Genesis 48

1 Some time later [after these things, following these events] Joseph was told, “Your father [abba, dear father] is ill [weak, sick, or afflicted] [behold, look, it is so].” So he set out [went, traveled] with his two [a pair, dual] sons, Manasseh [making forgetful, causing to forget] and Ephraim [doubly fruitful, fertile]. word study 2 When Jacob [the father of the Israelites] was told [informed, announced to him], “Your son [offspring, descendant] Joseph [Jehovah has added] has come [approached, drawn near] to you,” Israel [the symbolic name of Jacob, representing his descendants] rallied [gathered, strengthened] his strength [courage, vitality] and sat [dwelled, remained] up in [upon, on] bed [a place of rest, a couch]. word study 3 Jacob [the supplanter, deceiver] said to Joseph [Jehovah has added], “God [El, the strong and mighty] Almighty [Shadday, the all-powerful] appeared [was seen, revealed] to me at Luz [a place of vision and revelation] in the land [earth, territory] of Canaan [the promised land], and there He blessed [praised, honored] me [bestowed good upon me] word study 4 and told me, ‘Behold [look, pay attention], I will make you fruitful [enable you to produce many offspring] and multiply [increase, grow] you; I will make you a multitude [a great number, a company] of peoples [nations, tribes], and will give [bestow, grant] this land [earth, territory] to your descendants [seed, offspring] after you as an everlasting [forever, eternal] possession [inheritance, heritage].’ word study 5 And now [at this time, in this moment] your two [a pair, a duo] sons born [brought into being, given life] to you in [the land of] Egypt [a country in northeastern Africa] before I came [approached, arrived] to you here shall be reckoned [counted, considered] as mine; Ephraim [doubly fruitful] and Manasseh [causing to forget] shall be mine, just as [in the same way as] Reuben [behold, a son] and Simeon [heard, listened to] are mine. word study 6 Any children [offspring, descendants] born to you after them [following their birth, later in time] shall be yours, and they shall be called [named, identified] by the names [identities, reputations] of their brothers [male siblings, relatives] in the territory [land, inheritance] they inherit [receive, possess]. word study 7 Now as for me [I, the patriarch], when I was returning from Paddan [the region of Syria], to my sorrow [grief, heartache] Rachel [my beloved wife] died [passed away, departed] along the way [on the journey, in transit] in the land [territory, region] of Canaan [the promised land], some distance [a short way, a little while] from Ephrath [the place of fruitfulness]. So I buried her there [in that place, at that location] beside the road [path, journey] to Ephrath” (that is, Bethlehem [the house of bread, a city in Judah]). word study 8 When Israel [the symbolic name of Jacob, also referring to his descendants] saw [to look after, to care for] the sons [a son or descendant, including a grandson or nation] of Joseph [Jehovah has added], he asked [to say or speak, to command or promise], “Who [expressing a question or wish] are these [specific people or things, namely Joseph’s sons]?” word study 9 Joseph [the son of Jacob and Rachel, meaning Jehovah has added] said to his father [the patriarch of the family, a term of respect and authority], “They are the sons [descendants, children] God [Elohim, the one supreme God] has given [bestowed, provided] me in this place [this land, this region].” So Jacob [the father, the patriarch] said, “Please [I pray, I request] bring them to me [near to me, into my presence], that I may bless them [pronounce a blessing upon them, invoke God’s favor].” word study 10 Now Israel’s [symbolic name of Jacob, father of the twelve tribes] eyesight [vision, ability to see] was poor [dim, weak] because of old age [advanced years, long life]; he could hardly [not able, with difficulty] see [perceive, look]. Joseph brought his sons to him, and his father [Israel, Jacob] kissed [touched, showed affection] them and [physically, warmly] embraced [clasped, hugged] them. word study 11 “I never expected [had not thought] to see your face [presence, being in front of someone] again,” Israel [the symbolic name of Jacob, referring to his descendants] said to Joseph [Jehovah has added], “but now God [Elohim, the supreme God] has let me see [has shown me, provided for me to look after] your children [seed, offspring] as well [also, too].” word study 12 Then Joseph [the one Jehovah has added] removed his