16 He was the Angel who saved me from all my troubles.Now I pray that he will bless these boys. May my name be known through these boys,and may the names of my ancestors Abraham and Isaac be known through them.May they have many descendantson the earth.”
17 When Joseph saw that his father put his right hand on Ephraim’s head, he didn’t like it. So he took hold of his father’s hand, wanting to move it from Ephraim’s head to Manasseh’s head.
18 Joseph said to his father, “You are doing it wrong, Father. Manasseh is the firstborn son. Put your right hand on his head.”
19 But his father refused and said, “I know, my son, I know. Manasseh will be great and have many descendants. But his younger brother will be greater, and his descendants will be enough to make a nation.”
20 So Israel blessed them that day and said,“When a blessing is given in Israel, they will say:‘May God make you like Ephraim and Manasseh.’ ”In this way he made Ephraim greater than Manasseh.
21 Then Israel said to Joseph, “Look at me; I am about to die. But God will be with you and will take you back to the land of your fathers.
22 I have given you something that I did not give your brothers—the land of Shechem that I took from the Amorite people with my sword and my bow.”