11 Israel(A) said to Joseph, “I never expected to see your face again,(B) and now God has allowed me to see your children too.”(C)

12 Then Joseph removed them from Israel’s knees(D) and bowed down with his face to the ground.(E) 13 And Joseph took both of them, Ephraim on his right toward Israel’s left hand and Manasseh on his left toward Israel’s right hand,(F) and brought them close to him. 14 But Israel(G) reached out his right hand and put it on Ephraim’s head,(H) though he was the younger,(I) and crossing his arms, he put his left hand on Manasseh’s head, even though Manasseh was the firstborn.(J)

15 Then he blessed(K) Joseph and said,

“May the God before whom my fathers
    Abraham and Isaac walked faithfully,(L)
the God who has been my shepherd(M)
    all my life to this day,
16 the Angel(N) who has delivered me from all harm(O)
    —may he bless(P) these boys.(Q)
May they be called by my name
    and the names of my fathers Abraham and Isaac,(R)
and may they increase greatly
    on the earth.”(S)

17 When Joseph saw his father placing his right hand(T) on Ephraim’s head(U) he was displeased; so he took hold of his father’s hand to move it from Ephraim’s head to Manasseh’s head. 18 Joseph said to him, “No, my father, this one is the firstborn; put your right hand on his head.”(V)

19 But his father refused and said, “I know, my son, I know. He too will become a people, and he too will become great.(W) Nevertheless, his younger brother will be greater than he,(X) and his descendants will become a group of nations.(Y)

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11 And Israel said unto Joseph, I had not thought to see thy face: and, lo, God hath shewed me also thy seed.

12 And Joseph brought them out from between his knees, and he bowed himself with his face to the earth.

13 And 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 unto him.

14 And Israel stretched out his right hand, and laid it upon Ephraim's head, who was the younger, and his left hand upon Manasseh's head, guiding his hands wittingly; for Manasseh was the firstborn.

15 And he blessed Joseph, and said, God, before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac did walk, the God which fed me all my life long unto this day,

16 The Angel which redeemed me from all evil, bless the lads; and let my name be named on them, and the name of my fathers Abraham and Isaac; and let them grow into a multitude in the midst of the earth.

17 And when Joseph saw that his father laid his right hand upon the head of Ephraim, it displeased him: and he held up his father's hand, to remove it from Ephraim's head unto Manasseh's head.

18 And Joseph said unto his father, Not so, my father: for this is the firstborn; put thy right hand upon his head.

19 And his father refused, and said, I know it, my son, I know it: he also shall become a people, and he also shall be great: but truly his younger brother shall be greater than he, and his seed shall become a multitude of nations.

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