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.
And Jacob blessed them that day, saying, 'Through you, Israel will give blessings, saying, May God make you like Ephraim and like Manasseh.' And he put Ephraim ahead of Manasseh.
Jacob is creating a blessing formula for future generations of Israelites to use, asking God to make their children as blessed as Ephraim and Manasseh, while placing the younger son first.
📚 Historical Context
This occurs when the elderly Jacob is blessing his grandsons, the sons of Joseph, before his death. Jacob intentionally places his right hand on the younger grandson Ephraim instead of the older Manasseh, reversing the expected birth order privilege. This blessing would become a traditional Jewish blessing that parents would speak over their children for generations to come.
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