Genesis 48:9-20 ▼

9 And Joseph said to his father, They are my sons whom God has given me in this place. And he said, Bring them near me, and I will bless them.

10 Now the eyes of Israel were dim because of age, so that he could not see well. And Joseph brought them near to him; and he kissed them and embraced them.

11 And Israel said to Joseph, I had not thought to see your face; and, lo, God has shown me your children also.

12 And Joseph removed them from before his knees, and they bowed themselves before him with their faces to the ground.

13 Then Joseph took both of his sons, Ephraim in his right hand toward Israel's left hand, and Manasseh in his left hand toward Israel's right hand, and brought them near to him.

14 And Israel stretched out his right hand, and laid it upon Ephraim's head, who was the younger, and his left hand upon Manasseh's head; he changed the position of his hands wittingly, even though Manasseh was the first-born.

15 And Jacob blessed Joseph his son, saying, The God before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac walked righteously, the God who has supplied my needs from my youth to this day,

16 The angel who has delivered me from all evil, bless the lads; and let them bear my name and the names of my fathers, Abraham and Isaac; and let them grow and multiply in the midst of the earth.

17 And when Joseph saw that his father laid his right hand upon the head of Ephraim, it displeased him; and he held up his father's hand, to remove it from Ephraim's head to Manasseh's head.

18 And Joseph said to his father, Not so, my father; for this is the first-born; put your right hand upon his head.

19 But his father refused, and said, I know it, my son, I know it; he also shall become a people, and he also shall be great: but his younger brother shall be greater than he, and his descendants shall become a multitude of peoples.

20 And he blessed them that day, saying, By you shall Israel bless, and they shall say, May God make you as Ephraim and as Manasseh; and thus he set Ephraim before Manasseh.