sons from his father’s [Jacob’s, his earthly father] knees and bowed [in reverence, with his face to the ground] facedown [with his face to the earth, in a posture of worship]. word study 13 And Joseph [the one God has added] took both of them—with Ephraim [doubly fruitful] in his right hand [the hand of strength and blessing] toward Israel’s [the one who strives with God] left hand, and Manasseh [forgetfulness, a reminder of God’s faithfulness] in his left hand [the hand of weakness or secondary importance] toward Israel’s right hand—and brought them close [to approach, to draw near in intimacy] to him. word study 14 But Israel [the symbolic name of Jacob, father of the twelve tribes] stretched out his right hand [in a deliberate and purposeful gesture] and put it on the head [the topmost part of the body] of Ephraim, the younger [less experienced, but chosen for a greater blessing]; and crossing his hands [in an intentional act of guidance], he put his left [less prominent, yet still significant] on Manasseh’s head, although Manasseh [Moses’ ancestor and a large tribe in Israel] was the firstborn [holding a special status and responsibility]. word study 15 Then he blessed [praised and honored] Joseph and said: “May the God [Elohim, the one supreme God] before whom my fathers [ancestors, patriarchs] Abraham and Isaac walked [lived in obedience, followed], the God who has been my shepherd [caretaker, guide] all my life [from birth to this moment] to this day [until now], word study 16 the angel [messenger of God, divine representative] who has redeemed [bought back, saved from harm] me from all [every kind of] harm— may He bless [bestow divine favor upon] these boys [youths, young ones]. And may they be called [named, identified] by my name [identity, character] and the names [reputations, legacies] of my fathers [ancestors, heritage] Abraham [father of faith] and Isaac [son of promise], and may they grow [multiply, increase] into a multitude [large number, abundance] upon the earth [land, world].” word study 17 When Joseph [the one Jehovah has added] saw that his father [Jacob, his earthly father and ancestor] had placed his right hand [an open hand; strength, a side or share] on Ephraim’s head, he was displeased [it was wrong in his eyes, he did not approve] and took his father’s hand to move it from Ephraim’s head to Manasseh’s [the firstborn, the one with the birthright]. word study 18 “Not so [in no way, absolutely not], my father [parent, ancestor]!” Joseph [Jehovah has added] said. “This one [he, the first child] is the firstborn [the eldest, holding special status]; put your right [strongest, most prominent] hand [the right hand or side; the south] on his head [the seat of wisdom].” word study 19 But his father [with full knowledge and intention] refused. “I know [am fully aware, have certain knowledge], my son, I know [am convinced, have confidence]!” he said. “He too shall become a people [a nation, a large group], and he too shall be great [powerful, esteemed]; nevertheless [in spite of this, however], his younger brother [the smaller, more insignificant one] shall be greater [more powerful, more esteemed] than he, and his offspring [seed, descendants] shall become a multitude [a large number, a fullness] of nations [Gentile peoples, non-Hebrew groups].” word study 20 So that day [in that moment, at that time] Jacob blessed [spoke well of, pronounced a divine blessing upon] them and said: “By you shall Israel [the descendants of Jacob, God’s chosen people] pronounce [declare, speak forth] this blessing: ‘May God [Elohim, the all-powerful One] make you like [similar to, as fruitful as] Ephraim and Manasseh [Joseph’s sons].’” So he put [placed, positioned] Ephraim before [in a place of prominence, in preference to] Manasseh. word study 21 Then Israel [the symbolic name of Jacob, representing his descendants] said to Joseph, “Look [behold, take notice], I am about to die [my death is near, I am dying], but God [Elohim, the one supreme God] will be with you [together, in fellowship] and bring you back [return, turn back] to the land [the earth, the territory] of your fathers [ancestors, forefathers]. word study 22 And to you, as one who is above [set apart from, superior to] your brothers, I give [bestow, grant] the ridge of land [a mountain slope, a portion of inheritance] that I took [conquered, seized] from the Amorites [a Canaanite tribe, the descendants of Canaan] with my sword [a cutting instrument] and bow [a weapon for hunting or battle, a sign of power].” word study