13 Joseph 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.

14 But 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, 1crossing his hands, 2although aManasseh was the firstborn.

15 He blessed Joseph, and said,

“aThe God before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac walked,

bThe God who has been my shepherd 1all my life to this day,

16 aThe angel who has redeemed me from all evil,

bBless the lads;

And may my name 1live on in them,

And the 2names of my fathers Abraham and Isaac;

And cmay they grow into a multitude in the midst of the earth.”

17 When Joseph saw that his father alaid 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.

18 Joseph said to his father, “Not so, my father, for this one is the firstborn. Place your right hand on his head.”

19 But 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 ahis 1descendants shall become a 2multitude of nations.”