Barashyt(Genesis) — 48

1 One day not long after this, word came to Ya'asaf, “Your father is failing rapidly.” So Ya'asaf went to visit his father, and he took with him his two sons, Manassah and Alphraim.

2 When Ya'asaf arrived, Ya'aqub was told, “Your son Ya'asaf has come to see you.” So Ya'aqub gathered his strength and sat up in his bed.

3 Ya'aqub said to Ya'asaf, “𐤀𐤋𐤅𐤄_ALUAH (AL'Mighty ONE) appeared to me at Luz in the land of Canaan and Baraked me. 

4 He said to me, ‘I will make you fruitful, and I will multiply your descendants. I will make you a multitude of nations. And I will give this land of Canaan to your descendants after you as an everlasting possession.’

5 “Now I am claiming as my own sons these two boys of yours, Alphraim and Manassah, who were born here in the land of Mitzraym before I arrived. They will be my sons, just as Rauban and Simaun are. 

6 But any children born to you in the future will be your own, and they will inherit land within the territories of their brothers Alphraim and Manassah.

7 “Long ago, as I was returning from Paddan-aram, Rachal died in the land of Canaan. We were still on the way, some distance from Aphrath (that is, Bathlaham). So with great sorrow I buried her there beside the road to Aphrath.”

8 Then Ya'aqub looked over at the two boys. “Are these your sons?” he asked.

9 “Yes,” Ya'asaf told him, “these are the sons 𐤀𐤋𐤅𐤄_ALUAH has given me here in Mitzraym.” And Ya'aqub said, “Bring them closer to me, so I can Barak them.”

10 Ya'aqub was half blind because of his age and could hardly see. So Ya'asaf brought the boys close to him, and Ya'aqub kissed and embraced them. 

11 Then Ya'aqub said to Ya'asaf, “I never thought I would see your face again, but now 𐤀𐤋𐤅𐤄_ALUAH has let me see your children, too!”

12 Ya'asaf moved the boys, who were at their grandfather’s knees, and he bowed with his face to the ground. 

13 Then he positioned the boys in front of Ya'aqub. With his right hand he directed Alphraim toward Ya'aqub’s left hand, and with his left hand he put Manassah at Ya'aqub’s right hand. 

14 But Ya'aqub crossed his arms as he reached out to lay his hands on the boys’ heads. He put his right hand on the head of Alphraim, though he was the younger boy, and his left hand on the head of Manassah, though he was the firstborn. 

15 Then he Baraked Ya'asaf and said, “May the 𐤀𐤋𐤅𐤄_ALUAH before whom my grandfather Abraham and my father, Yachaq, walked, the 𐤀𐤋𐤅𐤄_ALUAH who has been my shepherd all my life, to this very day,

16 the Malak who has redeemed me from all harm, may he barak these boys. May they preserve my name and the names of Abraham and Yachaq. And may their descendants multiply greatly throughout the Arath.”

17 But Ya'asaf was upset when he saw that his father placed his right hand on Alphraim’s head. So Ya'asaf lifted it to move it from Alphraim’s head to Manassah’s head. 

18 “No, my father,” he said. “This one is the firstborn. Put your right hand on his head.”

19 But his father refused. “I know, my son; I know,” he replied. “Manassah will also become a great people, but his younger brother will become even greater. And his descendants will become a multitude of nations.”

20 So Ya'aqub Baraked the boys that day with this Barakah: “The people of YASHAR'AL will use your names when they give a Barakah. They will say, ‘May 𐤀𐤋𐤅𐤄_ALUAH make you as prosperous as Alphraim and Manassah.’” In this way, Ya'aqub put Alphraim ahead of Manassah.

21 Then Ya'aqub said to Ya'asaf, “Look, I am about to die, but 𐤀𐤋𐤅𐤄_ALUAH will be with you and will take you back to Canaan, the land of your ancestors. 

22 And beyond what I have given your brothers, I am giving you an extra portion of the land that I took from the Amurites with my sword and bow.”