Jacob Blesses Ephraim and Manasseh

1After these deades tydiges were brought vnto Ioseph: that his father was seke. And he toke with him his ij. sones Manasses and Ephraim. 2Then was it sayde vnto Iacob: beholde thy sonne Ioseph commeth vnto the. And Israel toke his strength vnto him and satt vp on the bedd 3and sayde vnto Ioseph: God all mightie appeared vnto me at lus in the lande of Canaan ad blessed me 4and sayde vnto me: beholde I will make the growe and will multiplye the and will make a great nombre of people of the and will geue this lande vnto the and vnto thy seed after ye vnto an euerlastinge possession. 5Now therfore thy .ij. sones Manasses ad Ephraim which were borne vnto the before I came to the in to Egipte shalbe myne: euen as Ruben and Simeo shall they be vnto me. 6And the childern which thou getest after them shalbe thyne awne: but shalbe called with the names of their brethern in their enheritaunces. 7And after I came from Mesopotamia Rahel dyed apon my hande in the lande of Canaa by the waye: when I had but a feldes brede to goo vnto Ephrat. And I buried her there in ye waye to Ephrat which is now called Bethlehem.

8And Israel behelde Iosephes sonnes and sayde: what are these? 9And Ioseph sayde vnto his father: they are my sonnes which God hath geuen me here. And he sayde: brynge them to me and let me blesse them. 10And the eyes of Israell were dymme for age so that he coude not see. And he broughte them to him ad he kyssed the and embraced them. 11And Israel sayde vnto Ioseph: I had not thoughte to haue sene thy face and yet loo God hath shewed it me and also thy seed. 12And Ioseph toke them awaye from his lappe a nd they fell on the grounde before him. 13Than toke Ioseph them both: Ephraim in his ryghte hande towarde Israels left hande ad Manasses in his left hande towarde Israels ryghte hande and brought them vnto him. 14And Israel stretched out his righte hande and layde it apon Ephraims head which was the yonger and his lyft hade apon Manasses heed crossinge his handes for manasses was the elder.

15And he blessed Ioseph saynge: God before whome my fathers Abraham and Isaac dyd walke and the God which hath fedd me all my life longe vnto this daye

16And the angell which hath delyuered me fro all euyll blesse these laddes: yt they maye be called after my name and after my father Abraham and Isaac and that they maye growe ad multiplie apo the erth.

17When Ioseph sawe that his father layd his ryghte hande apon the heade of Ephraim it displeased him. And he lifte vpp his fathers hade to haue removed it from Ephraims head vnto Manasses head 18and sayde vnto his father: Not so my father for this is the eldest. Put thy right hande apon his head. 19And his father wold not but sayde: I knowe it well my sonne I knowe it well. He shalbe also a people ad shalbe great. But of a troth his yonger brother shalbe greatter than he and his seed shall be full of people.

20And he blessed them sainge. At the ensample of these the Israelites shall blesse and saye: God make the as Ephraim and as Manasses. Thus sett he Ephraim before Manasses.

21And Israel sayde vnto Ioseph: beholde I dye. And god shalbe with you and bringe you agayne vnto the land of youre fathers. 22Moreouer I geue vnto the a porcyon of lande aboue thy brethern which I gatt out of the handes of the Amorites with my swerde and wyth my bowe.