with my sword and my bow.

Reina-Valera 1909

1Y SUCEDIÓ después de estas cosas el haberse dicho á José: He aquí tu padre está enfermo. Y él tomó consigo sus dos hijos Manasés y Ephraim.

2Y se hizo saber á Jacob, diciendo: He aquí tu hijo José viene á ti. Entonces se esforzó Israel, y sentóse sobre la cama;

3Y dijo á José: El Dios Omnipotente me apareció en Luz en la tierra de Canaán, y me bendijo,

4Y díjome: He aquí, yo te haré crecer, y te multiplicaré, y te pondré por estirpe de pueblos: y daré esta tierra á tu simiente después de ti por heredad perpetua.

5Y ahora tus dos hijos Ephraim y Manasés, que te nacieron en la tierra de Egipto, antes que viniese á ti á la tierra de Egipto, míos son; como Rubén y Simeón, serán míos:

6Y los que después de ellos has engendrado, serán tuyos; por el nombre de sus hermanos serán llamados en sus heredades.

7Porque cuando yo venía de Padan-aram, se me murió Rachêl en la tierra de Canaán, en el camino, como media legua de tierra viniendo á Ephrata; y sepultéla allí en el camino de Ephrata, que es Bethlehem.

8Y vió Israel los hijos de José, y dijo: ¿Quiénes son éstos?

9Y respondió José á su padre: Son mis hijos, que Dios me ha dado aquí. Y él dijo: Allégalos ahora á mí, y los bendeciré.

10Y los ojos de Israel estaban tan agravados de la vejez, que no podía ver. Hízoles, pues, llegar á él, y él los besó y abrazó.

11Y dijo Israel á José: No pensaba yo ver tu rostro, y he aquí Dios me ha hecho ver también tu simiente.

12Entonces José los sacó de entre sus rodillas, é inclinóse á tierra.

13Y tomólos José á ambos, Ephraim á su diestra, á la siniestra de Israel; y á Manasés á su izquierda, á la derecha de Israel; é hízoles llegar á él.

14Entonces Israel extendió su diestra, y púsola sobre la cabeza de Ephraim, que era el menor, y su siniestra sobre la cabeza de Manasés, colocando así sus manos adrede, aunque Manasés era el primogénito.

15Y bendijo á José, y dijo: El Dios en cuya presencia anduvieron mis padres Abraham é Isaac, el Dios que me mantiene desde que yo soy hasta este día,

16El Angel que me liberta de todo mal, bendiga á estos mozos: y mi nombre sea llamado en ellos, y el nombre de mis padres Abraham é Isaac: y multipliquen en gran manera en medio de la tierra.

17Entonces viendo José que su padre ponía la mano derecha sobre la cabeza de Ephraim, causóle esto disgusto; y asió la mano de su padre, para mudarla de sobre la cabeza de Ephraim á la cabeza de Manasés.

18Y dijo José á su padre: No así, padre mío, porque éste es el primogénito; pon tu diestra sobre su cabeza.

19Mas su padre no quiso, y dijo: Lo sé, hijo mío, lo sé: también él vendrá á ser un pueblo, y será también acrecentado; pero su hermano menor será más grande que él, y su simiente será plenitud de gentes.

20Y bendíjolos aquel día, diciendo: En ti bendecirá Israel, diciendo: Póngate Dios como á Ephraim y como á Manasés. Y puso á Ephraim delante de Manasés.

21Y dijo Israel á José: He aquí, yo muero, mas Dios será con vosotros, y os hará volver á la tierra de vuestros padres.

22Y yo te he dado á ti una parte sobre tus hermanos, la cual tomé yo de mano del Amorrheo con mi espada y con mi arco.

King James Version

1And it came to pass after these things, that one told Joseph, Behold, thy father is sick: and he took with him his two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim.

2And one told Jacob, and said, Behold, thy son Joseph cometh unto thee: and Israel strengthened himself, and sat upon the bed.

3And Jacob said unto Joseph, God Almighty appeared unto me at Luz in the land of Canaan, and blessed me,

4And said unto me, Behold, I will make thee fruitful, and multiply thee, and I will make of thee a multitude of people; and will give this land to thy seed after thee for an everlasting possession.

5And now thy two sons, Ephraim and Manasseh, which were born unto thee in the land of Egypt before I came unto thee into Egypt, are mine; as Reuben and Simeon, they shall be mine.

6And thy issue, which thou begettest after them, shall be thine, and shall be called after the name of their brethren in their inheritance.

7And as for me, when I came from Padan, Rachel died by me in the land of Canaan in the way, when yet there was but a little way to come unto Ephrath: and I buried her there in the way of Ephrath; the same is Beth-lehem.

8And Israel beheld Joseph’s sons, and said, Who are these?

9And Joseph said unto his father, They are my sons, whom God hath given me in this place. And he said, Bring them, I pray thee, unto me, and I will bless them.

10Now the eyes of Israel were dim for age, so that he could not see. And he brought them near unto him; and he kissed them, and embraced them.

11And Israel said unto Joseph, I had not thought to see thy face: and, lo, God hath shewed me also thy seed.

12And Joseph brought them out from between his knees, and he bowed himself with his face to the earth.

13And 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 unto him.

14And Israel stretched out his right hand, and laid it upon Ephraim’s head, who was the younger, and his left hand upon Manasseh’s head, guiding his hands wittingly; for Manasseh was the firstborn.

15And he blessed Joseph, and said, God, before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac did walk, the God which fed me all my life long unto this day,

16The Angel which 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; and let them grow into a multitude in the midst of the earth.

17And when Joseph saw that his father laid his right hand upon the head of Ephraim, it displeased him: and he held up his father’s hand, to remove it from Ephraim’s head unto Manasseh’s head.

18And Joseph said unto his father, Not so, my father: for this is the firstborn; put thy right hand upon his head.

19And his father refused, and said, I know it, my son, I know it: he also shall become a people, and he also shall be great: but truly his younger brother shall be greater than he, and his seed shall become a multitude of nations.

20And he blessed them that day, saying, In thee shall Israel bless, saying, God make thee as Ephraim and as Manasseh: and he set Ephraim before Manasseh.

21And Israel said unto Joseph, Behold, I die: but God shall be with you, and bring you again unto the land of your fathers.

22Moreover I have given to thee one portion above thy brethren, which I took out of the hand of the Amorite with my sword and with my bow.

World English Bible

1After these things, someone said to Joseph, “Behold, your father is sick.” He took with him his two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim.

2Someone told Jacob, and said, “Behold, your son Joseph comes to you,” and Israel strengthened himself, and sat on the bed.

3Jacob said to Joseph, “God Almighty appeared to me at Luz in the land of Canaan, and blessed me,

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.’

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.

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.

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).”

8Israel saw Joseph’s sons, and said, “Who are these?”

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.”

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.

11Israel said to Joseph, “I didn’t think I would see your face, and behold, God has let me see your offspring also.”

12Joseph brought them out from between his knees, and he bowed himself with his face to the earth.

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.

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.

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,

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.”

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.

18Joseph said to his father, “Not so, my father, for this is the firstborn. Put your right hand on his head.”

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.”

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.

21Israel said to Joseph, “Behold, I am dying, but God will be with you, and bring you again to the land of your fathers.

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.”