Genèse 48

¹ Some time later Joseph was told, “Your father is ill.” So he set out with his two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim.

² When Jacob was told, “Your son Joseph has come to you,” Israel rallied his strength and sat up in bed.

³ Jacob said to Joseph, “God Almighty appeared to me at Luz in the land of Canaan, and there He blessed me

⁴ and told me, ‘Behold, I will make you fruitful and multiply you; I will make you a multitude of peoples, and will give this land to your descendants after you as an everlasting possession.’

⁵ And now your two sons born to you in Egypt before I came to you here shall be reckoned as mine; Ephraim and Manasseh shall be mine, just as Reuben and Simeon are mine.

⁶ Any children born to you after them shall be yours, and they shall be called by the names of their brothers in the territory they inherit.

⁷ Now as for me, when I was returning from Paddan, to my sorrow Rachel died along the way in the land of Canaan, some distance from Ephrath. So I buried her there beside the road to Ephrath” (that is, Bethlehem).

Note · Genèse 48.1–7

Accueillir une génération née ailleurs

Éphraïm et Manassé sont reçus comme fils par Jacob pour leur place dans l’héritage. Cette parole explique leur importance dans la mémoire des tribus. Le souvenir de Rachel montre que la transmission ne se déroule pas hors du deuil : Jacob bénit avec une histoire de perte encore présente.

⁸ When Israel saw the sons of Joseph, he asked, “Who are these?”

⁹ Joseph said to his father, “They are the sons God has given me in this place.” So Jacob said, “Please bring them to me, that I may bless them.”

¹⁰ Now Israel’s eyesight was poor because of old age; he could hardly see. Joseph brought his sons to him, and his father kissed them and embraced them.

¹¹ “I never expected to see your face again,” Israel said to Joseph, “but now God has let me see your children as well.”

¹² Then Joseph removed his sons from his father’s knees and bowed facedown.

¹³ And Joseph took both of them—with Ephraim in his right hand toward Israel’s left hand, and Manasseh in his left hand toward Israel’s right hand—and brought them close to him.

¹⁴ 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 Manasseh’s head, although Manasseh was the firstborn.

¹⁵ 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,

¹⁶ 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.”

Note · Genèse 48.8–16

Une vie relue comme accompagnée

Jacob évoque Dieu comme celui qui l’a conduit et le messager qui l’a délivré du mal. Cette relecture ne nie ni ses fautes ni ses épreuves. Elle rassemble sa vie sous le signe d’un accompagnement reçu, puis demande que les enfants soient à leur tour gardés et bénis.

¹⁷ When Joseph saw that his father had placed his right hand on Ephraim’s head, he was displeased and took his father’s hand to move it from Ephraim’s head to Manasseh’s.

¹⁸ “Not so, my father!” Joseph said. “This one is the firstborn; put your right hand on his head.”

¹⁹ 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.”

²⁰ So that day Jacob blessed them and said: “By you shall Israel pronounce this blessing: ‘May God make you like Ephraim and Manasseh.’” So he put Ephraim before Manasseh.

Note · Genèse 48.17–20

Une priorité qui n’efface pas l’autre

Joseph essaie de corriger la position des mains, mais Jacob maintient son choix. Manassé reçoit lui aussi un avenir et une bénédiction. La distinction des places ne signifie pas que l’un des enfants serait dépourvu de valeur ou que sa vie serait vouée à l’échec.

²¹ 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.

²² And to you, as one who is above your brothers, I give the ridge of land that I took from the Amorites with my sword and bow.”

Note · Genèse 48.21–22

Une parole orientée vers le retour

Jacob annonce sa mort et le retour futur de la famille vers le pays des pères. La part supplémentaire donnée à Joseph est décrite avec une allusion militaire dont le livre ne raconte pas ici tout l’arrière-plan. Il vaut mieux reconnaître cette limite que fabriquer un épisode manquant pour la résoudre.