| New King James Version | New International Version |
| 1Now it came to pass after these things that Joseph was told, “Indeed your father is sick”; and he took with him his two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim. | 1Some time later Joseph was told, "Your father is ill." So he took his two sons Manasseh and Ephraim along with him. |
| 2And Jacob was told, “Look, your son Joseph is coming to you”; and Israel strengthened himself and sat up on the bed. | 2When Jacob was told, "Your son Joseph has come to you," Israel rallied his strength and sat up on the bed. |
| 3Then Jacob said to Joseph: “God Almighty appeared to me at Luz in the land of Canaan and blessed me, | 3Jacob said to Joseph, "God Almighty appeared to me at Luz in the land of Canaan, and there he blessed me |
| 4and said to me, ‘Behold, I will make you fruitful and multiply you, and I will make of you a multitude of people, and give this land to your descendants after you as an everlasting possession.’ | 4and said to me, 'I am going to make you fruitful and increase your numbers. I will make you a community of peoples, and I will give this land as an everlasting possession to your descendants after you.' |
| 5And now your two sons, Ephraim and Manasseh, who were born to you in the land of Egypt before I came to you in Egypt, are mine; as Reuben and Simeon, they shall be mine. | 5"Now then, your two sons born to you in Egypt before I came to you here will be reckoned as mine; Ephraim and Manasseh will be mine, just as Reuben and Simeon are mine. |
| 6Your offspring whom you beget after them shall be yours; they will be called by the name of their brothers in their inheritance. | 6Any children born to you after them will be yours; in the territory they inherit they will be reckoned under the names of their brothers. |
| 7But as for me, when I came from Padan, Rachel died beside me in the land of Canaan on the way, when there was but a little distance to go to Ephrath; and I buried her there on the way to Ephrath (that is, Bethlehem).” | 7As I was returning from Paddan, to my sorrow 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). |
| 8Then Israel saw Joseph’s sons, and said, “Who are these?” | 8When Israel saw the sons of Joseph, he asked, "Who are these?" |
| 9Joseph said to his father, “They are my sons, whom God has given me in this place.” And he said, “Please bring them to me, and I will bless them.” | 9"They are the sons God has given me here," Joseph said to his father. Then Israel said, "Bring them to me so I may bless them." |
| 10Now the eyes of Israel were dim with age, so that he could not see. Then Joseph brought them near him, and he kissed them and embraced them. | 10Now Israel's eyes were failing because of old age, and he could hardly see. So Joseph brought his sons close to him, and his father kissed them and embraced them. |
| 11And Israel said to Joseph, “I had not thought to see your face; but in fact, God has also shown me your offspring!” | 11Israel said to Joseph, "I never expected to see your face again, and now God has allowed me to see your children too." |
| 12So Joseph brought them from beside his knees, and he bowed down with his face to the earth. | 12Then Joseph removed them from Israel's knees and bowed down with his face to the ground. |
| 13And Joseph took them both, Ephraim with his right hand toward Israel’s left hand, and Manasseh with his left hand toward Israel’s right hand, and brought them near him. | 13And Joseph took both of them, Ephraim on his right toward Israel's left hand and Manasseh on his left toward Israel's right hand, and brought them close to him. |
| 14Then Israel stretched out his right hand and laid it on Ephraim’s head, who was the younger, and his left hand on Manasseh’s head, guiding his hands knowingly, for Manasseh was the firstborn. | 14But Israel reached out his right hand and put it on Ephraim's head, though he was the younger, and crossing his arms, he put his left hand on Manasseh's head, even though Manasseh was the firstborn. |
| 15And he blessed Joseph, and said: “God, before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac walked, The God who has fed me all my life long to this day, | 15Then he blessed Joseph and said, "May the God before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac walked faithfully, the God who has been my shepherd all my life to this day, |
| 16The Angel who has redeemed me from all evil, Bless the lads; Let my name be named upon them, And the name of my fathers Abraham and Isaac; And let them grow into a multitude in the midst of the earth.” | 16the Angel who has delivered me from all harm --may he bless these boys. May they be called by my name and the names of my fathers Abraham and Isaac, and may they increase greatly on the earth." |
| 17Now when Joseph saw that his father laid his right hand on the head of Ephraim, it displeased him; so he took hold of his father’s hand to remove it from Ephraim’s head to Manasseh’s head. | 17When Joseph saw his father placing his right hand on Ephraim's head he was displeased; so he took hold of his father's hand to move it from Ephraim's head to Manasseh's head. |
| 18And Joseph said to his father, “Not so, my father, for this one is the firstborn; put your right hand on his head.” | 18Joseph said to him, "No, my father, this one is the firstborn; put your right hand on his head." |
| 19But his father refused and said, “I know, my son, I know. He also shall become a people, and he also shall be great; but truly his younger brother shall be greater than he, and his descendants shall become a multitude of nations.” | 19But his father refused and said, "I know, my son, I know. He too will become a people, and he too will become great. Nevertheless, his younger brother will be greater than he, and his descendants will become a group of nations." |
| 20So he blessed them that day, saying, “By you Israel will bless, saying, ‘May God make you as Ephraim and as Manasseh!’ ” And thus he set Ephraim before Manasseh. | 20He blessed them that day and said, "In your name will Israel pronounce this blessing: 'May God make you like Ephraim and Manasseh.'" So he put Ephraim ahead of Manasseh. |
| 21Then Israel said to Joseph, “Behold, I am dying, but God will be with you and bring you back to the land of your fathers. | 21Then Israel said to Joseph, "I am about to die, but God will be with you and take you back to the land of your fathers. |
| 22Moreover I have given to you one portion above your brothers, which I took from the hand of the Amorite with my sword and my bow.” | 22And to you I give one more ridge of land than to your brothers, the ridge I took from the Amorites with my sword and my bow." |
| The Holy Bible, New King James Version, Copyright © 1982 Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved. | New International Version (NIV) Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. |
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