14 But Israel reached out his right hand and placed it on the head of Ephraim, who was the younger, and his left hand on Manasseh’s head, crossing his hands, although (A)Manasseh was the firstborn. 15 And he blessed Joseph, and said,

(B)The God before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac walked,
(C)The God who has been my shepherd [a]all my life to this day,
16 (D)The angel who has redeemed me from all evil,
(E)Bless the boys;
And may my name [b]live on in them,
And the [c]names of my fathers Abraham and Isaac;
And (F)may they grow into a multitude in the midst of the earth.”

17 When Joseph saw that his father (G)placed his right hand on Ephraim’s head, it displeased him; and he grasped his father’s hand to move 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. Place your right hand on his head.” 19 But his father refused and said, “I know, my son, I know; he also will become a people and he also will be great. However, his younger brother shall be greater than he, and (H)his [d]descendants shall become [e]a multitude of nations.” 20 So (I)he blessed them that day, saying,

“By you Israel will pronounce blessing, saying,
‘May God make you like Ephraim and Manasseh!’”

And so he put Ephraim before Manasseh.

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Footnotes

  1. Genesis 48:15 Lit from the continuance of me
  2. Genesis 48:16 Lit be called
  3. Genesis 48:16 Lit name
  4. Genesis 48:19 Lit seed
  5. Genesis 48:19 Lit the fullness

14 But Israel(A) reached out his right hand and put it on Ephraim’s head,(B) though he was the younger,(C) and crossing his arms, he put his left hand on Manasseh’s head, even though Manasseh was the firstborn.(D)

15 Then he blessed(E) Joseph and said,

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

17 When Joseph saw his father placing his right hand(N) on Ephraim’s head(O) 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.”(P)

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.(Q) Nevertheless, his younger brother will be greater than he,(R) and his descendants will become a group of nations.(S) 20 He blessed(T) them that day(U) and said,

“In your[a] name will Israel(V) pronounce this blessing:(W)
    ‘May God make you like Ephraim(X) and Manasseh.(Y)’”

So he put Ephraim ahead of Manasseh.

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Footnotes

  1. Genesis 48:20 The Hebrew is singular.

(A)They will come with weeping,
And by pleading I will bring them;
I will lead them by (B)streams of waters,
On a straight path on which they will (C)not stumble;
For I am a (D)father to Israel,
And Ephraim is (E)My firstborn.”

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They will come with weeping;(A)
    they will pray as I bring them back.
I will lead(B) them beside streams of water(C)
    on a level(D) path where they will not stumble,
because I am Israel’s father,(E)
    and Ephraim is my firstborn son.

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18 I have certainly heard Ephraim (A)grieving,
‘You have (B)disciplined me, and I was corrected,
Like an untrained (C)calf;
(D)Bring me back that I may be restored,
For You are the Lord my God.
19 For after I turned back, I (E)repented;
And after I was instructed, I [a](F)slapped my thigh;
I was (G)ashamed and also humiliated
Because I bore the shame of my youth.’
20 Is (H)Ephraim My dear son?
Is he a delightful child?
Indeed, as often as I have spoken against him,
I certainly still remember him;
Therefore My [b](I)heart yearns for him;
I will certainly (J)have mercy on him,” declares the Lord.

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Footnotes

  1. Jeremiah 31:19 I.e., in regret
  2. Jeremiah 31:20 Lit inward parts

18 “I have surely heard Ephraim’s moaning:
    ‘You disciplined(A) me like an unruly calf,(B)
    and I have been disciplined.
Restore(C) me, and I will return,
    because you are the Lord my God.
19 After I strayed,(D)
    I repented;
after I came to understand,
    I beat(E) my breast.
I was ashamed(F) and humiliated
    because I bore the disgrace of my youth.’(G)
20 Is not Ephraim my dear son,
    the child(H) in whom I delight?
Though I often speak against him,
    I still remember(I) him.
Therefore my heart yearns for him;
    I have great compassion(J) for him,”
declares the Lord.

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