Genesis 48:8-22

8When Israel 1saw Joseph’s sons, he said, “Who are these?” 9Joseph said to his father, “2They are my sons, whom God has given me here.” So he said, “Bring them to me, please, that 3I may bless them.” 10Now 4the eyes of Israel were so dim from age that he could not see. Then 5Joseph brought them close to him, and he 6kissed them and embraced them. 11Israel said to Joseph, “I never 7expected to see your face, and behold, God has let me see your 8children as well.” 12Then Joseph 9took them from his knees, and 10bowed with his face to the ground. 13Joseph took them both, Ephraim with his right hand toward Israel’s left, and Manasseh with his left hand toward Israel’s right, and brought them close to him. 14But Israel stretched out his right hand and laid it on the head of Ephraim, who was the younger, and his left hand on Manasseh’s head, 11crossing his hands, 12although 13Manasseh was the firstborn. 15He blessed Joseph, and said, “14The God before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac walked, 15The God who has been my shepherd 16all my life to this day,1617The angel who has redeemed me from all evil, 18Bless the lads; And may my name 19live on in them, And the 20names of my fathers Abraham and Isaac; And 21may they grow into a multitude in the midst of the earth.”

17When Joseph saw that his father 22laid his right hand on Ephraim’s head, it displeased him; and he grasped his father’s hand to remove it from Ephraim’s head to Manasseh’s head. 18Joseph said to his father, “Not so, my father, for this one is the firstborn. Place your right hand on his head.” 19But his father refused and said, “I know, my son, I know; he also will become a people and he also will be great. However, his younger brother shall be greater than he, and 23his 24descendants shall become a 25multitude of nations.” 2026He blessed them that day, saying, “By you Israel will pronounce blessing, saying, ‘May God make you like Ephraim and Manasseh!’” Thus he put Ephraim before Manasseh. 21Then Israel said to Joseph, “Behold, I am about to die, but 27God will be with you, and 28bring you back to the land of your fathers. 22I give you one 29portion more than your brothers, 30which I took from the hand of the Amorite with my sword and my bow.”