Rotherham(i)
8 Then Israel saw Joseph’s sons,––and said––Who are these?
9 And Joseph said unto his father, My sons, they are, whom God hath given me, in this place. And he said––Bring them, I pray thee, unto me, that I may bless them.
10 Now, the eyes of Israel, had become dim from old age,––he could not see,––so he drew them near unto him, and kissed them, and embraced them.
11 And Israel said unto Joseph, To see thine own face, had I not thought,––and lo! God hath caused me to see, even thy seed!
12 And Joseph brought them out from beside his knees, and bowed himself down with his face towards the earth.
13 And Joseph took them both,––Ephraim in his right hand, on Israel’s left hand, and Manasseh in his left hand, on Israel’s right hand,––and drew them near unto him.
14 Then Israel put forth his right hand, and laid it upon the head of Ephraim, though, he, was the younger, and his left hand, upon the head of Manasseh,––crossing his hands, although, Manasseh, was the first–born.
15 Thus blessed he Joseph, and said,––God himself––before whom walked my fathers, Abraham and Isaac, God himself––who hath been my shepherd, since I came into being until this day; ––
16 The Messenger––who hath been my redeemer from all evil––bless the lads! And may there be called upon them, my name, and the name of my fathers, Abraham and Isaac; And may they swarm into a multitude in the midst of the earth!
17 And Joseph saw that his father had laid his right hand on the head of Ephraim, and it was displeasing in his eyes,––so he took hold of his father’s hand, to remove it from off the head of Ephraim, on to the head of Manasseh.
18 And Joseph said unto his father––Not so, my father! for, this, is the firstborn, lay thy right hand upon his head.
19 And his father refused, and said––I know––my son, I know! He also, shall become a people, and, he also, shall become great,––but nevertheless, his younger brother, shall become greater than he, and, his seed, shall become a filling up of the nations.
20 And he blessed them on that day, saying––In thee, let Israel bless himself, saying, God set thee as Ephraim, and as Manasseh! So he set Ephraim before Manasseh.