Bible Strands
Genesis 48:20
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.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — Jacob addresses Joseph's sons, Ephraim and Manasseh, on the day he formally adopts them and reverses the expected birth order by placing the younger ahead of the older.
The words — The Hebrew verb יְבָרֵךְ (yevarekh) means "he will bless," and the phrase יְשִׂמְךָ (yesimcha) translates literally as "may he make you."
The thread — This verse establishes a recurring blessing formula, echoing the patriarchal benedictions found in Ruth 4:11, Genesis 24:60, and Genesis 28:3 where leaders invoke divine favor for progeny and fruitfulness.
Why it lands — The text explicitly commands Israel to use Ephraim and Manasseh as the standard for future blessings, requiring readers to acknowledge that God's favor operates according to His stated purpose rather than human customs.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
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.
Cross-references
- Ruth 4:11 “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.
- 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.”
- Genesis 28:3 May God Almighty bless you and make you fruitful and multiply you, so that you may become a company of peoples.
- Numbers 2:18 On the west side, the divisions of Ephraim are to camp under their standard: The leader of the Ephraimites is Elishama son of Ammihud,
- Numbers 7:48 On the seventh day Elishama son of Ammihud, the leader of the Ephraimites, drew near.
- Numbers 7:54 On the eighth day Gamaliel son of Pedahzur, the leader of the Manassites, drew near.
- Numbers 10:22 Next, the divisions of the camp of Ephraim set out under their standard, with Elishama son of Ammihud in command.
- Numbers 13:11 from the tribe of Manasseh (a tribe of Joseph), Gaddi son of Susi;
- Numbers 13:16 These were the names of the men Moses sent to spy out the land; and Moses gave to Hoshea son of Nun the name Joshua.
- Numbers 13:8 from the tribe of Ephraim, Hoshea son of Nun;