Genesis 48:1
וַיְהִ֗י אַחֲרֵי֙ הַדְּבָרִ֣ים הָאֵ֔לֶּה
And it came to pass after these events,
וַיֹּ֣אמֶר לְיוֹסֵ֔ף הִנֵּ֥ה אָבִ֖יךָ חֹלֶ֑ה
That One said to Joseph,
“Behold your father has become ill!”
וַיִּקַּ֞ח אֶת־שְׁנֵ֤י בָנָיו֙ עִמּ֔וֹ
And so he took his two sons with him,
אֶת־מְנַשֶּׁ֖ה וְאֶת־אֶפְרָֽיִם׃
Manasseh and Ephraim;
Genesis 48:2
וַיַּגֵּ֣ד לְיַעֲקֹ֔ב וַיֹּ֕אמֶר
And He told Jacob, and He said,
הִנֵּ֛ה בִּנְךָ֥ יוֹסֵ֖ף בָּ֣א אֵלֶ֑יךָ
“Behold! your son Joseph has come to you.”
וַיִּתְחַזֵּק֙ יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל וַיֵּ֖שֶׁב עַל־הַמִּטָּֽה׃
And Israel strengthened,
and he sat up on the bed;
Genesis 48:3
וַיֹּ֤אמֶר יַעֲקֹב֙ אֶל־יוֹסֵ֔ף
Then Jacob said to Joseph,
אֵ֥ל שַׁדַּ֛י נִרְאָֽה־אֵלַ֥י בְּל֖וּז בְּאֶ֣רֶץ כְּנָ֑עַן
“God Omnipotent-Sufficient
appeared to me at Luz,
in the land of Canaan;
וַיְבָ֖רֶךְ אֹתִֽי׃
And He blessed me;”
Genesis 48:4
וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֵלַ֗י
“And he said to me:
הִנְנִ֤י מַפְרְךָ֙ וְהִרְבִּיתִ֔ךָ
‘Behold I am going to make you fruitful,
and I will make you numerous,
וּנְתַתִּ֖יךָ לִקְהַ֣ל עַמִּ֑ים
And I will grant you to become
a congregation of peoples;
וְנָ֨תַתִּ֜י אֶת־הָאָ֧רֶץ הַזֹּ֛את
And I shall give this land
לְזַרְעֲךָ֥ אַחֲרֶ֖יךָ אֲחֻזַּ֥ת עוֹלָֽם׃
To your Seed/offspring after you, as a permanent possession.’ ”
Genesis 48:5
וְעַתָּ֡ה שְׁנֵֽי־בָנֶיךָ֩ הַנּוֹלָדִ֨ים לְךָ֜
“And now, your two sons who were begotten to you,
בְּאֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרַ֗יִם
In the land of Egypt,
עַד־בֹּאִ֥י אֵלֶ֛יךָ מִצְרַ֖יְמָה לִי־הֵ֑ם
Before when I came to you, to Egypt,
they were mine: —
אֶפְרַ֙יִם֙ וּמְנַשֶּׁ֔ה כִּרְאוּבֵ֥ן וְשִׁמְע֖וֹן יִֽהְיוּ־לִֽי׃
Ephraim and Manasseh,
in the same way as Reuben and Simeon are mine!”
Genesis 48:6
וּמוֹלַדְתְּךָ֛ אֲשֶׁר־הוֹלַ֥דְתָּ אַחֲרֵיהֶ֖ם
“And your descendants
whom you have begotten after them,
לְךָ֣ יִהְי֑וּ
They are yours;
עַ֣ל שֵׁ֧ם אֲחֵיהֶ֛ם יִקָּרְא֖וּ בְּנַחֲלָתָֽם׃
According to the name of your brothers
they shall be called,
In accordance with their inheritance.”
Genesis 48:7
וַאֲנִ֣י ׀ בְּבֹאִ֣י מִפַּדָּ֗ן
“Now I, when I came from Padan,
מֵ֩תָה֩ עָלַ֨י רָחֵ֜ל בְּאֶ֤רֶץ כְּנַ֙עַן֙ בַּדֶּ֔רֶךְ
Rachel died beside me,
in the land of Canaan on the way,
בְּע֥וֹד כִּבְרַת־אֶ֖רֶץ לָבֹ֣א אֶפְרָ֑תָה
While there was yet a stretch of land,
in order to come to Ephratah;
וָאֶקְבְּרֶ֤הָ שָּׁם֙ בְּדֶ֣רֶךְ אֶפְרָ֔ת
And so I buried her there, on the way to Ephrat,
הִ֖וא בֵּ֥ית לָֽחֶם׃
That is, Bethlehem.”
Genesis 48:8
וַיַּ֥רְא יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל אֶת־בְּנֵ֣י יוֹסֵ֑ף
And Israel noticed the sons of Joseph,
וַיֹּ֖אמֶר מִי־אֵֽלֶּה׃
And he said, “Who are these?”
