5
Jacob continued, "Joseph, your two sons, who were born to you in Egypt before I came here, belong to me; Ephraim and Manasseh are just as much my sons as Reuben and Simeon.
6
If you have any more sons, they will not be considered mine; the inheritance they get will come through Ephraim and Manasseh.
7
I am doing this because of your mother Rachel. To my great sorrow she died in the land of Canaan, not far from Ephrath, as I was returning from Mesopotamia. I buried her there beside the road to Ephrath." (Ephrath is now known as Bethlehem.)
1
8
When Jacob saw Joseph's sons, he asked, "Who are these boys?"
9
Joseph answered, "These are my sons, whom God has given me here in Egypt." Jacob said, "Bring them to me so that I may bless them."
10
Jacob's eyesight was failing because of his age, and he could not see very well. Joseph brought the boys to him, and he hugged them and kissed them.
11
Jacob said to Joseph, "I never expected to see you again, and now God has even let me see your children."
12
Then Joseph took them from Jacob's lap and bowed down before him with his face to the ground.
13
Joseph put Ephraim at Jacob's left and Manasseh at his right.
14
But Jacob crossed his hands, and put his right hand on the head of Ephraim, even though he was the younger, and his left hand on the head of Manasseh, who was the older.
15
Then he blessed Joseph: "May God, whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac served, bless these boys! May God, who has led me to this very day, bless them!