23 Because the Lord is my Shepherd, I have everything I need!

^2-3 He lets me rest in the meadow grass and leads me beside the quiet streams. He gives me new strength. He helps me do what honors him the most.

⁴ Even when walking through the dark valley of death I will not be afraid, for you are close beside me, guarding, guiding all the way.^[a]

⁵ You provide delicious food for me in the presence of my enemies. You have welcomed me as your guest;^[b] blessings overflow!

⁶ Your goodness and unfailing kindness shall be with me all of my life, and afterwards I will live with you forever in your home.

⁸ Then Israel looked over at the two boys. “Are these the ones?” he asked.

⁹ “Yes,” Joseph told him, “these are my sons whom God has given me here in Egypt.”

And Israel said, “Bring them over to me and I will bless them.”

¹⁰ Israel was half blind with age, so that he could hardly see. So Joseph brought the boys close to him and he kissed and embraced them.

¹¹ And Israel said to Joseph, “I never thought that I would see you again, but now God has let me see your children too.”

^12-13 Joseph took the boys by the hand, bowed deeply to him, and led the boys to their grandfather’s knees—Ephraim at Israel’s left hand and Manasseh at his right. ¹⁴ But Israel crossed his arms as he stretched them out to lay his hands upon the boys’ heads, so that his right hand was upon the head of Ephraim, the younger boy, and his left hand was upon the head of Manasseh, the older. He did this purposely.

¹⁵ Then he blessed Joseph with this blessing: “May God, the God of my fathers Abraham and Isaac, the God who has shepherded me all my life, wonderfully bless these boys. ¹⁶ He is the Angel who has kept me from all harm. May these boys be an honor to my name and to the names of my fathers Abraham and Isaac; and may they become a mighty nation.”

¹⁷ But Joseph was upset and displeased when he saw that his father had laid his right hand on Ephraim’s head; so he lifted it to place it on Manasseh’s head instead.

¹⁸ “No, Father,” he said. “You’ve got your right hand on the wrong head! This one over here is the older. Put your right hand on him!”

¹⁹ But his father refused. “I know what I’m doing, my son,” he said. “Manasseh too shall become a great nation, but his younger brother shall become even greater.”

³⁰ The apostles now returned to Jesus from their tour and told him all they had done and what they had said to the people they visited.

³¹ Then Jesus suggested, “Let’s get away from the crowds for a while and rest.” For so many people were coming and going that they scarcely had time to eat. ³² So they left by boat for a quieter spot. ³³ But many people saw them leaving and ran on ahead along the shore and met them as they landed. ³⁴ So the usual vast crowd was there as he stepped from the boat; and he had pity on them because they were like sheep without a shepherd, and he taught them many things they needed to know.