me,

48:4. And said: I will cause thee to increase and multiply, and I will
make of thee a multitude of people: and I will give this land to thee,
and to thy seed after thee for an everlasting possession.

48:5. So thy two sons, who were born to thee in the land of Egypt
before I came hither to thee, shall be mine: Ephraim and Manasses shall
be reputed to me as Ruben and Simeon.

48:6. But the rest whom thou shalt have after them, shall be thine, and
shall be called by the name of their brethren in their possessions.

48:7. For, when I came out of Mesopotamia, Rachel died from me in the
land of Chanaan in the very journey, and it was spring time: and I was
going to Ephrata, and I buried her near the way of Ephrata, which by
another name is called Bethlehem.

48:8. Then seeing his sons, he said to him: Who are these?

48:9. He answered: They are my sons, whom God hath given me in this
place. And he said: Bring them to me, that I may bless them.

48:10. For Israel's eyes were dim by reason of his great age, and he
could not see clearly. And when they were brought to him, he kissed and
embraced them,

48:11. And said to his son: I am not deprived of seeing thee; moreover
God hath shewn me thy seed.

48:12. And when Joseph had taken them from his father's lap, he bowed
down with his face to the ground.

48:13. And he set Ephraim on his right hand, that is, towards the left
hand of Israel; but Manasses on his left hand, to wit, towards his
father's right hand, and brought them near to him.

48:14. But he, stretching forth his right hand, put it upon the head of
Ephraim, the younger brother; and the left upon the head of Manasses,
who was the elder, changing his hands.

48:15. And Jacob blessed the sons of Joseph, and said: God, in whose
sight my fathers Abraham and Isaac walked, God that feedeth me from my
youth until this day:

48:16. The angel that delivereth me from all evils, bless these boys:
and let my name be called upon them, and the names of my fathers
Abraham and Isaac; and may they grow into a multitude upon the earth.

48:17. And Joseph seeing that his father had put his right hand upon
the head of Ephraim, was much displeased: and taking his father's hand,
he tried to lift it from Ephraim's head, and to remove it to the head
of Manasses.

48:18. And he said to his father: It should not be so, my father; for
this is the firstborn, put thy right hand upon his head.

48:19. But he refusing, said: I know, my son, I know: and this also
shall become a people, and shall be multiplied; but his younger brother
shall be greater than he; and his seed shall grow into nations.

48:20. And he blessed them at that time, saying: In thee shall Israel
be blessed, and it shall be said: God do to thee as to Ephraim, and as
to Manasses. And he set Ephraim before Manasses.

48:21. And he said to Joseph, his son: Behold I die, and God will be
with you, and will bring you back into the land of your fathers.

48:22. I give thee a portion above thy brethren, which I took out of
the hand of the Amorrhite with my sword and bow.



Genesis Chapter 49


Jacob's prophetical blessings of his twelve sons: his death.

49:1. And Jacob called his sons, and said to them: Gather yourselves
together, that I may tell you the things that shall befall you in the
last days.

49:2. Gather yourselves together, and hear, O ye sons of Jacob, hearken
to Israel, your father:

49:3. Ruben, my firstborn, thou art my strength, and the beginning of
my sorrow; excelling in gifts, greater in command.

My strength, etc. . .He calls him his strength, as being born whilst his
father was in his full strength and vigour: he calls him the beginning
of his sorrow, because cares and sorrows usually come on with the birth
of children. Excelling in gifts, etc., because the firstborn had a
title to a double portion, and to have the command over his brethren,
which Ruben forfeited by his sin; being poured out as water, that is,
spilt and lost.

49:4. Thou art poured out as water, grow thou not; because thou wentest
up to thy father's bed, and didst defile his couch.

Grow thou not. . .This was not meant by way of a curse or imprecation;


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