Genesis 48:9
וַיֹּ֤אמֶר יוֹסֵף֙ אֶל־אָבִ֔יו בָּנַ֣י הֵ֔ם
And Joseph said to his father,
“They are my sons,
אֲשֶׁר־נָֽתַן־לִ֥י אֱלֹהִ֖ים בָּזֶ֑ה
Whom God gave me in this place.”
וַיֹּאמַ֕ר קָֽחֶם־נָ֥א אֵלַ֖י וַאֲבָרֲכֵֽם׃
And he said,
“I pray thee bring them to me,
so that I may bless them.”
Genesis 48:10
וְעֵינֵ֤י יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ כָּבְד֣וּ מִזֹּ֔קֶן
Now the eyes of Israel
had grown dim from old age,
לֹ֥א יוּכַ֖ל לִרְא֑וֹת
He could not see properly;
וַיַּגֵּ֤שׁ אֹתָם֙ אֵלָ֔יו
And he brought them near for him,
וַיִּשַּׁ֥ק לָהֶ֖ם וַיְחַבֵּ֥ק לָהֶֽם׃
And he kissed them, and embraced them;
Genesis 48:11
וַיֹּ֤אמֶר יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ אֶל־יוֹסֵ֔ף
Then Israel said to Joseph,
רְאֹ֥ה פָנֶ֖יךָ לֹ֣א פִלָּ֑לְתִּי
“I did not think to see your face,
וְהִנֵּ֨ה הֶרְאָ֥ה אֹתִ֛י אֱלֹהִ֖ים גַּ֥ם אֶת־זַרְעֶֽךָ׃
And behold
God has also let me see your offspring!”
Genesis 48:12
וַיּוֹצֵ֥א יוֹסֵ֛ף אֹתָ֖ם מֵעִ֣ם בִּרְכָּ֑יו
And Joseph caused them to go from his knees,
וַיִּשְׁתַּ֥חוּ לְאַפָּ֖יו אָֽרְצָה׃
And he bowed himself before him, earthwards;
Genesis 48:13
וַיִּקַּ֣ח יוֹסֵף֮ אֶת־שְׁנֵיהֶם֒
Then Joseph took the two of them,
אֶת־אֶפְרַ֤יִם בִּֽימִינוֹ֙ מִשְּׂמֹ֣אל יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל
Ephraim on his right,
— from the left of Israel,
וְאֶת־מְנַשֶּׁ֥ה בִשְׂמֹאל֖וֹ מִימִ֣ין יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל
And Manasseh on his left,
— from the right of Israel;
וַיַּגֵּ֖שׁ אֵלָֽיו׃
And he brought them near him;
Genesis 48:14
וַיִּשְׁלַח֩ יִשְׂרָאֵ֨ל אֶת־יְמִינ֜וֹ
But Israel extended his right hand,
וַיָּ֨שֶׁת עַל־רֹ֤אשׁ אֶפְרַ֙יִם֙ וְה֣וּא הַצָּעִ֔יר
And he placed it on the head of Ephraim,
notwithstanding that he was the younger,
וְאֶת־שְׂמֹאל֖וֹ עַל־רֹ֣אשׁ מְנַשֶּׁ֑ה
and his left hand upon the head of Manasseh;
שִׂכֵּל֙ אֶת־יָדָ֔יו כִּ֥י מְנַשֶּׁ֖ה הַבְּכֽוֹר׃
He had wittingly crossed his hands,
since Manasseh was the firstborn;
Genesis 48:15
וַיְבָ֥רֶךְ אֶת־יוֹסֵ֖ף וַיֹּאמַ֑ר
And he blessed Joseph, and said:
הָֽאֱלֹהִ֡ים
“The True God,
אֲשֶׁר֩ הִתְהַלְּכ֨וּ אֲבֹתַ֤י לְפָנָיו֙ אַבְרָהָ֣ם וְיִצְחָ֔ק
He whom, before His presence,
my fathers Abraham and Isaac walked about,
הָֽאֱלֹהִים֙ הָרֹעֶ֣ה אֹתִ֔י
The True God Who shepherded me,
מֵעוֹדִ֖י עַד־הַיּ֥וֹם הַזֶּֽה׃
Ever since I was, unto this day;” —
Genesis 48:16
הַמַּלְאָךְ֩ הַגֹּאֵ֨ל אֹתִ֜י מִכָּל־רָ֗ע
— “The Angel Who Redeems me from all evil,
יְבָרֵךְ֮ אֶת־הַנְּעָרִים֒
He shall bless the boys;
וְיִקָּרֵ֤א בָהֶם֙ שְׁמִ֔י
And my name shall be named on them,
וְשֵׁ֥ם אֲבֹתַ֖י אַבְרָהָ֣ם וְיִצְחָ֑ק
And the name of my fathers, Abraham and Isaac;
וְיִדְגּ֥וּ לָרֹ֖ב בְּקֶ֥רֶב הָאָֽרֶץ׃
And they shall increase like the fish for very multitude,
in the midst of the Earth.”
