Genesis chapter .xlviij.
¶ After these deeds, tidings were brought unto Ioseph, that his father was sick. And he took with him his two sons, Manasse and Ephraim.
Then was it said unto Iacob: behold, thy son Ioseph cometh unto thee. And Israel took his strength unto him, and sat up on the bed,
and said unto Ioseph: God all mighty appeared unto me at Lus in the land of Canaan, and blessed me,
and said unto me: behold, I will make thee grow and will multiply thee, and will make a great number of people of thee, and will give this land unto thee and unto thy seed after thee unto an everlasting possession.
Now therefore thy two sons Manasse and Ephraim which were born unto thee before I came to thee, into Egypt, shall be mine: even as Ruben and Simeon shall they be unto me.
And the children which thou gettest after them, shall be thine own: but shall be called with the names of their brethren in their inheritances.
And after I came from Mesopotamia, Rahel died upon my hand in the land of Canaan, by the way: when I had but a field's brede to go unto Ephrat. And I buried her there in the way to Ephrat which is now called Bethlehem.
¶ And Israel beheld Ioseph's sons and said: what are these?
And Ioseph said unto his father: they are my sons, which God hath given me here. And he said: bring them to me, and let me bless them.
And the eyes of Israel were dim for age, so that he could not see. And he brought them to him, and he kissed them and embraced them.
And Israel said unto Ioseph: I had not thought to have seen thy face, and yet lo, God hath shewed it me and also thy seed.
And Ioseph took them away from his lap, and they fell on the ground before him.
Then took Ioseph them both: Ephraim in his right hand toward Israel's left hand and Manasse in his left hand, toward Israel's right hand, and brought them unto him.
And Israel stretched out his right hand and laid it upon Ephraim's head which was the younger, and his left hand upon Manasse's head, crossing his hands, for Manasse was the elder.
And he blessed Ioseph saying: God before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac did walk, and the God which hath fed me all my life long unto this day;
And the angel which hath delivered me from all evil, bless these lads: that they may be called after my name, and after my father Abraham and Isaac, and that they may grow and multiply upon the earth.
When Ioseph saw that his father laid his right hand upon the head of Ephraim, it displeased him. And he lift up his father's hand, to have removed it from Ephraim's head unto Manasse's head,
and said unto his father: Not so my father, for this is the eldest. Put thy right hand upon his head.
And his father would not, but said: I know it well my son, I know it well. He shall be also a people and shall be great. But of a troth his younger brother shall be greater than he, and his seed shall be full of people.
And he blessed them saying: At the example of these, the Israelites shall bless and say: God make thee as Ephraim and as Manasse. Thus set he Ephraim before Manasse.
And Israel said unto Ioseph: behold, I die. And God shall be with you and bring you again unto the land of your fathers.
Moreover I give unto thee, a portion of land above thy brethren which I gat out of the hands of the Amorites with my sword and with my bow.
Praise the Everlasting Lord for His Faithful Word.