| New International Version | NET Bible |
| 1Some time later Joseph was told, "Your father is ill." So he took his two sons Manasseh and Ephraim along with him. | 1After these things Joseph was told, "Your father is weakening." So he took his two sons Manasseh and Ephraim with him. |
| 2When Jacob was told, "Your son Joseph has come to you," Israel rallied his strength and sat up on the bed. | 2When Jacob was told, "Your son Joseph has just come to you," Israel regained strength and sat up on his bed. |
| 3Jacob said to Joseph, "God Almighty appeared to me at Luz in the land of Canaan, and there he blessed me | 3Jacob said to Joseph, "The sovereign God appeared to me at Luz in the land of Canaan and blessed me. |
| 4and said to me, 'I am going to make you fruitful and increase your numbers. I will make you a community of peoples, and I will give this land as an everlasting possession to your descendants after you.' | 4He said to me, 'I am going to make you fruitful and will multiply you. I will make you into a group of nations, and I will give this land to your descendants as an everlasting possession.' |
| 5"Now then, your two sons born to you in Egypt before I came to you here will be reckoned as mine; Ephraim and Manasseh will be mine, just as Reuben and Simeon are mine. | 5"Now, as for your two sons, who were born to you in the land of Egypt before I came to you in Egypt, they will be mine. Ephraim and Manasseh will be mine just as Reuben and Simeon are. |
| 6Any children born to you after them will be yours; in the territory they inherit they will be reckoned under the names of their brothers. | 6Any children that you father after them will be yours; they will be listed under the names of their brothers in their inheritance. |
| 7As I was returning from Paddan, to my sorrow Rachel died in the land of Canaan while we were still on the way, a little distance from Ephrath. So I buried her there beside the road to Ephrath" (that is, Bethlehem). | 7But as for me, when I was returning from Paddan, Rachel died--to my sorrow--in the land of Canaan. It happened along the way, some distance from Ephrath. So I buried her there on the way to Ephrath" (that is, Bethlehem). |
| 8When Israel saw the sons of Joseph, he asked, "Who are these?" | 8When Israel saw Joseph's sons, he asked, "Who are these?" |
| 9"They are the sons God has given me here," Joseph said to his father. Then Israel said, "Bring them to me so I may bless them." | 9Joseph said to his father, "They are the sons God has given me in this place." His father said, "Bring them to me so I may bless them." |
| 10Now Israel's eyes were failing because of old age, and he could hardly see. So Joseph brought his sons close to him, and his father kissed them and embraced them. | 10Now Israel's eyes were failing because of his age; he was not able to see well. So Joseph brought his sons near to him, and his father kissed them and embraced them. |
| 11Israel said to Joseph, "I never expected to see your face again, and now God has allowed me to see your children too." | 11Israel said to Joseph, "I never expected to see you again, but now God has allowed me to see your children too." |
| 12Then Joseph removed them from Israel's knees and bowed down with his face to the ground. | 12So Joseph moved them from Israel's knees and bowed down with his face to the ground. |
| 13And Joseph took both of them, 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. | 13Joseph positioned them; 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. |
| 14But Israel reached out his right hand and put it on Ephraim's head, though he was the younger, and crossing his arms, he put his left hand on Manasseh's head, even though Manasseh was the firstborn. | 14Israel stretched out his right hand and placed it on Ephraim's head, although he was the younger. Crossing his hands, he put his left hand on Manasseh's head, for Manasseh was the firstborn. |
| 15Then he blessed Joseph and said, "May the God before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac walked faithfully, the God who has been my shepherd all my life to this day, | 15Then he blessed Joseph and said, "May the God before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac walked--the God who has been my shepherd all my life long to this day, |
| 16the Angel who has delivered me from all harm --may he bless these boys. May they be called by my name and the names of my fathers Abraham and Isaac, and may they increase greatly on the earth." | 16the Angel who has protected me from all harm--bless these boys. May my name be named in them, and the name of my fathers Abraham and Isaac. May they grow into a multitude on the earth." |
| 17When Joseph saw his father placing his right hand on Ephraim's head he was displeased; so he took hold of his father's hand to move it from Ephraim's head to Manasseh's head. | 17When Joseph saw that his father placed his right hand on Ephraim's head, it displeased him. So he took his father's hand to move it from Ephraim's head to Manasseh's head. |
| 18Joseph said to him, "No, my father, this one is the firstborn; put your right hand on his head." | 18Joseph said to his father, "Not so, my father, for this is the firstborn. Put your right hand on his head." |
| 19But his father refused and said, "I know, my son, I know. He too will become a people, and he too will become great. Nevertheless, his younger brother will be greater than he, and his descendants will become a group of nations." | 19But 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 of nations." |
| 20He blessed them that day and said, "In your name will Israel pronounce this blessing: 'May God make you like Ephraim and Manasseh.'" So he put Ephraim ahead of Manasseh. | 20So he blessed them that day, saying, "By you will Israel bless, saying, 'May God make you like Ephraim and Manasseh.'" So he put Ephraim before Manasseh. |
| 21Then Israel said to Joseph, "I am about to die, but God will be with you and take you back to the land of your fathers. | 21Then 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. |
| 22And to you I give one more ridge of land than to your brothers, the ridge I took from the Amorites with my sword and my bow." | 22As one who is above your brothers, I give to you the mountain slope, which I took from the Amorites with my sword and my bow." |
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