Ephraim

50Two sons were born to Joseph before the years of famine came. Asenath, the daughter of Potipherah the priest of On, was their mother.

And unto Joseph were born two sons before the years of famine came, which Asenath the daughter of Potipherah priest of On bare unto him.

51Joseph named his first son Manasseh. He said, "God has made me forget all my hard work and all my father's house."

And Joseph called the name of the firstborn Manasseh: For God, said he, hath made me forget all my toil, and all my father’s house.

NoteManasseh sounds like the Hebrew word for making someone forget.

52He named the second son Ephraim. He said, "God has made me fruitful in the land where I suffered."

And the name of the second called he Ephraim: For God hath caused me to be fruitful in the land of my affliction.

NoteEphraim sounds like the Hebrew word for fruitful. Fruitful means having many good things grow.

1Some time later, someone told Joseph, "Your father is sick." Joseph took his two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim, with him.

And it came to pass after these things, that one told Joseph, Behold, thy father is sick: and he took with him his two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim.

NoteJoseph was a ruler in Egypt. His father and brothers had moved there to live near him.

2Someone told Jacob, "Your son Joseph is coming to see you." So Israel, who is Jacob, gathered his strength and sat up on the bed.

And one told Jacob, and said, Behold, thy son Joseph cometh unto thee: and Israel strengthened himself, and sat upon the bed.

NoteThis man has two names. God gave Jacob the second name, Israel. The story uses both names for him.

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

And Jacob said unto Joseph, God Almighty appeared unto me at Luz in the land of Canaan, and blessed me,

Note"God Almighty" means God is stronger than anyone. Luz was a town in Canaan. Later people called it Bethel.

4He said to me, 'I will give you many children. Your family will grow into a great crowd of people. I will give this land to your family after you, to keep forever.'

And said unto me, Behold, I will make thee fruitful, and multiply thee, and I will make of thee a multitude of people; and will give this land to thy seed after thee for an everlasting possession.

NoteThe land is Canaan, where Jacob's family lived before they moved to Egypt.

5Now your two sons, Ephraim and Manasseh, are mine. They were born to you in Egypt before I came to you here. They will be mine, just as Reuben and Simeon are mine.

And now thy two sons, Ephraim and Manasseh, which were born unto thee in the land of Egypt before I came unto thee into Egypt, are mine; as Reuben and Simeon, they shall be mine.

NoteIn this family, each son got a share of the land. Jacob is saying these two grandsons count as his own sons. So they get a share too, like Joseph's older brothers Reuben and Simeon.

6Any children born to you after them will be yours. When land is handed out, they will be listed under their brothers' names.

And thy issue, which thou begettest after them, shall be thine, and shall be called after the name of their brethren in their inheritance.

NoteLater the family's land was divided up. Each of Jacob's sons had a piece named after him.

7As for me, I was coming back from Padan when Rachel died beside me. It happened in the land of Canaan, on the road, not far from Ephrath. I buried her there beside the road to Ephrath, which is Bethlehem."

And as for me, when I came from Padan, Rachel died by me in the land of Canaan in the way, when yet there was but a little way to come unto Ephrath: and I buried her there in the way of Ephrath; the same is Bethlehem.

NoteRachel was Jacob's wife and Joseph's mother. She died long ago, when Joseph was still a boy. Ephrath is the town later called Bethlehem.

8Israel looked at Joseph's sons. He asked, "Who are these?"

And Israel beheld Joseph’s sons, and said, Who are these?

9Joseph said to his father, "They are my sons. God gave them to me here." Jacob said, "Please bring them to me. I will bless them."

And Joseph said unto his father, They are my sons, whom God hath given me in this place. And he said, Bring them, I pray thee, unto me, and I will bless them.

NoteTo bless someone is to speak good words over them. It asks God to be kind to them. A father's blessing mattered very much in this family.

10Israel's eyes were weak because he was old, and he could not see. Joseph brought the boys close to him. Jacob kissed them and hugged them.

Now the eyes of Israel were dim for age, so that he could not see. And he brought them near unto him; and he kissed them, and embraced them.

11Israel said to Joseph, "I never thought I would see your face again. And now God has let me see your children too."

And Israel said unto Joseph, I had not thought to see thy face: and, lo, God hath shewed me also thy seed.

12Then Joseph took the boys from between his father's knees. He bowed down with his face to the ground.

And Joseph brought them out from between his knees, and he bowed himself with his face to the earth.

NoteThe boys stood close by their grandfather's knees. This showed they now belonged to his family. Joseph bowed low to show great respect.

13Joseph took both boys. He held Ephraim in his right hand, toward Israel's left hand. He held Manasseh in his left hand, toward Israel's right hand. He brought them close to his father.

And Joseph took them both, Ephraim in his right hand toward Israel’s left hand, and Manasseh in his left hand toward Israel’s right hand, and brought them near unto him.

NotePeople then thought the right hand was the stronger hand. The older son usually got the right hand.

