1
And it came to pass after these things that it was said to Yosef, “See, your father is sick.” And he took with him his two sons, Menasheh and Efrayim.
2
And it was told to Yaaqov, saying, “See, your son Yosef has come to you.” And Yisra’el strengthened himself and sat upon the bed.
3
And Yaaqov said to Yosef, “El Shaddai appeared to me at Luz in the land of Kena’an and blessed me.
4
And He said to me, ‘See, I will make you fruitful and multiply you, and I will make you into an assembly of peoples, and I will give this land to your seed after you as a perpetual possession.’
5
And now, your two sons who were born to you in the land of Mitzrayim before I came to you in Mitzrayim are mine. Efrayim and Menasheh shall be mine, as Reuven and Shimon are mine.
6
And your children whom you bring forth after them shall be yours. By the name of their brothers they shall be called in their inheritance.
7
And as for me, when I came from Paddan, Rachel died beside me in the land of Kena’an on the way, while there was still some distance to come to Efrat. And I buried her there on the way to Efrat, which is Beit-Lechem.”
8
And Yisra’el saw the sons of Yosef and said, “Who are these?”
9
And Yosef said to his father, “They are my sons, whom Elohim has given me here.” And he said, “Please bring them to me, and I will bless them.”
10
And the eyes of Yisra’el were heavy from age; he was not able to see. And he brought them near to him, and he kissed them and embraced them.
11
And Yisra’el said to Yosef, “I did not expect to see your face, and see: Elohim has shown me your seed also.”
12
And Yosef brought them out from between his knees, and bowed himself with his face toward the earth.
13
And Yosef took the two of them, Efrayim in his right hand toward the left hand of Yisra’el, and Menasheh in his left hand toward the right hand of Yisra’el, and brought them near to him.
14
And Yisra’el stretched out his right hand and placed it upon the head of Efrayim, though he was the younger, and his left hand upon the head of Menasheh, crossing his hands deliberately, though Menasheh was the firstborn.
15
And he blessed Yosef and said: “The Elohim before whom my fathers Avraham and Yitzchaq walked, the Elohim who has shepherded me from my beginning until this day,
16
the messenger who redeemed me from all evil— may He bless the young men. And may my name be called upon them, and the name of my fathers Avraham and Yitzchaq; and may they multiply abundantly within the earth.”
17
And Yosef saw that his father placed his right hand upon the head of Efrayim, and it was evil in his eyes. And he took hold of the hand of his father to remove it from the head of Efrayim to the head of Menasheh.
18
And Yosef said to his father, “Not so, my father, for this one is the firstborn. Place your right hand upon his head.”
19
But his father refused and said, “I know, my son, I know. He also shall become a people, and he also shall become great. Yet truly his younger brother shall become greater than he, and his seed shall become a fullness of nations.”
20
And he blessed them on that day, saying: “By you Yisra’el shall bless, saying, ‘May Elohim make you like Efrayim and like Menasheh.’” And he set Efrayim before Menasheh.
21
And Yisra’el said to Yosef, “See, I am dying, but Elohim will be with you and return you to the land of your fathers.
22
And I have given to you one portion above your brothers, which I took from the hand of the Emori with my sword and with my bow.”