Genesis

And it came to pass after these things, that it was reported to Ioseph that: "Your father is ill." And taking along his two sons, Manasse and Ephraïm, he came to Iakob.

And it was reported to Iakob, saying: "Behold: Your son Ioseph comes to you." And Israél having strengthened himself, sat upon the bed.

And Iakob said to Ioseph: "My Theos appeared to me in Louza, in [the] land of Chanaán, and blessed me,

and said to me: "Behold: I will increase you, and will multiply you, and will make you into gatherings of nations. And I will give this land to you, and to your seed after you, into an aeonial confiscation.

Now therefore, your two sons, who were born to you in [the] land of Aigyptos, before I came into Aigyptos to you, are mine: Ephraïm and Manasse. Like Rouben and Symeon, they shall be mine.

And the descendants which you shall beget hereafter, shall be in the name of their brothers. They shall be named after their inheritances.

And as for me, when I came out of Mesopotamia of Syria, your mother Rachel died in [the] land of Chanaán, as I drew near to the hippodrome of Chabratha of the land [of Chanaán], so as to come to Ephratha. And I buried her in the way to the hippodrome."; this is Bethleém.

And seeing the sons of Ioseph, Israél said: "Who are these to you?"

And Ioseph said to his father: "They are my sons, whom the Theos gave me here." And Iakob said: "Bring them to me, that I may bless them."

Now the eyes of Israél were dim through age, and he could not see [so well]. And he brought them near to him. And he kissed them, and embraced them.

And Israél said to Ioseph: "Behold: I have not been deprived of [seeing] your face, and behold: The Theos has showed me your seed also."

And Ioseph brought them out from [between] his knees. And they did obeisance to him, upon [the] face upon the ground.

And Ioseph taking both his two sons: Ephraïm in his right hand, but on the left of Israél, and Manasse in his left hand, but on the right of Israél, he brought them near to him.

But Israél stretching out his right hand, laid it on the head of Ephraïm, but he was the younger; and his left hand on the head of Manasse, [guiding] his hands crosswise.

And he blessed them and said: "The Theos in whose sight my fathers Abraám and Isaák were well pleasing, the Theos who continues to feed me from my youth until this day,

the messenger who delivers me from all evils, bless these boys. And my name shall be called upon them, and the name of my fathers Abraám and Isaák. And let them be increased into a great multitude upon the earth."

But Ioseph having seen that his father put his right hand on the head of Ephraïm, this seemed grievous to him. And Ioseph took hold of the hand of his father, to remove it from the head of Ephraïm to the head of Manasse.

And Ioseph said to his father: "Not so, father, for this is the first-born. Lay your right-hand upon his head."

And he would not, but said: "I know, son, I know. And this one also shall become a people, and this one shall be exalted, but his younger brother shall be greater than he. And his seed shall become a multitude of nations."

And he blessed them in that day, saying: "In you will Israél be blessed [when they] say: '[May] the Theos make you as Ephraïm and Manasse.' " And he put Ephraïm ahead of Manasse.

And Israél said to Ioseph: "Behold: I am about to die. And the Theos will be with you, and restore you to the land of your fathers.

Now I give to you Sikima, as something special beyond your brothers, which I took out of the hand of the Amorraion with my short sword and bow."