Genesis 48:17
וַיַּ֣רְא יוֹסֵ֗ף
When Joseph saw
כִּי־יָשִׁ֨ית אָבִ֧יו יַד־יְמִינ֛וֹ
That his father wanted to place his right hand
עַל־רֹ֥אשׁ אֶפְרַ֖יִם וַיֵּ֣רַע בְּעֵינָ֑יו
on the head of Ephraim,
that it was wrong in his eyes;
וַיִּתְמֹ֣ךְ יַד־אָבִ֗יו
And he grasped his father’s hand,
לְהָסִ֥יר אֹתָ֛הּ
In order to redirect it
מֵעַ֥ל רֹאשׁ־אֶפְרַ֖יִם עַל־רֹ֥אשׁ מְנַשֶּֽׁה׃
away from the head of Ephraim,
onto the head of Manasseh;
Genesis 48:18
וַיֹּ֧אמֶר יוֹסֵ֛ף אֶל־אָבִ֖יו
And Joseph said to his father:
לֹא־כֵ֣ן אָבִ֑י
“Not thus my father;
כִּי־זֶ֣ה הַבְּכֹ֔ר שִׂ֥ים יְמִינְךָ֖ עַל־רֹאשֽׁוֹ׃
For this is the firstborn,
Set your right hand on his head;”
Genesis 48:19
וַיְמָאֵ֣ן אָבִ֗יו וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙
But his father refused, and said,
יָדַ֤עְתִּֽי בְנִי֙ יָדַ֔עְתִּי
“I know my son, I know, …
גַּם־ה֥וּא יִֽהְיֶה־לְּעָ֖ם וְגַם־ה֣וּא יִגְדָּ֑ל
He on his part will become a nation,
and he too shall be great;
וְאוּלָ֗ם אָחִ֤יו הַקָּטֹן֙ יִגְדַּ֣ל מִמֶּ֔נּוּ
But notwithstanding,
his younger brother shall become greater than him,
וְזַרְע֖וֹ יִהְיֶ֥ה מְלֹֽא־הַגּוֹיִֽם׃
And his offspring will become the fullness of the nations;”
Genesis 48:20
וַיְבָ֨רֲכֵ֜ם בַּיּ֣וֹם הַהוּא֮ לֵאמוֹר֒
And he blessed them on that day, saying:
בְּךָ֗ יְבָרֵ֤ךְ יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר
“By you, Israel shall bless, by saying, —
יְשִֽׂמְךָ֣ אֱלֹהִ֔ים כְּאֶפְרַ֖יִם וְכִמְנַשֶּׁ֑ה
‘May God make you like Ephraim,
and like Manasseh!’ ”
וַיָּ֥שֶׂם אֶת־אֶפְרַ֖יִם לִפְנֵ֥י מְנַשֶּֽׁה׃
Thus he had set Ephraim before Manasseh;
Genesis 48:21
וַיֹּ֤אמֶר יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ אֶל־יוֹסֵ֔ף
And Israel said to Joseph,
הִנֵּ֥ה אָנֹכִ֖י מֵ֑ת
“Behold I am going to die,
וְהָיָ֤ה אֱלֹהִים֙ עִמָּכֶ֔ם
But God will be with you,
וְהֵשִׁ֣יב אֶתְכֶ֔ם אֶל־אֶ֖רֶץ אֲבֹתֵיכֶֽם׃
And He will bring you back to the land or your fathers;”
Genesis 48:22
וַאֲנִ֞י
And I,
נָתַ֧תִּֽי לְךָ֛ שְׁכֶ֥ם אַחַ֖ד עַל־אַחֶ֑יךָ
I have given you Shechem (load-bearing) one portion
above your brothers;
אֲשֶׁ֤ר לָקַ֙חְתִּי֙ מִיַּ֣ד הָֽאֱמֹרִ֔י
That which I took from the hand of the Amorites,
בְּחַרְבִּ֖י וּבְקַשְׁתִּֽי׃ פ
With my sword, and with my bow.
Website translation into English by E.G. Van Gent
The Hebrew Masoretic Text is Unicode/XML version 1.3 Leningrad Codex,
Build 26.4 from tanach.us
Dramatized Modern Hebrew Audio Version, Genesis 48
Copyright to Hebrew Audio of Old Testament
℗ 2014 Bible Society in Israel and Hosanna
Distributed by and Available from The Bible Society In Israel
This Hebrew Dramatized Audio was produced with the assistance of
Faith Comes By Hearing, an international organization publishing
Audio Bibles in more than 1600 languages.
