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Genesis 48:8-22
New English Translation

8 When Israel saw Joseph’s sons, he asked, “Who are these?” 9 Joseph said to his father, “They are the[a] sons God has given me in this place.” His father[b] said, “Bring them to me so I may bless them.”[c] 10 Now Israel’s eyes were failing[d] because of his age; he was not able to see well. So Joseph[e] brought his sons[f] near to him, and his father[g] kissed them and embraced them. 11 Israel said to Joseph, “I never expected[h] to see you[i] again, but now God has allowed me to see your children[j] too.”

12 So Joseph moved them from Israel’s knees[k] and bowed down with his face to the ground. 13 Joseph positioned them;[l] he put Ephraim on his right hand across from Israel’s left hand, and Manasseh on his left hand across from Israel’s right hand. Then Joseph brought them closer to his father.[m] 14 Israel stretched out his right hand and placed it on Ephraim’s head, although he was the younger.[n] Crossing his hands, he put his left hand on Manasseh’s head, for Manasseh was the firstborn.

15 Then he blessed Joseph and said,
“May the God before whom my fathers
Abraham and Isaac walked—
the God who has been my shepherd[o]
all my life long to this day,
16 the angel[p] who has protected me[q]
from all harm—
bless these boys.
May my name be named in them,[r]
and the name of my fathers Abraham and Isaac.
May they grow into a multitude on the earth.”

17 When Joseph saw that his father placed his right hand on Ephraim’s head, it displeased him.[s] So he took his father’s hand to move it from Ephraim’s head to Manasseh’s head. 18 Joseph said to his father, “Not so, my father, for this is the firstborn. Put your right hand on his head.”

19 But his father refused and said, “I know, my son, I know. He too will become a nation and he too will become great. In spite of this, his younger brother will be even greater and his descendants will become a multitude[t] of nations.” 20 So he blessed them that day, saying,

“By you[u] will Israel bless,[v] saying,
‘May God make you like Ephraim and Manasseh.’”
Thus he put Ephraim before Manasseh.[w]

21 Then Israel said to Joseph, “I am about to die, but God will be with you[x] and will bring you back to the land of your fathers. 22 As one who is above your[y] brothers, I give to you the mountain slope,[z] which I took from the Amorites with my sword and my bow.”

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Footnotes

  1. Genesis 48:9 tn Heb “my.”
  2. Genesis 48:9 tn Heb “and he”; the referent (Joseph’s father) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
  3. Genesis 48:9 tn The cohortative with prefixed vav (ו) indicates purpose after the imperative.
  4. Genesis 48:10 tn Heb “heavy.”sn The disjunctive clause provides supplemental information that is important to the story. The weakness of Israel’s sight is one of several connections between this chapter and Gen 27. Here there are two sons, and it appears that the younger is being blessed over the older by a blind old man. While it was by Jacob’s deception in chap. 27, here it is with Jacob’s full knowledge.
  5. Genesis 48:10 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Joseph) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
  6. Genesis 48:10 tn Heb “them”; the referent (Joseph’s sons) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
  7. Genesis 48:10 tn Heb “and he”; the referent (Joseph’s father) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
  8. Genesis 48:11 tn On the meaning of the Hebrew verb פָּלַל (palal) here, see E. A. Speiser, “The Stem pll in Hebrew,” JBL 82 (1963): 301-6. Speiser argues that this verb means “to estimate” as in Exod 21:22.
  9. Genesis 48:11 tn Heb “your face.”
  10. Genesis 48:11 tn Heb “offspring.”
  11. Genesis 48:12 tn Heb “and Joseph brought them out from with his knees.” The two boys had probably been standing by Israel’s knees when being adopted and blessed. The referent of the pronoun “his” (Israel) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
  12. Genesis 48:13 tn Heb “and Joseph took the two of them.”
  13. Genesis 48:13 tn Heb “and he brought near to him.” The referents of the pronouns “he” and “him” (Joseph and his father respectively) have been specified in the translation for clarity.
  14. Genesis 48:14 tn The disjunctive clause is circumstantial-concessive here.
  15. Genesis 48:15 tn Heb “shepherded me.” The verb has been translated as an English noun for stylistic reasons.
  16. Genesis 48:16 sn Smr reads “king” here, but the traditional reading (“angel”) may be maintained. Jacob closely associates God with an angelic protective presence. This does not mean that Jacob viewed his God as a mere angel, but it does suggest that he was aware of an angelic presence sent by God to protect him. Here he so closely associates the two that they become virtually indistinguishable. In this culture messengers typically carried the authority of the one who sent them and could even be addressed as such. Perhaps Jacob thought that the divine blessing would be mediated through this angelic messenger.
  17. Genesis 48:16 tn The verb גָּאַל (gaʾal) has the basic idea of “protect” as a near relative might do. It is used for buying someone out of bondage, marrying a deceased brother’s widow, paying off debts, avenging the family, and the like. The meanings of “deliver, protect, avenge” are most fitting when God is the subject (see A. R. Johnson, “The Primary Meaning of גאל,” Congress Volume: Copenhagen, 1953 [VTSup], 67-77).
  18. Genesis 48:16 tn Or “be recalled through them.”
  19. Genesis 48:17 tn Heb “it was bad in his eyes.”
  20. Genesis 48:19 tn Heb “fullness.”
  21. Genesis 48:20 tn The pronoun is singular in the Hebrew text, apparently elevating Ephraim as the more prominent of the two. Note, however, that both are named in the blessing formula that follows.
  22. Genesis 48:20 tn Or “pronounce a blessing.”
  23. Genesis 48:20 sn On the elevation of Ephraim over Manasseh see E. C. Kingsbury, “He Set Ephraim Before Manasseh,” HUCA 38 (1967): 129-36; H. Mowvley, “The Concept and Content of ‘Blessing’ in the Old Testament,” BT 16 (1965): 74-80; and I. Mendelsohn, “On the Preferential Status of the Eldest Son,” BASOR 156 (1959): 38-40.
  24. Genesis 48:21 tn The pronouns translated “you,” “you,” and “your” in this verse are plural in the Hebrew text.
  25. Genesis 48:22 tn The pronouns translated “your” and “you” in this verse are singular in the Hebrew text.
  26. Genesis 48:22 tn The Hebrew word שְׁכֶם (shekhem) could be translated either as “mountain slope” or “shoulder, portion,” or even taken as the proper name “Shechem.” Jacob was giving Joseph either (1) one portion above his brothers, or (2) the mountain ridge he took from the Amorites, or (3) Shechem. The ambiguity actually allows for all three to be the referent. He could be referring to the land in Shechem he bought in Gen 33:18-19, but he mentions here that it was acquired by warfare, suggesting that the events of 34:25-29 are in view (even though at the time he denounced it, 34:30). Joseph was later buried in Shechem (Josh 24:32).
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Genesis 48:8-22
New International Version

