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Genesis 48
The dying Jacob adopts Joseph's two Egyptian-born sons as his own, putting Ephraim and Manasseh on equal footing with Reuben and Simeon. When the blind old man blesses them, he crosses his arms so his right hand lands on the younger boy, Ephraim, and refuses to switch when Joseph protests. Watch the hands. The whole scene turns on a deliberate reversal, and Jacob's calm "I know, my son, I know" signals he is choosing this, not fumbling it.
- 1
After these things, someone said to Joseph, “Behold, your father is sick.” He took with him his two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim.
- 2
Someone told Jacob, and said, “Behold, your son Joseph comes to you,” and Israel strengthened himself, and sat on the bed.
- 3
Jacob said to Joseph, “God Almighty appeared to me at Luz in the land of Canaan, and blessed me,
- 4
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
Now your two sons, who were born to you in the land of Egypt before I came to you into Egypt, are mine; Ephraim and Manasseh, even as Reuben and Simeon, will be mine.
- 6
Your offspring, whom you become the father of after them, will be yours. They will be called after the name of their brothers in their inheritance.
- 7
As for me, when I came from Paddan, Rachel died beside me in the land of Canaan on the way, when there was still some distance to come to Ephrath, and I buried her there on the way to Ephrath (also called Bethlehem).”
- 8
Israel saw Joseph’s sons, and said, “Who are these?”
- 9
Joseph said to his father, “They are my sons, whom God has given me here.” He said, “Please bring them to me, and I will bless them.”
- 10
Now the eyes of Israel were dim for age, so that he couldn’t see well. Joseph brought them near to him; and he kissed them, and embraced them.
- 11
Israel said to Joseph, “I didn’t think I would see your face, and behold, God has let me see your offspring also.”
- 12
Joseph brought them out from between his knees, and he bowed himself with his face to the earth.
- 13
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 to him.
- 14
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.
- 15
He blessed Joseph, and said, “The God before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac walked, the God who has fed me all my life long to this day,
- 16
the angel who has redeemed me from all evil, bless the lads, and let my name be named on them, and the name of my fathers Abraham and Isaac. Let them grow into a multitude upon the earth.”
- 17
When Joseph saw that his father laid his right hand on the head of Ephraim, it displeased him. He held up his father’s hand, to remove it from Ephraim’s head to Manasseh’s head.
- 18
Joseph said to his father, “Not so, my father, for this is the firstborn. Put your right hand on his head.”
- 19
His father refused, and said, “I know, my son, I know. He also will become a people, and he also will be great. However, his younger brother will be greater than he, and his offspring will become a multitude of nations.”
- 20
He blessed them that day, saying, “Israel will bless in your name, saying, ‘God make you as Ephraim and as Manasseh’” He set Ephraim before Manasseh.
- 21
Israel said to Joseph, “Behold, I am dying, but God will be with you, and bring you again to the land of your fathers.
- 22
Moreover I have given to you one portion above your brothers, which I took out of the hand of the Amorite with my sword and with my bow.”
- 1
Y SUCEDIÓ después de estas cosas el haberse dicho á José: He aquí tu padre está enfermo. Y él tomó consigo sus dos hijos Manasés y Ephraim.
- 2
Y se hizo saber á Jacob, diciendo: He aquí tu hijo José viene á ti. Entonces se esforzó Israel, y sentóse sobre la cama;
- 3
Y dijo á José: El Dios Omnipotente me apareció en Luz en la tierra de Canaán, y me bendijo,
- 4
Y díjome: He aquí, yo te haré crecer, y te multiplicaré, y te pondré por estirpe de pueblos: y daré esta tierra á tu simiente después de ti por heredad perpetua.
- 5
Y ahora tus dos hijos Ephraim y Manasés, que te nacieron en la tierra de Egipto, antes que viniese á ti á la tierra de Egipto, míos son; como Rubén y Simeón, serán míos:
- 6
Y los que después de ellos has engendrado, serán tuyos; por el nombre de sus hermanos serán llamados en sus heredades.
- 7
Porque cuando yo venía de Padan-aram, se me murió Rachêl en la tierra de Canaán, en el camino, como media legua de tierra viniendo á Ephrata; y sepultéla allí en el camino de Ephrata, que es Bethlehem.
- 8
Y vió Israel los hijos de José, y dijo: ¿Quiénes son éstos?
- 9
Y respondió José á su padre: Son mis hijos, que Dios me ha dado aquí. Y él dijo: Allégalos ahora á mí, y los bendeciré.
- 10
Y los ojos de Israel estaban tan agravados de la vejez, que no podía ver. Hízoles, pues, llegar á él, y él los besó y abrazó.
- 11
Y dijo Israel á José: No pensaba yo ver tu rostro, y he aquí Dios me ha hecho ver también tu simiente.
- 12
Entonces José los sacó de entre sus rodillas, é inclinóse á tierra.
- 13
Y tomólos José á ambos, Ephraim á su diestra, á la siniestra de Israel; y á Manasés á su izquierda, á la derecha de Israel; é hízoles llegar á él.
- 14
Entonces Israel extendió su diestra, y púsola sobre la cabeza de Ephraim, que era el menor, y su siniestra sobre la cabeza de Manasés, colocando así sus manos adrede, aunque Manasés era el primogénito.
- 15
Y bendijo á José, y dijo: El Dios en cuya presencia anduvieron mis padres Abraham é Isaac, el Dios que me mantiene desde que yo soy hasta este día,
- 16
El Angel que me liberta de todo mal, bendiga á estos mozos: y mi nombre sea llamado en ellos, y el nombre de mis padres Abraham é Isaac: y multipliquen en gran manera en medio de la tierra.
- 17
Entonces viendo José que su padre ponía la mano derecha sobre la cabeza de Ephraim, causóle esto disgusto; y asió la mano de su padre, para mudarla de sobre la cabeza de Ephraim á la cabeza de Manasés.
- 18
Y dijo José á su padre: No así, padre mío, porque éste es el primogénito; pon tu diestra sobre su cabeza.
- 19
Mas su padre no quiso, y dijo: Lo sé, hijo mío, lo sé: también él vendrá á ser un pueblo, y será también acrecentado; pero su hermano menor será más grande que él, y su simiente será plenitud de gentes.
- 20
Y bendíjolos aquel día, diciendo: En ti bendecirá Israel, diciendo: Póngate Dios como á Ephraim y como á Manasés. Y puso á Ephraim delante de Manasés.
- 21
Y dijo Israel á José: He aquí, yo muero, mas Dios será con vosotros, y os hará volver á la tierra de vuestros padres.
- 22
Y yo te he dado á ti una parte sobre tus hermanos, la cual tomé yo de mano del Amorrheo con mi espada y con mi arco.
Why the crossed hands matter
Jacob, once the younger son who stole a blessing meant for Esau, now hands the greater portion to a younger son on purpose. The pattern of the unexpected heir runs through Genesis, and here the patriarch enacts it knowingly rather than by trickery.
He also folds his own grief into the blessing, recalling Rachel's death and burial near Ephrath, tying the future of these two tribes back to the wife he loved.
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