Genesis 48:13–20

¹³And 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. ^14kAnd 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, ^lcrossing his hands (for Manasseh was the firstborn). ¹⁵And he blessed Joseph and said,

“The God ^mbefore whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac walked,

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

¹⁶ⁿthe angel who has ^oredeemed me from all evil, bless the boys;

and in them let ^pmy name be carried on, and the name of my fathers Abraham and Isaac;

and let them ^qgrow into a multitude³ in the midst of the earth.”

¹⁷When Joseph saw that his father ^rlaid 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. ¹⁸And Joseph said to his father, “Not this way, my father; since this one is the firstborn, put your right hand on his head.” ¹⁹But his father refused and said, ^r“I know, my son, I know. He also shall become a people, and he also shall be great. Nevertheless, ^shis younger brother shall be greater than he, and his offspring shall become a multitude⁴ of nations.” ²⁰So he blessed them that day, saying,

“By you Israel will pronounce blessings, saying,

^t‘God make you as Ephraim and as Manasseh.’ ”

Thus he put Ephraim before Manasseh.