8 When Israel(A) saw the sons of Joseph,(B) he asked, “Who are these?”

9 “They are the sons God has given me here,”(C) Joseph said to his father.

Then Israel said, “Bring them to me so I may bless(D) them.”

10 Now Israel’s eyes were failing because of old age, and he could hardly see.(E) So Joseph brought his sons close to him, and his father kissed them(F) and embraced them.(G)

11 Israel(H) said to Joseph, “I never expected to see your face again,(I) and now God has allowed me to see your children too.”(J)

12 Then Joseph removed them from Israel’s knees(K) and bowed down with his face to the ground.(L) 13 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,(M) and brought them close to him. 14 But Israel(N) reached out his right hand and put it on Ephraim’s head,(O) though he was the younger,(P) and crossing his arms, he put his left hand on Manasseh’s head, even though Manasseh was the firstborn.(Q)

15 Then he blessed(R) Joseph and said,

“May the God before whom my fathers
    Abraham and Isaac walked faithfully,(S)
the God who has been my shepherd(T)
    all my life to this day,
16 the Angel(U) who has delivered me from all harm(V)
    —may he bless(W) these boys.(X)
May they be called by my name
    and the names of my fathers Abraham and Isaac,(Y)
and may they increase greatly
    on the earth.”(Z)

17 When Joseph saw his father placing his right hand(AA) on Ephraim’s head(AB) he was displeased; so he took hold of his father’s hand to move it from Ephraim’s head to Manasseh’s head. 18 Joseph said to him, “No, my father, this one is the firstborn; put your right hand on his head.”(AC)

19 But his father refused and said, “I know, my son, I know. He too will become a people, and he too will become great.(AD) Nevertheless, his younger brother will be greater than he,(AE) and his descendants will become a group of nations.(AF)” 20 He blessed(AG) them that day(AH) and said,

“In your[a] name will Israel(AI) pronounce this blessing:(AJ)
    ‘May God make you like Ephraim(AK) and Manasseh.(AL)’”

So he put Ephraim ahead of Manasseh.

21 Then Israel said to Joseph, “I am about to die, but God will be with you[b](AM) and take you[c] back to the land of your[d] fathers.(AN) 22 And to you I give one more ridge of land[e](AO) than to your brothers,(AP) the ridge I took from the Amorites with my sword(AQ) and my bow.”

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Footnotes

  1. Genesis 48:20 The Hebrew is singular.
  2. Genesis 48:21 The Hebrew is plural.
  3. Genesis 48:21 The Hebrew is plural.
  4. Genesis 48:21 The Hebrew is plural.
  5. Genesis 48:22 The Hebrew for ridge of land is identical with the place name Shechem.
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