9. Joseph said to his father, “These are my sons. These are the boys God gave me.” Israel said, “Bring your sons to me. I will bless them.”
10. Israel was old and his eyes were not good. So Joseph brought the boys close to his father. Israel kissed and hugged the boys.
11. Then Israel said to Joseph, “I never thought I would see your face again. But look! God has let me see you and your children.”
12. Then Joseph took the boys off Israel’s lap, and they bowed down in front of his father.
13. Joseph put Ephraim on his right side and Manasseh on his left side. (So Ephraim was on Israel’s left side, and Manasseh was on Israel’s right side.)
14. But Israel crossed his hands and put his right hand on the head of the younger boy Ephraim. Then he put his left hand on Manasseh, even though Manasseh was the firstborn.
15. And Israel blessed Joseph and said, “My ancestors, Abraham and Isaac, worshiped our God, and that God has led me all my life.
16. He was the Angel who saved me from all my troubles. And I pray that he will bless these boys. Now they will have my name and the name of our ancestors, Abraham and Isaac. I pray that they will grow to become great families and nations on earth.”
17. Joseph saw that his father put his right hand on Ephraim’s head. This didn’t make Joseph happy. Joseph took his father’s hand because he wanted to move it from Ephraim’s head and put it on Manasseh’s head.
18. Joseph said to his father, “You have your right hand on the wrong boy. Manasseh is the firstborn. Put your right hand on him.”
19. But his father refused and said, “I know, son. I know. Manasseh is the firstborn. He will be great and will be the father of many people. But his younger brother will be greater than he is. And the younger brother’s family will be much larger.”