The Message Bible MSG
English Standard Version ESV
1 Some time after this conversation, Joseph was told, "Your father is ill." He took his two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim, and went to Jacob.
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After this, Joseph was told, “Behold, your father is ill. ” So he took with him his two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim.
2 When Jacob was told, "Your son Joseph has come," he roused himself and sat up in bed.
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And it was told to Jacob, “Your son Joseph has come to you. ” Then Israel summoned his strength and sat up in bed.
3 Jacob said to Joseph, "The Strong God appeared to me at Luz in the land of Canaan and blessed me.
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And Jacob said to Joseph, “God Almighty appeared to me at Luz in the land of Canaan and blessed me,
4 He said, 'I'm going to make you prosperous and numerous, turn you into a congregation of tribes; and I'll turn this land over to your children coming after you as a permanent inheritance.'
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and said to me, ‘Behold, I will make you fruitful and multiply you, and I will make of you a company of peoples and will give this land to your offspring after you for an everlasting possession. ’
5 I'm adopting your two sons who were born to you here in Egypt before I joined you; they have equal status with Reuben and Simeon.
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And now your two sons, who were born to you in the land of Egypt before I came to you in Egypt, are mine; Ephraim and Manasseh shall be mine, as Reuben and Simeon are.
6 But any children born after them are yours; they will come after their brothers in matters of inheritance.
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And the children that you fathered after them shall be yours. They shall be called by the name of their brothers in their inheritance.
7 I want it this way because, as I was returning from Paddan, your mother Rachel, to my deep sorrow, died as we were on our way through Canaan when we were only a short distance from Ephrath, now called Bethlehem."
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As for me, when I came from Paddan, to my sorrow Rachel died in the land of Canaan on the way, when there was still some distance to go to Ephrath, and I buried her there on the way to Ephrath (that is, Bethlehem). ”
8 Just then Jacob noticed Joseph's sons and said, "Who are these?"
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When Israel saw Joseph’s sons, he said, “Who are these? ”
9 Joseph told his father, "They are my sons whom God gave to me in this place."
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Joseph said to his father, “They are my sons, whom God has given me here. ” And he said, “Bring them to me, please, that I may bless them. ”
10 Israel's eyesight was poor from old age; he was nearly blind. So Joseph brought them up close. Old Israel kissed and embraced them
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Now the eyes of Israel were dim with age, so that he could not see. So Joseph brought them near him, and he kissed them and embraced them.
11 and then said to Joseph, "I never expected to see your face again, and now God has let me see your children as well!"
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And Israel said to Joseph, “I never expected to see your face; and behold, God has let me see your offspring also. ”
12 Joseph took them from Israel's knees and bowed respectfully, his face to the ground.
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Then Joseph removed them from his knees, and he bowed himself with his face to the earth.
13 Then Joseph took the two boys, Ephraim with his right hand setting him to Israel's left, and Manasseh with his left hand setting him to Israel's right, and stood them before him.
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And Joseph took 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 him.
14 But Israel crossed his arms and put his right hand on the head of Ephraim who was the younger and his left hand on the head of Manasseh, the firstborn.
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And Israel stretched out his right hand and laid it on the head of Ephraim, who was the younger, and his left hand on the head of Manasseh, crossing his hands (for Manasseh was the firstborn).
15 Then he blessed them: The God before whom walked my fathers Abraham and Isaac, The God who has been my shepherd all my lifelong to this very day,
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And he blessed Joseph and said, “The God before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac walked, the God who has been my shepherd all my life long to this day,
16 The Angel who delivered me from every evil, Bless the boys. May my name be echoed in their lives, and the names of Abraham and Isaac, my fathers, And may they grow covering the Earth with their children.
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the angel who has redeemed me from all evil, bless the boys; and in them let my name be carried on, and the name of my fathers Abraham and Isaac; and let them grow into a multitude in the midst of the earth. ”
17 When Joseph saw that his father had placed his right hand on Ephraim's head, he thought he had made a mistake, so he took hold of his father's hand to move it from Ephraim's head to Manasseh's,
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When Joseph saw that his father laid his right hand on the head of Ephraim, it displeased him, and he took his father’s hand to move it from Ephraim’s head to Manasseh’s head.
18 saying, "That's the wrong head, Father; the other one is the firstborn; place your right hand on his head."
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And Joseph said to his father, “Not this way, my father; since this one is the firstborn, put your right hand on his head. ”
19 But his father wouldn't do it. He said, "I know, my son; but I know what I'm doing. He also will develop into a people, and he also will be great. But his younger brother will be even greater and his descendants will enrich nations."
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But his father refused and said, “I know, my son, I know. He also shall become a people, and he also shall be great. Nevertheless, his younger brother shall be greater than he, and his offspring shall become a multitude of nations. ”
20 Then he blessed them both: Israel will use your names to give blessings: May God make you like Ephraim and Manasseh. In that he made it explicit: he put Ephraim ahead of Manasseh.
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So he blessed them that day, saying, “By you Israel will pronounce blessings, saying, ‘God make you as Ephraim and as Manasseh. ’”Thus he put Ephraim before Manasseh.
21 Israel then said to Joseph, "I'm about to die. God be with you and give you safe passage back to the land of your fathers.
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Then Israel said to Joseph, “Behold, I am about to die, but God will be with you and will bring you again to the land of your fathers.
22 As for me, I'm presenting you, as the first among your brothers, the ridge of land I took from Amorites with my sword and bow."
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Moreover, I have given to you rather than to your brothers one mountain slope that I took from the hand of the Amorites with my sword and with my bow. ”
Published by permission. Originally published by NavPress in English as THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language copyright 2002 by Eugene Peterson. All rights reserved.
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®) © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. All rights reserved. ESV Text Edition: 2025