31 And he said, Swear unto me. And he sware unto him. And Israel bowed himself upon the bed's head.
Genesis 48 Intro: Joseph visiteth his sick father -- Jacob blesseth Ephraim and Manasseh -- He prophesieth their return to Canaan.
1 And it came to pass after these things, that it was told Joseph, saying, Behold, thy father is sick; and he took with him his two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim.
2 And it was told Jacob, saying, Look, and behold, thy son Joseph cometh unto thee; and Israel strengthened himself, and sat upon the bed.
3 And Jacob said unto Joseph, God Almighty appeared unto me at Luz in the land of Canaan, and blessed me,
4 And said unto me, Behold, I will make thee fruitful, and multiply thee, saith the Lord, and I will make of thee a multitude of people; and will give this land to thy seed after thee, for an everlasting possession.
5 And now, of thy two sons, Ephraim and Manasseh, which were born unto thee in the land of Egypt, before I came unto thee into Egypt; behold, they are mine, and the God of my fathers shall bless them; even as Reuben and Simeon they shall be blessed, for they are mine; wherefore they shall be called after my name. (Therefore they were called Israel.)
6 And thy issue which thou begettest after them, shall be thine, and shall be called after the name of their brethren in their inheritance, in the tribes; therefore they were called the tribes of Manasseh and of Ephraim.
7 And Jacob said unto Joseph, When the God of my fathers appeared unto me in Luz, in the land of Canaan; he sware unto me, that he would give unto me, and unto my seed, the land for an everlasting possession.
8 Therefore, O my son, he hath blessed me in raising thee up to be a servant unto me, in saving my house from death;
9 In delivering my people, thy brethren, from famine which was sore in the land; wherefore the God of thy fathers shall bless thee, and the fruit of thy loins, that they shall be blessed above thy brethren, and above thy father's house;
