2 Akuva uSirayeli ukuba unyana wakhe uJosefu wayeze kumbona, wazomeleza wavuka wahlala emandlalweni.
3 UYakobi ubalisele uJosefu wathi: “UThixo uSomandla wavela kum ndiseLuzi kwilizwe laseKanana, wandithamsanqelisa.
4 Wathi: ‘Ndiya kukupha inzala eninzi, ize loo nzala ibe zizizwe ngezizwe. Ndokunika lo mhlaba, ube lilifa lenzala yakho naphakade.’ ”
5 Uqokele wathi uYakobi: “Naba nyana bakho ke babini, Josefu, aba bazalelwe apha eJiputa ndingekafiki, ngabam. UEfrayim noManase ngoonyana bam ncam njengoRubhen noSimon.
6 Xa uthe wazala nyana bambi, abo ke abayi kuba ngabam. Elabo ilifa bolizuza ngoManase noEfrayim.
7 Le nto ndiyenza ngenxa kanyoko uRakeli. Ndaba buhlungu kakhulu ukubhubha kwakhe eKanana, kufuphi ne-Efrata, xa ndandivela ePadan. Ndamngcwaba apho ngakuloo ndlela iya e-Efrata.” (IEfrata yaziwa ngokuba yiBhetelehem.)
8 Uthe uSirayeli akubona oonyana bakaJosefu: “Ngoobani la makhwenkwe?”