Quotes About Family

And Joseph took both of them—with Ephraim in his right hand toward Israelís left hand, and Manasseh in his left hand toward Israelís right hand—and brought them close to him.

But Israel stretched out his right hand and put it on the head of Ephraim, the younger; and crossing his hands, he put his left on Manassehís head, although Manasseh was the firstborn.

Then he blessed Joseph and said: “May the God before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac walked, the God who has been my shepherd all my life to this day,

the angel who has redeemed me from all harm—may He bless these boys. And may they be called by my name and the names of my fathers Abraham and Isaac, and may they grow into a multitude upon the earth.”

When Joseph saw that his father had placed his right hand on Ephraimís head, he was displeased and took his fatherís hand to move it from Ephraimís head to Manassehís.

“Not so, my father!” Joseph said. “This one is the firstborn; put your right hand on his head.”

But his father refused. “I know, my son, I know!” he said. “He too shall become a people, and he too shall be great; nevertheless, his younger brother shall be greater than he, and his offspring shall become a multitude of nations.”

So that day Jacob blessed them and said: “By you shall Israel pronounce this blessing: ëMay God make you like Ephraim and Manasseh.í” So he put Ephraim before Manasseh.

Then Israel said to Joseph, “Look, I am about to die, but God will be with you and bring you back to the land of your fathers.

Then Jacob called for his sons and said, “Gather around so that I can tell you what will happen to you in the days to come:

Come together and listen, O sons of Jacob; listen to your father Israel.

Reuben, you are my firstborn, my might, and the beginning of my strength, excelling in honor, excelling in power.

Uncontrolled as the waters, you will no longer excel, because you went up to your fatherís bed, onto my couch, and defiled it.

Judah is a young lion—my son, you return from the prey. Like a lion he crouches and lies down; like a lioness, who dares to rouse him?

Naphtali is a doe set free that bears beautiful fawns.

These are the tribes of Israel, twelve in all, and this was what their father said to them. He blessed them, and he blessed each one with a suitable blessing.

Then Jacob instructed them, “I am about to be gathered to my people. Bury me with my fathers in the cave in the field of Ephron the Hittite.

There Abraham and his wife Sarah are buried, there Isaac and his wife Rebekah are buried, and there I buried Leah.

When Jacob had finished instructing his sons, he pulled his feet into the bed and breathed his last, and he was gathered to his people.

Then Joseph fell upon his fatherís face, wept over him, and kissed him.

And Joseph directed the physicians in his service to embalm his father Israel. So they embalmed him,

my father made me swear an oath when he said, ëI am about to die. You must bury me in the tomb that I dug for myself in the land of Canaan.í Now let me go and bury my father, and then return.”

Pharaoh replied, “Go up and bury your father, as he made you swear to do.”

Then Joseph went to bury his father, and all the servants of Pharaoh accompanied him—the elders of Pharaohís household and all the elders of the land of Egypt—