Gen 48:14-20 | NASB2020 | STEP | 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 Manasseh was the firstborn .

Genesis 48:14-20

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 ^aManasseh was the firstborn. 15 And he blessed Joseph, and said,

“ ^bThe God before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac walked,
^cThe God who has been my shepherd ^{▼▼Lit from the continuance of me}all my life to this day,
16 ^eThe angel who has redeemed me from all evil,
^fBless the boys;
And may my name ^{▼▼Lit be called}live on in them,
And the ^{▼▼Lit name}names of my fathers Abraham and Isaac;
And ⁱmay they grow into a multitude in the midst of the earth.”
17 When Joseph saw that his father ^jplaced 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 ^khis ^{▼▼Lit seed}descendants shall become ^{▼▼Lit the fullness}a multitude of nations.” 20 So ⁿhe 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.