Daily Bread

²⁷ Now the Israelites settled in Egypt in the region of Goshen.^(A) They acquired property there^(B) and were fruitful and increased greatly in number.^(C)

²⁸ Jacob lived in Egypt^(D) seventeen years, and the years of his life were a hundred and forty-seven.^{(E) 29} When the time drew near for Israel^(F) to die,^(G) he called for his son Joseph and said to him, “If I have found favor in your eyes,^(H) put your hand under my thigh^(I) and promise that you will show me kindness^(J) and faithfulness.^(K) Do not bury me in Egypt, ³⁰ but when I rest with my fathers,^(L) carry me out of Egypt and bury me where they are buried.”^(M)

“I will do as you say,” he said.

³¹ “Swear to me,”^(N) he said. Then Joseph swore to him,^(O) and Israel^(P) worshiped as he leaned on the top of his staff.^[a](Q)

Manasseh and Ephraim

48 Some time later Joseph was told, “Your father is ill.” So he took his two sons Manasseh and Ephraim^(R) along with him. ² When Jacob was told, “Your son Joseph has come to you,” Israel^(S) rallied his strength and sat up on the bed.

³ Jacob said to Joseph, “God Almighty^[b](T) appeared to me at Luz^(U) in the land of Canaan, and there he blessed me^{(V) 4} and said to me, ‘I am going to make you fruitful and increase your numbers.^(W) I will make you a community of peoples, and I will give this land^(X) as an everlasting possession to your descendants after you.’^(Y)

⁵ “Now then, your two sons born to you in Egypt^(Z) before I came to you here will be reckoned as mine; Ephraim and Manasseh will be mine,^(AA) just as Reuben^(AB) and Simeon^(AC) are mine. ⁶ Any children born to you after them will be yours; in the territory they inherit they will be reckoned under the names of their brothers. ⁷ As I was returning from Paddan,^[c](AD) to my sorrow^(AE) 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).^(AF)

⁸ When Israel^(AG) saw the sons of Joseph,^(AH) he asked, “Who are these?”

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

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

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

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

¹² Then Joseph removed them from Israel’s knees^(AQ) and bowed down with his face to the ground.^{(AR) 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,^(AS) and brought them close to him. ¹⁴ But Israel^(AT) reached out his right hand and put it on Ephraim’s head,^(AU) though he was the younger,^(AV) and crossing his arms, he put his left hand on Manasseh’s head, even though Manasseh was the firstborn.^(AW)

¹⁵ Then he blessed^(AX) Joseph and said,

¹⁷ When Joseph saw his father placing his right hand^(BG) on Ephraim’s head^(BH) 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.”^(BI)

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.^(BJ) Nevertheless, his younger brother will be greater than he,^(BK) and his descendants will become a group of nations.^(BL)” ²⁰ He blessed^(BM) them that day^(BN) and said,

So he put Ephraim ahead of Manasseh.

²¹ Then Israel said to Joseph, “I am about to die, but God will be with you^[e](BS) and take you^[f] back to the land of your^[g] fathers.^{(BT) 22} And to you I give one more ridge of land^[h](BU) than to your brothers,^(BV) the ridge I took from the Amorites with my sword^(BW) and my bow.”