Gen 48:19-20 | NET2full | STEP | But his father refused and said , “I know , my son , I know . He too will become a nation and he too will become great . In spite of this , his younger brother will be even greater and his descendants will become a multitude of nations .”

‏ Genesis 48:19-20

19 But his father refused and said, “I know, my son, I know. He too will become a nation and he too will become great. In spite of this, his younger brother will be even greater and his descendants will become a multitude ^{▼▼tn Heb “fullness.”} of nations.” 20 So he blessed them that day, saying,
“By you ^{▼▼tn The pronoun is singular in the Hebrew text, apparently elevating Ephraim as the more prominent of the two. Note, however, that both are named in the blessing formula that follows.} will Israel bless, ^{▼▼tn Or “pronounce a blessing.”} saying,
‘May God make you like Ephraim and Manasseh.’”
Thus he put Ephraim before Manasseh. ^{▼▼sn On the elevation of Ephraim over Manasseh see E. C. Kingsbury, “He Set Ephraim Before Manasseh,” HUCA 38 (1967): 129-36; H. Mowvley, “The Concept and Content of ‘Blessing’ in the Old Testament,” BT 16 (1965): 74-80; and I. Mendelsohn, “On the Preferential Status of the Eldest Son,” BASOR 156 (1959): 38-40.}