14Israel reached out his right hand and laid it on Ephraim's head. Ephraim was the younger boy. He laid his left hand on Manasseh's head. He crossed his hands on purpose, though Manasseh was the older son.

And Israel stretched out his right hand, and laid it upon Ephraim’s head, who was the younger, and his left hand upon Manasseh’s head, guiding his hands wittingly; for Manasseh was the firstborn.

NoteThe oldest son usually got the best blessing and the biggest share. Jacob crossed his arms on purpose. He gave the stronger hand to the younger boy.

15He blessed Joseph and said, "My fathers Abraham and Isaac walked with God. That same God has fed me all my life, right up to today.

And he blessed Joseph, and said, God, before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac did walk, the God which fed me all my life long unto this day,

NoteTo "walk with God" means to live close to God and obey him. Saying God "fed me" pictures God as a shepherd caring for his sheep.

16He is the Angel who has saved me from all harm. May he bless these boys. May they carry my name, and the names of my fathers Abraham and Isaac. May they grow into a great crowd of people on the earth."

The Angel which 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; and let them grow into a multitude in the midst of the earth.

NoteAn angel is a messenger God sends. To "carry my name" means to be counted as part of Jacob's family.

17Joseph saw his father's right hand on Ephraim's head. This did not please him. He took hold of his father's hand to move it to Manasseh's head.

And when Joseph saw that his father laid his right hand upon the head of Ephraim, it displeased him: and he held up his father’s hand, to remove it from Ephraim’s head unto Manasseh’s head.

18Joseph said to his father, "Not that way, my father. This one is the older son. Put your right hand on his head."

And Joseph said unto his father, Not so, my father: for this is the firstborn; put thy right hand upon his head.

19But his father said no. He said, "I know, my son, I know. He will also become a people, and he will also be great. But his younger brother will be greater than he is. His family will become many nations."

And his father refused, and said, I know it, my son, I know it: he also shall become a people, and he also shall be great: but truly his younger brother shall be greater than he, and his seed shall become a multitude of nations.

Note"Nations" here means very large groups of people, like whole countries.

20That day he blessed them. He said, "The people of Israel will use your names when they bless. They will say, 'May God make you like Ephraim and Manasseh.'" So he put Ephraim ahead of Manasseh.

And he blessed them that day, saying, In thee shall Israel bless, saying, God make thee as Ephraim and as Manasseh: and he set Ephraim before Manasseh.

NotePeople would say these names when they wished good things for their children. Ephraim and Manasseh became the names used in that blessing.

21Israel said to Joseph, "Look, I am about to die. But God will be with you. He will bring you back to the land of your fathers.

And Israel said unto Joseph, Behold, I die: but God shall be with you, and bring you again unto the land of your fathers.

Note"The land of your fathers" is Canaan. Abraham, Isaac and Jacob had all lived there.

22And I have given you one piece of land more than your brothers. I took it from the Amorite with my sword and my bow."

Moreover I have given to thee one portion above thy brethren, which I took out of the hand of the Amorite with my sword and with my bow.

NoteThe Amorites were a people who lived in Canaan then. Jacob gave Joseph an extra piece of land, more than his brothers got.

22Joseph stayed in Egypt, and so did his father's family. Joseph lived to be one hundred ten years old.

And Joseph dwelt in Egypt, he, and his father’s house: and Joseph lived an hundred and ten years.

23Joseph saw Ephraim's children down to the third group of children after them. The children of Machir, the son of Manasseh, were also placed on Joseph's knees when they were born.

And Joseph saw Ephraim’s children of the third generation: the children also of Machir the son of Manasseh were brought up upon Joseph’s knees.

NoteThe third group of children means his grandchildren's children. Putting a new baby on a grandfather's knees was a way of welcoming that child into the family.

20These men came from Ephraim: Shuthelah, then his son Bered, then his son Tahath, then his son Eleadah, then his son Tahath,

And the sons of Ephraim; Shuthelah, and Bered his son, and Tahath his son, and Eladah his son, and Tahath his son,

NoteIn this list each name is the son of the name before it. It goes down the family, one boy in each new time.

21then his son Zabad, then his son Shuthelah. Ezer and Elead were also from this family. Men who lived in Gath killed them. They killed them because they came to steal their animals.

And Zabad his son, and Shuthelah his son, and Ezer, and Elead, whom the men of Gath that were born in that land slew, because they came down to take away their cattle.

NoteGath was a town nearby where the Philistines lived. The Philistines were a people who often fought with Israel.

22Ephraim, their father, was sad for many days. His family came to comfort him.

And Ephraim their father mourned many days, and his brethren came to comfort him.

NoteMourning means being very sad after someone you love dies. People showed it out loud, with crying, for many days.

23Later Ephraim slept with his wife, and she had a baby boy. He named the boy Beriah, because trouble had come to his family.

And when he went in to his wife, she conceived, and bare a son, and he called his name Beriah, because it went evil with his house.

NoteIn their language the name Beriah sounds like their word for trouble. The name reminded people of the sad thing that had happened.