12. Joseph took them off his father’s lap and bowed with his face touching the ground.
13. Then Joseph took both of them, Ephraim on his right, facing Israel’s left, and Manasseh on his left, facing Israel’s right, and brought them close to him.
14. But Israel crossed his hands and reached out. He put his right hand on Ephraim’s head, although Ephraim was the younger son. He put his left hand on Manasseh’s head, although Manasseh was older.
15. Then Jacob blessed Joseph,“May God, in whose presence my grandfather Abrahamand my father Isaac walked,may God, who has been my shepherd all my life to this very day,
16. may the Messenger, who has rescued me from all evil,bless these boys.May they be called by my nameand by the names of my grandfather Abraham and my father Isaac.May they have many children on the earth.”
17. When Joseph saw that his father had put his right hand on Ephraim’s head, he didn’t like it. So he took his father’s hand in order to move it from Ephraim’s head to Manasseh’s.
18. Then he said to his father, “That’s not right, Father! This is the firstborn. Put your right hand on his head.”
19. His father refused and said, “I know, Son, I know! Manasseh, too, will become a nation, and he, too, will be important. Nevertheless, his younger brother will be more important than he, and his descendants will become many nations.”
20. That day he blessed them. He said,“Because of you, Israel will speak this blessing,‘May God make you like Ephraim and Manasseh!’”In this way Israel put Ephraim ahead of Manasseh.
21. Then Israel said to Joseph, “Now I’m about to die, but God will be with you. He will bring you back to the land of your fathers.