Jacob asked God to be good to Joseph's sons

1Some time later a messenger told Joseph that his father was very sick. So Joseph took his 2 sons, Manasseh and Efraim to see him.

2Jacob was very weak, but when he heard that Joseph had come to see him, he used all his strength to sit up in his bed.

3When Joseph was with his father, Jacob said to him, “I met God All Powerful in a place called Luz. Luz's other name is Bethel and it is in the country called Canaan. He blessed me and said, ‘Jacob, I will give you a big family. You will be the father of a lot of people and I will give this country to all the family that comes from you, forever.’

5Joseph, your 2 sons, who were born before I came to Egypt are now my sons too. I say that Efraim and Manasseh are my sons, just like Reuben and Simeon are my sons.

6But if you have any more children later on, they will be your children, not mine. And after all the family go back to the land that God promised me, those other children will get part of the country that Efraim and Manasseh are given.

7You see, when I left Harran and went back to Canaan, your mother Rachel died near a place called Bethlehem, and I buried her near the road that goes there. I was very sad when she died.”

8Jacob's other name was Israel. Israel looked at Joseph's sons and said, “Who are these boys?”

9And Joseph answered, “They are the 2 sons God has given me here in Egypt.” Israel said, “Bring your sons close to me so that I can bless them. I will ask God to be good to them and make them strong.”

10At this time, Israel was very old and he could not see very well, so Joseph took his sons closer to his father. Israel put his arms around the boys and kissed them.

11He said to Joseph, “I did not think that I would ever see you again, but God has let me see you and your children too.”

12Then Joseph took the boys off Israel's knees and then bowed down with his face on the ground.

13Joseph got up and put Efraim near Israel's left hand side and he put Manasseh near Israel's right hand side and then moved them closer to his father.

14But Israel crossed his hands over and put his right hand on the head of the younger son Efraim, and his left hand on the head of the older son, Manasseh.

15Then he blessed them. He prayed and said, “O God, you are the God that my grandfather Abraham and my father Isaac believed in. They trusted you and followed you, You have led me and helped me all my life.

16You always sent angels to save me from all my troubles. I ask you to bless these boys. Make them strong and do good things for them, so that people remember my name and the names of Isaac my father and Abraham my grandfather. And, O God, give them a lot of children and grandchildren after them.”

17When Joseph saw his father cross his arms and put his right hand on Efraim's head, he got upset. And so he took his father's right hand and tried to put it on Manasseh's head.

18He said to his father, “No, my father, this is the son that was born first. You should put your right hand on his head.”

19But his father would not move his hand. He said to Joseph, “I know that he was born first. He will be a great man and a big family will come from him. But I tell you the younger brother will be more important than the older brother, and a group of nations will come from his family.”

20Then Jacob blessed them with these words and said, “When Israelite people pray to God and ask him to bless other people and make them strong, they will say, ‘O God make this person just like Efraim and Manasseh.’” In this way Israel made Efraim more important than Manasseh.

21Then Israel said to Joseph, “I am about to die, but I know that God will be with all of my family. And one day God will take you all back to the country your father and grandfather came from.

22I am giving you an extra piece of land in Canaan that your brothers will not get. It is the country called Shekem that I took from the Amorite people using my sword and my bow and arrows.”