EPHRAIM’S GREATER BLESSING

13 Then Joseph took them both—with his right hand Ephraim toward Israel’s left, and with his left hand Manasseh toward Israel’s right—and brought them to Israel. 14 But Israel stretched out his right hand and put it on the head of Ephraim, the younger, and crossing his hands, put his left on Manasseh’s head, although Manasseh was the firstborn.l 15 Then he blessed Joseph and said:

The God before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac walked,m

the God who has been my shepherdn all my life to this day,

16 the angel who has redeemed me from all harmo—

may he bless these boys.

And may they be called by my name

and the names of my fathers Abraham and Isaac,p

and may they grow to be numerous within the land.