Genesis 48 is Jacob’s deathbed adoption and blessing of Joseph’s two sons - the crossed-hands scene where Israel deliberately gives Ephraim the younger the greater blessing, splitting the tribe of Joseph into two and shaping Israel’s twelve-tribe map forever.
Full sung version coming soon.
Lyrics
After these things someone said to Joseph Behold your father is sick He took with him his two sons Manasseh and Ephraim Someone told Jacob and said behold your son Joseph comes to you And Israel strengthened himself and sat on the bed Jacob said to Joseph God Almighty appeared to me at Luz
In the land of Canaan and blessed me And said to me behold I will make you fruitful And multiply you and I will make of you a company of peoples And will give this land to your offspring after you for an everlasting possession Now your two sons who were born to you In the land of Egypt before I came to you into Egypt are mine
Ephraim and Manasseh even as Reuben and Simeon will be mine Your offspring whom you become the father of after them Will be yours They will be called after the name of their brothers in their inheritance As for me when I came from Paddan Rachel died beside me In the land of Canaan on the way when there was still some distance to come to Ephrath
And I buried her there on the way to Ephrath also called Bethlehem Israel saw Joseph’s sons and said who are these? Joseph said to his father they are my sons whom God has given me here He said please bring them to me and I will bless them Now the eyes of Israel were dim for age So that he could not see well
Joseph brought them near to him and he kissed them and embraced them Israel said to Joseph I did not think I would see your face And behold God has let me see your offspring also Joseph brought them out from between his knees And he bowed himself with his face to the earth
Joseph took them both Ephraim in his right hand towards Israel’s left hand And Manasseh in his left hand towards Israel’s right hand And brought them near to him Israel stretched out his right hand And laid it on Ephraim’s head who was the younger And his left hand on Manasseh’s head guiding his hands knowingly For Manasseh was the firstborn
He blessed Joseph and said The God before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac walked The God who has fed me all my life long to this day The angel who has redeemed me from all evil Bless the lads and let my name be named on them And the name of my fathers Abraham and Isaac Let them grow into a multitude upon the earth
When Joseph saw that his father laid his right hand on the head of Ephraim It displeased him He held up his father’s hand to remove it from Ephraim’s head to Manasseh’s head Joseph said to his father not so my father For this is the firstborn put your right hand on his head
His father refused and said I know my son I know He also will become a people and he also will be great However his younger brother will be greater than he And his offspring will become a multitude of nations He blessed them that day saying Israel will bless in your name saying God make you as Ephraim and as Manasseh
He set Ephraim before Manasseh Israel said to Joseph behold I am dying But God will be with you and bring you again to the land of your fathers
Listen
Genesis 48 sung by Psalm Selah. The whole Bible, one chapter at a time.