Genesis 48:13-20

English Standard Version

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. ¹⁴^(A)And 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, ^(B)crossing his hands (for Manasseh was the firstborn). ¹⁵And he blessed Joseph and said,

“The God ^(C)before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac walked,
    the God who has been my shepherd all my life long to this day,
¹⁶^(D)the angel who has ^(E)redeemed me from all evil, bless the boys;
    and in them let ^(F)my name be carried on, and the name of my fathers Abraham and Isaac;
    and let them ^(G)grow into a multitude^[a] in the midst of the earth.”

¹⁷When Joseph saw that his father ^(H)laid 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, ^(I)“I know, my son, I know. He also shall become a people, and he also shall be great. Nevertheless, ^(J)his younger brother shall be greater than he, and his offspring shall become a multitude^[b] of nations.” ²⁰So he blessed them that day, saying,