Genesis 48:20

¹⁸ “Not so, my father!” Joseph said. “This one is the firstborn; put your right hand on his head.”

¹⁹ But his father refused. “I know, my son, I know!” he said. “He too shall become a people, and he too shall be great; nevertheless, his younger brother shall be greater than he, and his offspring shall become a multitude of nations.”

So that day Jacob blessed them and said: “By you shall Israel pronounce this blessing: ‘May God make you like Ephraim and Manasseh.’” So he put Ephraim before Manasseh.

²¹ Then Israel said to Joseph, “Look, I am about to die, but God will be with you and bring you back to the land of your fathers.

²² And to you, as one who is above your brothers, I give the ridge of land that I took from the Amorites with my sword and bow.”

Here the Bible tells a story about someone else. Ask yourself what it can say to us today. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.

Compare

BSB: So that day Jacob blessed them and said: “By you shall Israel pronounce this blessing: ‘May God make you like Ephraim and Manasseh.’” So he put Ephraim before Manasseh.
KJV: And he blessed them that day, saying, In thee shall Israel bless, saying, God make thee as Ephraim and as Manasseh: and he set Ephraim before Manasseh.
WEB: He blessed them that day, saying, “Israel will bless in your name, saying, ‘God make you as Ephraim and as Manasseh’” He set Ephraim before Manasseh.
ASV: And he blessed them that day, saying, In thee will Israel bless, saying, God make thee as Ephraim and as Manasseh: and he set Ephraim before Manasseh.
DARBY: And he blessed them that day, saying, In thee will Israel bless, saying, God make thee as Ephraim and Manasseh! And he set Ephraim before Manasseh.
BLB: And he blessed them that day, saying, “By you Israel will bless, saying, ‘May God make you like Ephraim and like Manasseh.’” And he set Ephraim before Manasseh.

ÅB: Så velsignet han dem samme dag og sa: Ved deg skal Israel velsigne og si: Gud gjøre deg som Efra'im og som Manasse! Og han satte Efra'im foran Manasse.
OTB: Han velsignet dem den dagen og sa: "Ved deg skal Israel uttale velsignelser og si: 'Må Gud gjøre deg som Efraim og Manasse.'" Slik satte han Efraim foran Manasse.
B1930: Så velsignet han dem samme dag og sa: Ved dig skal Israel velsigne og si: Gud gjøre dig som Efra'im og som Manasse! Og han satte Efra'im foran Manasse.

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

Ruth 4:11–12
“We are witnesses,” said the elders and all the people at the gate. “May the LORD make the woman entering your home like Rachel and Leah, who together built up the house of Israel. May you be prosperous in Ephrathah and famous in Bethlehem.
Read in context
Genesis 28:3
May God Almighty bless you and make you fruitful and multiply you, so that you may become a company of peoples.
Read in context
Genesis 24:60
And they blessed Rebekah and said to her, “Our sister, may you become the mother of thousands upon thousands. May your offspring possess the gates of their enemies.”
Read in context
Numbers 7:48
On the seventh day Elishama son of Ammihud, the leader of the Ephraimites, drew near.
Read in context
Numbers 2:18–21
On the west side, the divisions of Ephraim are to camp under their standard: The leader of the Ephraimites is Elishama son of Ammihud,
Read in context
Numbers 13:11
from the tribe of Manasseh (a tribe of Joseph), Gaddi son of Susi;
Read in context
Numbers 7:54
On the eighth day Gamaliel son of Pedahzur, the leader of the Manassites, drew near.
Read in context
Numbers 10:22–23
Next, the divisions of the camp of Ephraim set out under their standard, with Elishama son of Ammihud in command.
Read in context