Genesis 48
1 Emveni kwalezo zinto uJosefa wathola umbiko othi: “Uyihlo uphathekile.” Wayesethatha amadodana akhe omabili uManase no-Efrayimi ukuyombona.
2 Kwabikwa kuJakobe kwathiwa: “Bheka, indodana yakho uJosefa iyeza izokubona.” U-Israyeli waziqinisa, wavuka, wahlala embhedeni.
3 UJakobe wathi kuJosefa: “UNkulunkulu uSomandla wabonakala kimi ngiseLuzi eKhanani, wangibusisa,
4 wathi kimi: ‘Ngizoyandisa inzalo yakho ibe yizinkumbi, ngikwenze izizwe eziningi, leli lizwe ngizolinika izizukulwane zakho libe yifa lazo laphakade.’
5 “Ngakho-ke lawa madodana akho amabili azalelwe lapha eGibhithe ngingakafiki, asengawami manje. U-Efrayimi noManase bangabami, njengoba kunjalo kuRubeni noSimeyoni.
6 Uma uthola amanye amadodana emva kwalawa, ayakuba ngawakho, kodwa ayakulotshwa phansi kohla lwabafowabo, ngokuba ifa lawo ayolithola kubo.
7 Lapho ngisesendleleni ngivela ePhadani Aramu, uRaheli wafela eKhanani kuselibangana ukufinyelela e-Efratha, ngase ngimngcwaba khona lapho eceleni kwendlela eya e-Efratha,” (eliyiBhethlehema).
8 U-Israyeli ebona amadodana kaJosefa, wabuza wathi: “Ngobani laba na?”
9 UJosefa wathi kuyise: “Ngamadodana ami uNkulunkulu angiphe wona ngikuleli lizwe.” Uyise wayesethi: “Alethe lapha ukuze ngiwabusise.”
10 Amehlo ka-Israyeli ayesenqundekile ngenxa yobudala, engasaboni kahle. Ngakho-ke uJosefa wawasondeza, wayeseyawanga, wawagona.
11 U-Israyeli wathi kuJosefa: “Ngangingasalindele ukuthi ngiyophinde ngibubone ubuso bakho. Manje bheka, uNkulunkulu ungivumele ukuba ngibone ngisho nabantwana bakho imbala.”
12 UJosefa wawasusa ethangeni likayise, wakhothamela emhlabathini wathi mbo ngobuso.
13 UJosefa wawathatha womabili, u-Efrayimi engakwesokunene eqondene nesokhohlo sika-Israyeli, uManase engakwesokhohlo eqondene nesokunene sika-Israyeli, wawasondeza kuye.
14 Kepha u-Israyeli welula isandla sakhe sokunene wasibeka ekhanda lika-Efrayimi, owayengomncane, wabeka isandla sokhohlo ekhanda likaManase, ephambanisa izandla zakhe ukuze asibeke kuManase owayeyizibulo.
15 Wambusisa uJosefa, wathi: “UNkulunkulu abahambe phambi kwakhe okhokho bami o-Abhrahama no-Isaka, uNkulunkulu obe ngumelusi wami yonke impilo yami kuze kube namuhla.
16 Ingelosi engihlenge ezingozini zonke, makabusise laba bafana, ukuze ngabo igama lami nelokhokho bami o-Abhrahama no-Isaka lichume njalo. Sengathi banganda babe baningi emhlabeni.”
17 UJosefa wabona ukuthi uyise ubeke isandla sakhe sokunene phezu kwekhanda lika-Efrayimi, akwaze kwamthokozisa lokho. Wasithatha isandla sikayise ukuba asisuse ekhanda lika-Efrayimi asibeke kwelikaManase.
18 UJosefa wathi kuyise: “Hhayi kanjalo baba, ngokuba lona nguye oyizibulo, beka isandla sakho sokunene ekhanda lakhe.”
19 UJakobe akavumanga, kodwa wathi: “Ngiyazi, ndodana yami, ngiyazi; naye uzokuba yisizwe, abe mkhulu. Nokho umnawakhe u-Efrayimi uzokuba mkhulu kunaye, izizukulwane zakhe zibe yizizwe eziningi.”
20 Ngakho-ke uJakobe wababusisa kanjalo ngalolo lusuku, ethi: “Ngawe u-Israyeli uyakubusisana athi: ‘UNkulunkulu makakwenze ufane no-Efrayimi noManase.’ ” UJakobe wambeka u-Efrayimi waba phambi kukaManase.
21 U-Israyeli wayesethi kuJosefa: “Sengizokufa, kodwa uNkulunkulu uzokuba nani, aniphindisele ezweni lokhokho benu.
22 Wena-ke ngikwabela okuthe xaxa kunabafowenu; ingxenye engayithatha ezandleni zama-Amori ngenkemba nangomnsalo wami.”