Genesis 46:20

46:20 Manasseh and Ephraim were born to Joseph in the land of Egypt. Asenath daughter of Potiphera, priest of On, ¹  bore them to him.

Genesis 48:1

Manasseh and Ephraim

48:1 After these things Joseph was told, ²  “Your father is weakening.” So he took his two sons Manasseh and Ephraim with him.

Genesis 48:13

48:13 Joseph positioned them; ³  he put Ephraim on his right hand across from Israel’s left hand, and Manasseh on his left hand across from Israel’s right hand. Then Joseph brought them closer to his father. ⁴ 

Genesis 48:20

48:20 So he blessed them that day, saying,

“By you ⁵  will Israel bless, ⁶  saying,

‘May God make you like Ephraim and Manasseh.’”

So he put Ephraim before Manasseh. ⁷ 

[46:20]  ¹ sn On is another name for the city of Heliopolis.

[48:1]  ² tn Heb “and one said.” With no expressed subject in the Hebrew text, the verb can be translated with the passive voice.

[48:13]  ³ tn Heb “and Joseph took the two of them.”

[48:13]  ⁴ tn Heb “and he brought near to him.” The referents of the pronouns “he” and “him” (Joseph and his father respectively) have been specified in the translation for clarity.

[48:20]  ⁴ tn The pronoun is singular in the Hebrew text, apparently elevating Ephraim as the more prominent of the two. Note, however, that both are named in the blessing formula that follows.

[48:20]  ⁵ tn Or “pronounce a blessing.”

[48:20]  ⁶ sn On the elevation of Ephraim over Manasseh see E. C. Kingsbury, “He Set Ephraim Before Manasseh,” HUCA 38 (1967): 129-36; H. Mowvley, “The Concept and Content of ‘Blessing’ in the Old Testament,” BT 16 (1965): 74-80; and I. Mendelsohn, “On the Preferential Status of the Eldest Son,” BASOR 156 (1959): 38-40.