Genesis 48 begins with Joseph discovering that his father is ill, so he brought his two sons and visited Israel. Israel then reckons Joseph's two sons to be his own and blesses them with God's promises to his descendants. Then he blessed both sons and Joseph also saying, "... may God who has been my shepherd all my life to this day, the Angel who has delivered me from all harm--may He bless these boys. May they be called by my name and the names of my fathers Abraham and Isaac, and may they increase greatly upon the earth." Joseph was surprised that Israel had intentionally placed his right hand on the younger son, Ephraim, saying, " The younger brother will be greater than he, and his descendants will become a group of nations. The older son will too become a people, and he too will become great." Then Israel said to Joseph, "I am about to die, but God will be with you and take you back to the land of your fathers".