Genesis 48

1 Some time later Joseph was told, “Your father is ill.” So he set out with his two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim.

1 这事以后，有人告诉约瑟说：「你的父亲病了。」他就带着两个儿子玛拿西和以法莲同去。

2 When Jacob was told, “Your son Joseph has come to you,” Israel rallied his strength and sat up in bed.

2 有人告诉雅各说：「请看，你儿子约瑟到你这里来了。」以色列就勉强在床上坐起来。

3 Jacob said to Joseph, “God Almighty appeared to me at Luz in the land of Canaan, and there He blessed me

3 雅各对约瑟说：「全能的 神曾在迦南地的路斯向我显现，赐福与我，

4 and told me, ‘Behold, I will make you fruitful and multiply you; I will make you a multitude of peoples, and will give this land to your descendants after you as an everlasting possession.’

4 对我说：『我必使你生养众多，成为多民，又要把这地赐给你的后裔，永远为业。』

5 And now your two sons born to you in Egypt before I came to you here shall be reckoned as mine; Ephraim and Manasseh shall be mine, just as Reuben and Simeon are mine.

5 我未到埃及见你之先，你在埃及地所生的以法莲和玛拿西这两个儿子是我的，正如吕便和西缅是我的一样。

6 Any children born to you after them shall be yours, and they shall be called by the names of their brothers in the territory they inherit.

6 你在他们以后所生的就是你的，他们可以归于他们弟兄的名下得产业。

7 Now as for me, when I was returning from Paddan, to my sorrow Rachel died along the way in the land of Canaan, some distance from Ephrath. So I buried her there beside the road to Ephrath” (that is, Bethlehem).

7 至于我，我从巴旦来的时候，拉结死在我眼前，在迦南地的路上，离以法他还有一段路程，我就把她葬在以法他的路上（以法他就是伯利恒）。」

8 When Israel saw the sons of Joseph, he asked, “Who are these?”

8 以色列看见约瑟的两个儿子，就说：「这是谁？」

9 Joseph said to his father, “They are the sons God has given me in this place.” So Jacob said, “Please bring them to me, that I may bless them.”

9 约瑟对他父亲说：「这是 神在这里赐给我的儿子。」以色列说：「请你领他们到我跟前，我要给他们祝福。」

10 Now Israel’s eyesight was poor because of old age; he could hardly see. Joseph brought his sons to him, and his father kissed them and embraced them.

10 以色列年纪老迈，眼睛昏花，不能看见。约瑟领他们到他跟前，他就和他们亲嘴，抱着他们。

11 “I never expected to see your face again,” Israel said to Joseph, “but now God has let me see your children as well.”

11 以色列对约瑟说：「我想不到得见你的面，不料， 神又使我得见你的儿子。」

12 Then Joseph removed his sons from his father’s knees and bowed facedown.

12 约瑟把两个儿子从以色列两膝中领出来，自己就脸伏于地下拜。

13 And Joseph took both of them—with Ephraim in his right hand toward Israel’s left hand, and Manasseh in his left hand toward Israel’s right hand—and brought them close to him.

13 随后，约瑟又拉着他们两个，以法莲在他的右手里，对着以色列的左手，玛拿西在他的左手里，对着以色列的右手，领他们到以色列的跟前。

14 But Israel stretched out his right hand and put it on the head of Ephraim, the younger; and crossing his hands, he put his left on Manasseh’s head, although Manasseh was the firstborn.

14 以色列伸出右手来，按在以法莲的头上（以法莲乃是次子），又剪搭过左手来，按在玛拿西的头上（玛拿西原是长子）。

15 Then he blessed Joseph and said: “May the God before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac walked, the God who has been my shepherd all my life to this day,

15 他就给约瑟祝福说：「愿我祖亚伯拉罕和我父以撒所事奉的 神，就是一生牧养我直到今日的 神，

16 the angel who has redeemed me from all harm—may He bless these boys. And may they be called by my name and the names of my fathers Abraham and Isaac, and may they grow into a multitude upon the earth.”

16 救赎我脱离一切患难的那使者，赐福与这两个童子。愿他们归在我的名下和我祖亚伯拉罕、我父以撒的名下。又愿他们在世界中生养众多。」

17 When Joseph saw that his father had placed his right hand on Ephraim’s head, he was displeased and took his father’s hand to move it from Ephraim’s head to Manasseh’s.

17 约瑟见他父亲把右手按在以法莲的头上，就不喜悦，便提起他父亲的手，要从以法莲头上挪到玛拿西的头上。

18 “Not so, my father!” Joseph said. “This one is the firstborn; put your right hand on his head.”

18 约瑟对他父亲说：「我父，不是这样。这本是长子，求你把右手按在他的头上。」

19 But his father refused. “I know, my son, I know!” he said. “He too shall become a people, and he too shall be great; nevertheless, his younger brother shall be greater than he, and his offspring shall become a multitude of nations.”

19 他父亲不从，说：「我知道，我儿，我知道。他也必成为一族，也必昌大。只是他的兄弟将来比他还大；他兄弟的后裔要成为多族。」

20 So that day Jacob blessed them and said: “By you shall Israel pronounce this blessing: ‘May God make you like Ephraim and Manasseh.’” So he put Ephraim before Manasseh.

20 当日就给他们祝福说：「以色列人要指着你们祝福说：『愿 神使你如以法莲、玛拿西一样。』」于是立以法莲在玛拿西以上。

21 Then Israel said to Joseph, “Look, I am about to die, but God will be with you and bring you back to the land of your fathers.

21 以色列又对约瑟说：「我要死了，但 神必与你们同在，领你们回到你们列祖之地。

22 And to you, as one who is above your brothers, I give the ridge of land that I took from the Amorites with my sword and bow.”

22 并且我从前用弓用刀从亚摩利人手下夺的那块地，我都赐给你，使你比众弟兄多得一分。」