1
And it came to pass after these things, that one toldJoseph, Behold, thy father is sick: and he took with him his twosons, Manasseh and Ephraim.
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And one toldJacob, and said, Behold, thy sonJosephcometh unto thee: and Israelstrengthened himself, and sat upon the bed.
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And Jacobsaid unto Joseph, GodAlmightyappeared unto me at Luz in the land of Canaan, and blessed me,
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And said unto me, Behold, I will maketheefruitful, and multiplythee, and I will make of thee a multitude of people; and will give this land to thy seed after thee for an everlastingpossession.
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And now thy twosons, Ephraim and Manasseh, which were born unto thee in the land of Egyptbefore I came unto thee into Egypt, are mine; as Reuben and Simeon, they shall be mine.
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And thy issue, which thou begettestafter them, shall be thine, and shall be calledafter the name of their brethren in their inheritance.
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And as for me, when I came from Padan, Racheldied by me in the land of Canaan in the way, when yet there was but a littleway to come unto Ephrath: and I buried her there in the way of Ephrath; the same is Bethlehem.
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And Israelbeheld Joseph's sons, and said, Who are these?
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And Josephsaid unto his father, They are my sons, whom God hath given me in this place. And he said, Bring them, I pray thee, unto me, and I will blessthem.
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Now the eyes of Israel were dim for age, so that he could not see. And he brought them near unto him; and he kissed them, and embraced them.
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And Israelsaid unto Joseph, I had not thought to see thy face: and, lo, God hath shewed me also thy seed.
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And Joseph brought them out from between his knees, and he bowed himself with his face to the earth.
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And Josephtook them both, Ephraim in his right hand toward Israel's left hand, and Manasseh in his left hand toward Israel's right hand, and brought them near unto him.
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And Israel stretched out his right hand, and laid it upon Ephraim's head, who was the younger, and his left hand upon Manasseh's head, guiding his handswittingly; for Manasseh was the firstborn.
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And he blessedJoseph, and said, God, before whom my fathersAbraham and Isaac did walk, the God which fed me all my life long unto this day,
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The Angel which redeemed me from all evil, bless the lads; and let my name be named on them, and the name of my fathersAbraham and Isaac; and let them grow into a multitude in the midst of the earth.
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And when Josephsaw that his fatherlaid his righthand upon the head of Ephraim, it displeased him: and he held up his father's hand, to remove it from Ephraim's head unto Manasseh's head.
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And Josephsaid unto his father, Not so, my father: for this is the firstborn; put thy right hand upon his head.
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And his fatherrefused, and said, I know it, my son, I know it: he also shall become a people, and he also shall be great: but truly his youngerbrother shall be greater than he, and his seed shall become a multitude of nations.
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And he blessed them that day, saying, In thee shall Israelbless, saying, Godmake thee as Ephraim and as Manasseh: and he setEphraimbeforeManasseh.
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And Israelsaid unto Joseph, Behold, I die: but God shall be with you, and bring you again unto the land of your fathers.
22
Moreover I have given to thee oneportion above thy brethren, which I took out of the hand of the Amorite with my sword and with my bow.