1And one day, a little later, someone told Joseph, “Your father is ill.”; and Joseph took his two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim, with him. 2And when Jacob was told, “Your son Joseph is coming to see you;” he rallied and sat up in bed. 3And Jacob told Joseph, “God Almighty appeared to me at Luz in the land of Canaan, and blessed me, 4And said to me, ‘I will make you fruitful, and multiply you, and I will make of you a multitude of people; and will give this land to your progeny after you for an everlasting possession.’ 5And now your two sons, Ephraim, and Manasseh, who were born to you here in the land of Egypt before I arrived in Egypt, are mine; just as Reuben and Simeon, they shall be mine. 6Any others that are born to you after them, shall be yours, and shall be called after the name of their brothers in their inheritance (but not be counted as the head of a tribe of Israel). 7And as for me, when I was returned from Paddan, to my sorrow, Rachel died along the road in the land of Canaan, just a short distance before we reached Ephrath; and I buried her there on the way of Ephrath; which is Bethlehem.”

8And when Israel saw Joseph's sons, he said, “Who are these?” 9And Joseph said, “They are my sons, whom God has given me in this place.” And he said, “Bring them close to me, so that I may bless them.” 10Now the eyes of Israel were failing because of age, so that he could hardly see. And Joseph brought them near to him; and Israel kissed and embraced them. 11And he said to Joseph, “I never thought I would see your face; and, lo, God has allowed me to also see your sons.” 12And Joseph moved them out from between his knees, and he bowed to the earth. 13And Joseph took them, Ephraim in his right hand toward Israel's left hand, and Manasseh in his left hand toward Israel's right hand, and brought them closer to him. 14And Israel stretched his right hand out, and laid it upon the head of Ephraim, who was the younger, and his left hand upon Manasseh's head, guiding his hands knowingly; for Manasseh was the first-born. 15And he blessed Joseph, and said, “May God, before Whom my fathers, Abraham and Isaac, walked, the God Who fed me all life long until this day, 16An Angel Who redeemed me from all evil, bless these lads; and may they be called by my name, and the names of my fathers, Abraham and Isaac; and may they multiply greatly throughout the earth.”

17And when Joseph saw that his father laid his right hand on the head of Ephraim, it displeased him; and so he lifted his father's hand, to move it from Ephraim's head to Manasseh's head. 18And Joseph said to his father, “Not so, my father; for this is the first-born; put your right hand upon his head.” 19But his father refused, and said, “I know it, my son, I know it; he shall also become a people, and be great; but truly his younger brother shall be greater than he; and his descendants shall become a multitude of nations.” 20And he blessed them that day, saying, “In your name shall Israel pronounce this blessing: ‘May God make you as Ephraim and as Manasseh.’” And so he put Ephraim before Manasseh.

21And Israel said to Joseph, “I am about to die; but God shall be with you, and bring you back to the land of your fathers. 22And to you I have given one extra portion above your brothers, which I took from the Amorites with my sword and bow.”