^{18 Ref} And Joseph said to his father, Not so, my father, for this is the older; put your right hand on his head.

^{19 Ref} But his father would not, saying, I am doing it on purpose, my son; he will certainly become a nation and a great one; but his younger brother will be greater than he, and his seed will become a great family of nations.

^{20 Ref} So he gave them his blessing that day, saying, You will be the sign of blessing in Israel, for they will say, May God make you like Ephraim and Manasseh; and he put Ephraim before Manasseh.