Genesis 48:8-22 ▼

8 And Israel sees the sons of Joseph and says, “Who [are] these?”

9 And Joseph says to his father, “They [are] my sons, whom God has given to me in this [place]”; and he says, “Please bring them to me, and I bless them.”

10 And the eyes of Israel have been heavy from age—he is unable to see; and he brings them near to him, and he kisses them and cleaves to them;

11 and Israel says to Joseph, “I had not thought [possible] to see your face, and behold, God has also showed me your seed.”

12 And Joseph brings them out from between his knees, and bows himself on his face to the earth;

13 and Joseph takes them both, Ephraim in his right hand toward Israel’s left, and Manasseh in his left toward Israel’s right, and brings [them] near to him.

14 And Israel puts out his right hand and places [it] on the head of Ephraim, who [is] the younger, and his left hand on the head of Manasseh; he has guided his hands wisely, for Manasseh [is] the firstborn.

15 And he blesses Joseph and says, “God, before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac habitually walked: God who is feeding me from my being to this day:

16 the Messenger who is redeeming me from all evil blesses the youths, and my name is called on them, and the name of my fathers Abraham and Isaac; and they increase into a multitude in the midst of the land.”

17 And Joseph sees that his father sets his right hand on the head of Ephraim, and it is wrong in his eyes, and he supports the hand of his father to turn it aside from off the head of Ephraim to the head of Manasseh;

18 and Joseph says to his father, “Not so, my father, for this [is] the firstborn; set your right hand on his head.”

19 And his father refuses and says, “I have known, my son, I have known; he also becomes a people, and he also is great, and yet, his young brother is greater than he, and his seed is the fullness of the nations”;

20 and he blesses them in that day, saying, “By you does Israel bless, saying, God set you as Ephraim and as Manasseh”; and he sets Ephraim before Manasseh.

21 And Israel says to Joseph, “Behold, I am dying, and God has been with you, and has brought you back to the land of your fathers;

22 and I have given to you one portion above your brothers, which I have taken out of the hand of the Amorite by my sword and by my bow.”