and Israel strengthened himself, and sat on the bed. 048:003 Jacob said to Joseph, "God Almighty appeared to me at Luz in the land of Canaan, and blessed me, 048:004 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 seed after you for an everlasting possession.' 048:005 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. 048:006 Your issue, who you become the father of after them, will be yours. They will be called after the name of their brothers in their inheritance. 048:007 As for me, when I came from Paddan, Rachel died by me in the land of Canaan in the way, when there was still some distance to come to Ephrath, and I buried her there in the way to Ephrath (the same is Bethlehem)." 048:008 Israel saw Joseph's sons, and said, "Who are these?" 048:009 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." 048:010 Now the eyes of Israel were dim for age, so that he couldn't see. He brought them near to him; and he kissed them, and embraced them. 048:011 Israel said to Joseph, "I didn't think I would see your face, and behold, God has let me see your seed also." 048:012 Joseph brought them out from between his knees, and he bowed himself with his face to the earth. 048:013 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 to him. 048:014 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. 048:015 He blessed Joseph, and said, "The God before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac did walk, the God who has fed me all my life long to this day, 048:016 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 in the midst of the earth." 048:017 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. 048:018 Joseph said to his father, "Not so, my father; for this is the firstborn; put your right hand on his head." 048:019 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 seed will become a multitude of nations."