Genesis 49:8 T 55
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.
15 Then he b
lessed 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,
16 the 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.”
17 When 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. 18 Joseph said to him, “No, my father, this one is the
firstborn; put your right hand on his head.”
19 But 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 g
roup of
nations.” 20 He blessed them that day and said,
“In your a name will Israel pronounce this blessing:
‘May God make you like Ephraim and Manasseh.’ ”
So he put Ephraim ahead of Manasseh.
21 Then Israel said to Joseph, “I am a
bout to die, but God will be with you b
and take you b back to the land of your b fathers. 22 And to you I give one more
ridge of land c than to your brothers, the ridge I took from the Amorites with
my sword and my bow.”
Jacob Blesses His Sons
49
Then Jacob called for his sons and said: “Gather around so I can tell you
what will happen to you in days to come.
2 “Assemble and listen, sons of Jacob;
listen to your father Israel.
3 “Reuben, you are my firstborn,
my might, the first sign of my strength,
excelling in honor, excelling in power.
4 Turbulent as the waters, you will no longer excel,
for you went up onto your father’s bed,
onto my couch and defiled it.
5 “Simeon and Levi are brothers —
their swords d are weapons of violence.
6 Let me not enter their council,
let me not join their assembly,
for they have killed men in their anger
and hamstrung oxen as they pleased.
7 Cursed be their anger, so fierce,
and their fury, so cruel!
I will scatter them in Jacob
and disperse them in Israel.
8 “Judah, e your brothers will praise you;
your hand will be on the neck of your enemies;
your father’s sons will bow down to you.
a 20
The Hebrew is singular. b 21 The Hebrew is plural. c 22 The Hebrew for ridge of
land is identical with the place name Shechem. d 5 The meaning of the Hebrew for this
word is uncertain. e 8 Judah sounds like and may be derived from the Hebrew for praise.