AND now when Joseph heard his Father lay
Even at the point of death, he hastes away
To visit him, and took along with him
His Son Manasseh, and's Son Ephraim.
Whereof when Jacob heard he strengthened
Himself, and rose and sate upon the Bed:
And thus to Joseph said, Lo, God appeared
To me at Luz in Canaan, and declared,
That he would bless, and make me a great Nation,
And give my Seed that Land for a Possession:
And Jacob said, Behold, these Sons of thine
As Reuben and as Simeon shall be mine,
And all the rest which shall be born to thee
Hereafter, shall be thine, and they shall be
Called by the Name of their own Family.
Behold thy Mother died upon the way,
When I from Padan came, near Ephratah,
The which is in the Land of Canaan, where,
To wit, in Bethlehem, did I bury her.
And Jacob seeing Joseph's Sons were there,
He asked of him who the Children were.
And Joseph said, My Father, lo, these be
The Sons, God in this Place hath given me.
Then Jacob said, I pray thee bring them nigh
To me, and I will bless them ere I die.
(Now Jacob's Eyes, by reason of Age, were dim)
And Joseph brought his Sons near unto him,
And Jacob kissed and embraced them:
⟨p. 82⟩And said I never thought to see thy Face,
And lo, the Lord hath shown me of thy race.
And Joseph from between his Knees brought forth
His Sons, and bowed himself even to the Earth:
And in his Right hand held up Ephraim,
Towards his Father's Left hand guiding him,
And in his Left hand to his Father's right,
He held his Son Manasseh opposite.
And Israel stretching out his Right hand, laid
It on the youngest namely Ephraim's head:
And laid his Left hand wittingly upon
Manasseh's head, although the eldest Son.
And Jacob blessed Joseph, saying, The God
Of Heaven, in whose Paths my Fathers trod,
Who all my Life hath nourished me, even he
Who from all Evil hath redeemed me,
Bless both the Lads, and let them bear my Name,
And the Name of my Fathers Abraham
And Isaac, and let them multiply
In the midst of the Earth exceedingly.
And Joseph seeing his Father's Right hand laid
On Ephraim's head, he was displeased, and said,
Not so, my Father, lay this hand upon
Manasseh's head, for he's the eldest Son:
And therewithal attempted to have laid
His Father's Right hand on Manasseh's head.
But he refused and said, I know it, my Son,
I know it full well, he also shall become
A People, and be mighty:
AND now when Joseph heard his Father lay
Even at the point of death, he hasts away
To visit him, and took along with him
His Son Manasseh, and's Son Ephraim.
Whereof when Jacob heard he strengthned
Himself, and rose and sate upon the Bed:
And thus to Joseph said, Lo, God appeared
To me at Luz in Canaan, and declared,
That he would bless, and make me a great Nation,
And give my Seed that Land for a Possession:
And Jacob said, Behold, these Sons of thine
As Reuben and as Simeon shall be mine,
And all the rest which shall be born to thee
Hereafter, shall be thine, and they shall be
Call'd by the Name of their own Family.
Behold thy Mother died upon the way,
When I from Padan came, near Ephratah,
The which is in the Land of Canaan, where,
To wit, in Bethlem, did I bury her.
And Jacob seeing Joseph's Sons were there,
He asked of him who the Children were.
And Joseph said, My Father, lo, these be
The Sons, God in this Place hath given me.
Then Jacob said, I pray thee bring them nigh
To me, and I will bless them e'er I die.
(Now Jacob's Eyes, by reason of Age, were dim)
And Joseph brought his Sons near unto him,
And Jacob kissed and embraced them:
⟨p. 82⟩And said I never thought to see thy Face,
And lo, the Lord hath shown me of thy race.
And Joseph from between his Knees brought forth
His Sons, and bow'd himself even to the Earth:
And in his Right hand held up Ephraim,
Towards his Father's Left hand guiding him,
And in his Left hand to his Father's right,
He held his Son Manasseh opposite.
And Isra'l stretching out his Right hand, laid
It on the youngest namely Ephraim's head:
And laid his Left hand wittingly upon
Manasseh's head, although the eldest Son.
And Jacob blessed Joseph, saying, The God
Of Heaven, in whose Paths my Fathers trod,
Who all my Life hath nourish'd me, even he
Who from all Evil hath redeemed me,
Bless both the Lads, and let them bear my Name,
And the Name of my Fathers Abraham
And Isaac, and let them multiply
In the midst of the Earth exceedingly.
And Joseph seeing his Father's Right hand laid
On Ephraim's head, he was displeas'd, and said,
Not so, my Father, lay this hand upon
Manasseh's head, for he's the eldest Son:
And therewithal attempted to have laid
His Father's Right hand on Manasseh's head.
But he refus'd and said, I know't, my Son,
I know't full well, he also shall become
A People, and be mighty:
