⁷ And without doubt the lesser is blessed by the greater.

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

¹⁷ When Joseph saw his father placing his right hand^(J) on Ephraim’s head^(K) 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.”^(L)

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.^(M) Nevertheless, his younger brother will be greater than he,^(N) and his descendants will become a group of nations.^(O)” ²⁰ He blessed^(P) them that day^(Q) and said,

So he put Ephraim ahead of Manasseh.

The Ascension of Jesus

⁵⁰ When he had led them out to the vicinity of Bethany,^(A) he lifted up his hands and blessed them. ⁵¹ While he was blessing them, he left them and was taken up into heaven.^(B)

²⁷ The priests and the Levites stood to bless^(A) the people, and God heard them, for their prayer reached heaven, his holy dwelling place.

²⁰ When David returned home to bless his household, Michal daughter of Saul came out to meet him and said, “How the king of Israel has distinguished himself today, going around half-naked^(A) in full view of the slave girls of his servants as any vulgar fellow would!”

²³ “Tell Aaron and his sons, ‘This is how you are to bless^(A) the Israelites. Say to them:

²⁷ “So they will put my name^(H) on the Israelites, and I will bless them.”

²⁰ Isaac asked his son, “How did you find it so quickly, my son?”

“The Lord your God gave me success,^(A)” he replied.

²¹ Then Isaac said to Jacob, “Come near so I can touch you,^(B) my son, to know whether you really are my son Esau or not.”

²² Jacob went close to his father Isaac,^(C) who touched^(D) him and said, “The voice is the voice of Jacob, but the hands are the hands of Esau.” ²³ He did not recognize him, for his hands were hairy like those of his brother Esau;^(E) so he proceeded to bless him. ²⁴ “Are you really my son Esau?” he asked.

“I am,” he replied.

²⁵ Then he said, “My son, bring me some of your game to eat, so that I may give you my blessing.”^(F)

Jacob brought it to him and he ate; and he brought some wine and he drank. ²⁶ Then his father Isaac said to him, “Come here, my son, and kiss me.”

²⁷ So he went to him and kissed^(G) him^(H). When Isaac caught the smell of his clothes,^(I) he blessed him and said,

³⁰ After Isaac finished blessing him, and Jacob had scarcely left his father’s presence, his brother Esau came in from hunting. ³¹ He too prepared some tasty food and brought it to his father. Then he said to him, “My father, please sit up and eat some of my game, so that you may give me your blessing.”^(R)

³² His father Isaac asked him, “Who are you?”^(S)

“I am your son,” he answered, “your firstborn, Esau.^(T)”

³³ Isaac trembled violently and said, “Who was it, then, that hunted game and brought it to me?^(U) I ate it just before you came and I blessed him—and indeed he will be blessed!^(V)”

³⁴ When Esau heard his father’s words, he burst out with a loud and bitter cry^(W) and said to his father, “Bless^(X) me—me too, my father!”

³⁵ But he said, “Your brother came deceitfully^(Y) and took your blessing.”^(Z)

³⁶ Esau said, “Isn’t he rightly named Jacob^[a]?^(AA) This is the second time he has taken advantage of^(AB) me: He took my birthright,^(AC) and now he’s taken my blessing!”^(AD) Then he asked, “Haven’t you reserved any blessing for me?”

³⁷ Isaac answered Esau, “I have made him lord over you and have made all his relatives his servants, and I have sustained him with grain and new wine.^(AE) So what can I possibly do for you, my son?”

³⁸ Esau said to his father, “Do you have only one blessing, my father? Bless me too, my father!” Then Esau wept aloud.^(AF)

³⁹ His father Isaac answered him,^(AG)

²⁰ By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau in regard to their future.^(A)

²¹ By faith Jacob, when he was dying, blessed each of Joseph’s sons,^(B) and worshiped as he leaned on the top of his staff.

¹⁶ Beyond all question, the mystery^(A) from which true godliness^(B) springs is great: