1   These things being so done, it was told Ioseph that his father was sicke: who, taking his two sonnes Manasses and Ephraim, went forward.

2   And it was told the old man: Behold thy sonne Ioseph cometh to thee. Who being strengthned sate on his bed.

3   And Ioseph being entred in to him, he said: God almightie appeared to me in Luza, which is in the Land of Chanaan: and he blessed me,

4   and sayd: I wil increase, and multiplie thee, and make thee into multitudes

Iacob. of peoples: and I wil geue thee this land, and to thy sede after thee for an euerlasting possession.

5   Thy two sonnes therfore, which were borne to thee in the Land of Ægypt before I came hither to thee, shalbe myne: Ephraim and Manasses, as Ruben and Simeon shalbe reputed to me.

6   But the rest begotten of thee after them, shalbe thyne, and shal be called by the name of their brethren in their possessions.

7   For vnto me, when I came out of Mesopotamia, Rachel dyed in the land of Chanaan in the very iourney, and it was spring time: and I entered into Ephrata, and buried her by the way side to Ephrata, which by an other name is called Bethleem.

8   And seeing his sonnes, he said to him: Who are theise?

9   He answered: They are my sonnes, whom God hath geuen me in this place. Bring them, quoth he, to me, that I may blesse them.

10   For Israels eyes were dymme by reason of very great age, and he could not see clearly. And when they were set beside him, kissing and embracing them,

11   he said to his sonne: I am not defrauded of thy sight: moreouer God hath shewed me thy sede.

12   And when Ioseph had taken them from his fathers lappe, he adored prostrate vnto the ground.

13   And he set Ephraim on his right hand, that is, on the left hand of Israel: but Manasses on his owne left hand, to wit, on his fathers right hand, and put them nere to him.

14   Who09Q0104 stretching forth his right hand, put it vpon the head of Ephraim the younger brother: and ^note the left vpon the head of Manasses, that was the elder,09Q0105 changing handes.

15   And Iacob blessed the sonnes of Ioseph, and said: God, in whose sight my fathers Abraham and Isaac haue walked, God that feedeth me from my youth vntil this present day:

16   09Q0106The Angel that deliuereth me from al euils, blesse these children:09Q0107 and be my name called vpon them, the names also of my fathers Abraham, and Isaac, and grow they into a multitude vpon the earth.

17   And Ioseph seing that his father had put his right hand vpon the head of Ephraim, tooke it heauily: and taking his fathers hand he went about to lift it from Ephraims head, and to remoue it vpon the head of Manasses.

18   And he said to his father: It is not conuenient father so to be: because this is the first begotten put thy right hand vpon his head.

19   Who refusing, said: I know my sonne, I know: and this same in dede shal be into peoples, and shal be multiplied:

Iacob. but his younger brother shal be greater then he: and his sede shal growe into nations.

20   And he blessed them at that time, saying: In thee shal Israel be blessed, and it shalbe said: God do vnto thee as vnto Ephraim, and as vnto Manasses. And he sette Ephraim before Manasses.

21   And he said to Ioseph his sonne: Behold I dye, and God wil be with you, and wil bring you backe into the land of your fathers.

22   I doe geue thee one portion aboue thy brethren, which I tooke out of the hand of the Amorrhean with my sword and bowe.

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