NHEB(i)
8 Then Israel saw Josephʼs sons, and said, "Who are these?"
9 And Joseph said to his father, "They are my sons, whom God has given me here." And he said, "Please bring them to me, so that I can bless them."
10 Now the eyes of Israel were failing because of his age, so that he couldnʼt see. Then he brought them near to him, and he kissed them and embraced them.
11 And Israel said to Joseph, "I did not expect to see your face, but look, God has let me see your offspring as well."
12 Then Joseph brought them out from between his knees, and he bowed himself with his face to the ground.
13 And Joseph took them both, Ephraim in his right hand toward Israelʼs left hand, and Manasseh in his left hand toward Israelʼs right hand, and brought them near to him.
14 And Israel stretched out his right hand and placed it on Ephraimʼs head, who was the younger, and his left hand on Manassehʼs head, crossing his hands, although Manasseh was the firstborn.
15 Then he blessed Joseph, and said, "The God before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac walked, the God who has been my shepherd all my life to this day,
16 the Angel who has redeemed me from all evil, bless the boys. And may my name be carried on in them, and the names of my fathers Abraham and Isaac. And may they grow into a multitude upon the earth."
17 When Joseph saw that his father placed his right hand on the head of Ephraim, it displeased him, and he grasped his fatherʼs hand to move it from Ephraimʼs head to Manassehʼs head.
18 And Joseph said to his father, "Not so, my father, for this one is the firstborn. Put 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 will be greater than he, and his descendants will become a multitude of nations."
20 So he blessed them that day, saying, "By you Israel will pronounce blessing, saying, x91God make you as Ephraim and as Manasseh.ʼ" Thus he put Ephraim before Manasseh.