Genesis 48:8-20

English Standard Version

⁸ When Israel saw Joseph's sons, he said, “Who are these?” ⁹ Joseph said to his father, ^(A)“They are my sons, whom God has given me here.” And he said, “Bring them to me, please, that ^(B)I may bless them.” ¹⁰ Now ^(C)the eyes of Israel were dim with age, so that he could not see. So Joseph brought them near him, ^(D)and he kissed them and embraced them. ¹¹ And Israel said to Joseph, ^(E)“I never expected to see your face; and behold, God has let me see your offspring also.” ¹² Then Joseph removed them from his knees, and he bowed himself with his face to the earth. ¹³ And Joseph took them both, 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 him. ^14 (F)And Israel stretched out his right hand and laid it on the head of Ephraim, who was the younger, and his left hand on the head of Manasseh, ^(G)crossing his hands (for Manasseh was the firstborn). ¹⁵ And he blessed Joseph and said,

¹⁷ When Joseph saw that his father ^(M)laid his right hand on the head of Ephraim, it displeased him, and he took his father's hand to move it from Ephraim's head to Manasseh's head. ¹⁸ And Joseph said to his father, “Not this way, my father; since this one is the firstborn, put your right hand on his head.” ¹⁹ But his father refused and said, ^(N)“I know, my son, I know. He also shall become a people, and he also shall be great. Nevertheless, ^(O)his younger brother shall be greater than he, and his offspring shall become a multitude^[b] of nations.” ²⁰ So he blessed them that day, saying,

Thus he put Ephraim before Manasseh.