Genesis 48:8–19

8 Then Israel saw Joseph’s sons, and said, “Who are these?”

9 Joseph said to his father, “They are my sons, whom God has given me in this place.”

And he said, “Please bring them to me, and iI will bless them.” 10 Now jthe eyes of Israel were dim with age, so that he could not see. Then Joseph brought them near him, and he kkissed them and embraced them. 11 And Israel said to Joseph, l“I had not thought to see your face; but in fact, God has also shown me your offspring!”

12 So Joseph brought them from beside his knees, and he bowed down with his face to the earth. 13 And Joseph took them both, Ephraim with his right hand toward Israel’s left hand, and Manasseh with his left hand toward Israel’s right hand, and brought them near him. 14 Then Israel stretched out his right hand and mlaid it on Ephraim’s head, who was the younger, and his left hand on Manasseh’s head, nguiding his hands knowingly, for Manasseh was the ofirstborn. 15 And phe blessed Joseph, and said:

“God, qbefore whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac walked,

The God who has fed me all my life long to this day,

16 The Angel rwho has redeemed me from all evil,

Bless the lads;

Let smy name be named upon them,

And the name of my fathers Abraham and Isaac;

And let them tgrow into a multitude in the midst of the earth.”

17 Now when Joseph saw that his father ulaid his right hand on the head of Ephraim, it displeased him; so he took hold of his father’s hand to remove it from Ephraim’s head to Manasseh’s head. 18 And Joseph said to his father, “Not so, my father, for this one is the firstborn; put your right hand on his head.”

19 But his father refused and said, v“I know, my son, I know. He also shall become a people, and he also shall be great; but truly whis younger brother shall be greater than he, and his descendants shall become a multitude of nations.”