Genesisi 48:1-22
48 Ngemva kwalokho, uJosefa watjelwa nakhu: “Uyihlo uyagula.” UJosefa nakezwa lokho, wathatha amadodanakhe amabili uManase no-Efrayimu wakhamba nawo.+
2 Ngemva kwalokho, uJakopo wabikelwa nakhu: “Indodanakho uJosefa ize kuwe.” Yeke u-Israyeli waziqinisa wavuka wahlala embhedenakhe.
3 UJakopo wathi kuJosefa:
“UZimu uMninimandla Woke ubonakale kimi eLuzi enarheni yeKanana, wangibusisa.+
4 Wathi kimi, ‘Ngizokwenza ube nabantwana abanengi, uzokuba nguyise weentjhaba ezinengi+ begodu ngizokunikela iinzukulwana zakho inarha le ibe lilifa lazo.’+
5 Nje-ke amadodanakho amabili owabelethelwa wona eGibhide ngaphambi kobana ngize kuwe eGibhide ngewami.+ U-Efrayimu noManase bazokuba ngebami njengombana uRubeni noSimiyoni bangebami.+
6 Abantwana ozokubelethelwa bona ngemva kwabo, bazokuba ngebakho. Bazokufumana ingcenye yenarha ezokufunyanwa bafowabo bona ibe lilifa labo.+
7 Mina nangisuka ePadana, uRarheli wahlongakala+ eqadi kwami enarheni yeKanana, singakafiki enarheni ye-Efrata.+ Nje-ke ngambulunga endleleni eya e-Efrata okuyiBhetlehema.”+
8 U-Israyeli wabona amadodana kaJosefa wathi: “Bobani laba?”
9 UJosefa wathi kuyise: “Madodanami engawaphiwa nguZimu endaweni le.”+ U-Israyeli nakezwa lokho wathi: “Ngibawa uwalethe kimi bona ngiwabusise.”+
10 Amehlo ka-Israyeli bewangasaboni kuhle ngebanga lokuluphala. Nje-ke uJosefa watjhideza amadodanakhe kuyise, uyise wawamanga bewawagona.
11 U-Israyeli wathi kuJosefa: “Bengingasacabangi ukuthi ngizakhe ngikubone+ kodwana uZimu wenze nokuthi ngibone nabantwabakho.”
12 Ngemva kwalokho, uJosefa wawasusa emadolweni ka-Israyeli, waguqa wahloma ihloko phasi.
13 UJosefa wawabamba womabili, u-Efrayimu+ waba ngesidleni, uManase+ ngesinceleni. Ngemva kwalokho, wawatjhideza ku-Israyeli. Wabeka u-Efrayimu ngesinceleni saka-Israyeli noManase ngesidleni saka-Israyeli.
14 U-Israyeli walula isandla sakhe sangesidleni wasibeka ehloko ka-Efrayimu nanyana bekangomncani, wabeka isandla sakhe sangesinceleni phezu kwehloko kaManase. Waphambanisa izandla zakhe ngabomu ngitjho nanyana bekazi ukuthi uManase bekalizibulo.+
15 Ngemva kwalokho, wabusisa uJosefa wathi:+
“UZimu weqiniso abokhokho bami u-Abrahama no-Isaka abakhamba phambi kwakhe,+UZimu weqiniso obekasolo angilusa ukuphila kwami koke bekube kunamhlanjesi,+
16 Owasebenzisa ingilozakhe bona angisindise kizo zoke iinhlekelele,+ akabusise abasanaba.+
Ababizwe ngegama lami nangegama labokhokho bami u-Abrahama no-Isaka,Abande babe banengi ephasini.”+
17 UJosefa nakabona uyise abeke isandla sakhe phezu kwehloko ka-Efrayimu, akhenge kumthabise lokho. Yeke walinga ukususa isandla sakayise phezu kwehloko ka-Efrayimu bona asibeke phezu kwehloko kaManase.
18 UJosefa wathi kuyise: “Awa baba, nangu olizibulo.+ Beka isandla sakho sangesidleni phezu kwehlokwakhe.”
19 Kodwana uyise wala wathi: “Ngiyazi ndodanami, ngazi kuhle. Naye uzokuba sitjhaba begodu uzokuba mkhulu. Nokho umfowabo uzokuba mkhulu khulu kunaye+ begodu iinzukulwana zakhe zizokuba zinengi bona zingabumba iintjhaba.”+
20 Nje-ke waraga nokubabusisa mhlokho,+ wathi:
“Ama-Israyeli azokubusisana ngamezwi naka,‘Kwanga uZimu angakubusisa njengombana abusisa u-Efrayimu noManase.’”
Ngalokho wabeka u-Efrayimu ngaphambi kwakaManase.
21 Ngemva kwalokho, u-Israyeli wathi kuJosefa: “Sengiyahlongakala+ kodwana uZimu uzokuraga anani begodu uzonibuyisela enarheni yabokhokho benu.+
22 Wena-ke, ngikunikela ingcenye enye yenarha ngaphezu kwabafowenu engayithatha ngesabula nangomcibitjholo esandleni sama-Amori.”
