« | Genesis 48 | » |
1 And it happened after these things, that one told Joseph, Behold, your father is sick. And he took with him his two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim.
2 And one spoke to Jacob, and said, Behold, your son Joseph comes to you. And Israel strengthened himself, and sat on the bed.
3 And Jacob said to Joseph, God Almighty appeared to me at Luz in the land of Canaan, and blessed me.
4 And He said to me, Behold, I will make you fruitful and multiply you. And I will make of you a multitude of people, and will give this land to your seed after you for an everlasting possession.
5 And now your two sons, Ephraim and Manasseh, who are born to you in the land of Egypt before I came to you into Egypt, are mine; like Reuben and Simeon, they shall be mine.
6 And your issue, which you father after them, shall be yours, and shall be called after the name of their brothers in their inheritance.
7 And as for me, when I came from Padan, Rachel died beside me in the land of Canaan in the way, when there was still but a little way to come to Ephrath. And I buried her there in the way of Ephrath; it is Bethlehem.
8 And Israel beheld Joseph's sons, and said, Who are these?
9 And Joseph said to his father, They are my sons, whom God has given me in this place. And he said, Please bring them to me, and I will bless them.
10 And the eyes of Israel were dim for age; he could not see. And he brought them near him, and he kissed them and embraced them.
11 And Israel said to Joseph, I had not thought I would see your face, and, lo, God has showed me also your seed.
12 And Joseph brought them out from between his knees, and he bowed his face to the earth.
13 And Joseph took them both, Ephraim in his right hand toward Israel's left, and Manasseh in his left toward Israel's right hand. And he brought them near to him.
14 And Israel stretched out his right hand, and laid it on Ephraim's head, who was the younger, and his left on Manasseh's head, crossing his hands. For Manasseh was the first-born.
15 And he blessed Joseph and said, May God, before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac walked, the God who fed me all my life to this day,
16 the Angel who redeemed me from all evil, bless the lads. And let my name be named on them, and the name of my fathers Abraham and Isaac, and let them grow like the fishes into a multitude in the midst of the earth.
17 And Joseph saw that his father laid his right hand on the head of Ephraim, and it was evil in his eyes. And he held up his father's hand to remove it from Ephraim's head to Manasseh's head.
18 And Joseph said to his father, Not so, my father. For this is the first-born. Put your right hand on his head.
19 And his father refused and said, I know, my son, I know. He also shall become a people, and he also shall be great, but truly his younger brother shall be greater than he is, and his seed shall become a multitude of nations.
20 And he blessed them that day, saying, In you shall Israel bless, saying, God make you as Ephraim and as Manasseh. And he put Ephraim before Manasseh.
21 And Israel said to Joseph, Behold, I die. But God shall be with you, and bring you again into the land of your fathers.
22 And I have given to you one portion above your brothers, which I took out of the hand of the Amorite with my sword and with my bow.
The Modern King James Version (MKJV)
The Modern King James Version (MKJV) is a contemporary English translation of the Bible that aims to preserve the majesty and accuracy of the original King James Version (KJV) while updating its language for modern readers. Developed by Jay P. Green Sr. and first published in 1990, the MKJV seeks to maintain the literary beauty and doctrinal reliability of the KJV, making only necessary adjustments to archaic terms and phrases to enhance readability. This careful balance allows the MKJV to retain the classic feel of the KJV while making it more accessible to today’s audience.
One of the standout features of the MKJV is its commitment to formal equivalence, or word-for-word translation. The translators have meticulously preserved the structure and vocabulary of the KJV, only updating words and phrases that have become outdated or whose meanings have shifted over time. This approach ensures that the MKJV remains faithful to the original texts and maintains the theological and literary integrity of the KJV. By preserving the cadence and phrasing of the original, the MKJV offers a reading experience that is both familiar and refreshed for modern readers.
The MKJV also pays special attention to the textual basis of the translation. Like the KJV, it relies on the Textus Receptus for the New Testament and the Masoretic Text for the Old Testament. This adherence to traditional source texts underscores the MKJV’s commitment to continuity with the historic Christian tradition. The translation is designed to serve both devotional and scholarly purposes, providing a text that is suitable for study, teaching, and public reading in a variety of settings.
Despite its strengths, the Modern King James Version has faced some criticism. Some scholars and readers argue that the translation could benefit from a more extensive revision to fully embrace contemporary language, suggesting that the MKJV’s adherence to the structure and style of the KJV may still pose challenges for modern readers. Others appreciate the balance it strikes but note that it occupies a niche space, appealing primarily to those who have a strong attachment to the KJV. Nonetheless, the MKJV remains a respected and valued translation for those seeking a modern update of the KJV that honors its rich heritage and timeless message.