Genesis 48:19-20

¹⁹And his father refused, and said, I know [it], my son, I know [it]; he also shall become a people, and he also shall be great: howbeit his younger brother shall be greater than he, and his seed shall become a multitude of nations.

²⁰And 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.

In **Genesis 48**, Jacob, now old and frail, blesses Joseph's two sons, Ephraim and Manasseh. This chapter is pivotal as Jacob adopts Ephraim and Manasseh as his own, granting them full tribal status in Israel, effectively giving Joseph a double portion of the inheritance. The narrative tension centers on Jacob's deliberate cross-blessing, where he places his right hand on the younger Ephraim and his left on the elder Manasseh, signifying God's sovereign choice and elevating the younger. This act reinforces the theme of divine election, often overturning human expectations, and sets the stage for the future prominence of Ephraim.

American Standard Version 1901 (ASV) Public Domain. The American Standard Version (1901) is in the public domain.

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Genesis 48:19-20

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Genesis 48:19-20

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