³² Leah became pregnant and gave birth to a son.^(A) She named him Reuben,^[a](B) for she said, “It is because the Lord has seen my misery.^(C) Surely my husband will love me now.”

²² While Israel was living in that region, Reuben went in and slept with his father’s concubine^(A) Bilhah,^(B) and Israel heard of it.

Jacob had twelve sons:

⁵ “Now then, your two sons born to you in Egypt^(A) before I came to you here will be reckoned as mine; Ephraim and Manasseh will be mine,^(B) just as Reuben^(C) and Simeon^(D) are mine. ⁶ Any children born to you after them will be yours; in the territory they inherit they will be reckoned under the names of their brothers. ⁷ As I was returning from Paddan,^[a](E) to my sorrow^(F) Rachel died in the land of Canaan while we were still on the way, a little distance from Ephrath. So I buried her there beside the road to Ephrath” (that is, Bethlehem).^(G)

⁸ When Israel^(H) saw the sons of Joseph,^(I) he asked, “Who are these?”

⁹ “They are the sons God has given me here,”^(J) Joseph said to his father.

Then Israel said, “Bring them to me so I may bless^(K) them.”

¹⁰ Now Israel’s eyes were failing because of old age, and he could hardly see.^(L) So Joseph brought his sons close to him, and his father kissed them^(M) and embraced them.^(N)

¹¹ Israel^(O) said to Joseph, “I never expected to see your face again,^(P) and now God has allowed me to see your children too.”^(Q)

¹² Then Joseph removed them from Israel’s knees^(R) and bowed down with his face to the ground.^{(S) 13} And Joseph took both of them, Ephraim on his right toward Israel’s left hand and Manasseh on his left toward Israel’s right hand,^(T) and brought them close to him. ¹⁴ But Israel^(U) reached out his right hand and put it on Ephraim’s head,^(V) though he was the younger,^(W) and crossing his arms, he put his left hand on Manasseh’s head, even though Manasseh was the firstborn.^(X)

¹⁵ Then he blessed^(Y) Joseph and said,

¹⁷ When Joseph saw his father placing his right hand^(AH) on Ephraim’s head^(AI) he was displeased; so he took hold of his father’s hand to move it from Ephraim’s head to Manasseh’s head. ¹⁸ Joseph said to him, “No, my father, this one is the firstborn; put your right hand on his head.”^(AJ)

¹⁹ But his father refused and said, “I know, my son, I know. He too will become a people, and he too will become great.^(AK) Nevertheless, his younger brother will be greater than he,^(AL) and his descendants will become a group of nations.^(AM)” ²⁰ He blessed^(AN) them that day^(AO) and said,

So he put Ephraim ahead of Manasseh.

²¹ Then Israel said to Joseph, “I am about to die, but God will be with you^[c](AT) and take you^[d] back to the land of your^[e] fathers.^{(AU) 22} And to you I give one more ridge of land^[f](AV) than to your brothers,^(AW) the ridge I took from the Amorites with my sword^(AX) and my bow.”