Genesis 48:17-22 ▼

17 But Joseph observed that his father had laid his right hand on Ephraim's head. That displeased him, so he grabbed his father's hand and started to move it from Ephraim's head to Manasseh's head.

18 |No, father, this one is the firstborn. Place your right hand on his head.|

19 But his father refused. |I know,| he said. |I know. He's going to produce a large nation, and he's going to be very great. However, his younger brother will become even greater than he, and his descendants will become a multitude of nations.|

20 That very day, Jacob blessed them with this blessing: |By you Israel will extend this blessing: 'May God make you like Ephraim and Manasseh!'| By doing this, he placed Ephraim before Manasseh.

21 Then Israel told Joseph, |Pay attention! I'm about to die, but God will be with you. He'll bring you back to the land that belongs to your ancestors.

22 I'm assigning you one portion more than your brothers from the land that I confiscated from the control of the Amorites in battle.|