Génesis 48:20

20 Así que, aquel día, Jacob bendijo a los muchachos con esta bendición: «El pueblo de Israel usará el nombre de ustedes cuando impartan una bendición. Dirán: “Que Dios los haga tan prósperos como a Efraín y a Manasés”». De esta manera, Jacob puso a Efraín antes de Manasés.

Génesis 48:20 Meaning and Commentary

Genesis 48:20

And he blessed them that day
That Joseph visited him, and this be did "by faith"; believing that what he had said concerning them would be accomplished, as the apostle observes, ( Hebrews 11:21 ) ; saying, in thee shall Israel bless;
in Joseph, as the Targum of Jonathan, that is, in his seed, in his sons Ephraim and Manasseh, when the Israelites blessed any, they should make use of their names: saying, God make thee as Ephraim and Manasseh:
as great and honourable, as rich and wealthy, as fruitful and prosperous as they; and the Targum says, this custom continues with the Jews to this day, to put their hands on persons to bless them; if a son, they say,

``God make thee as Ephraim and Manasseh;''

if a daughter,

``God make thee as Sarah and Rebekah:''

and he set Ephraim before Manasseh;
not only in this form of benediction, but in all that he had said and done before; he preferred him to Manasseh by putting his right hand upon him, and giving him the superior blessing: and it is no unusual thing for the younger to be set before the elder, both by God and man, but especially by the Lord, who seeth not as man seeth, and proceeds not according to carnal descent, or those rules men go by: there had been many instances before this, as Abel was preferred to Cain, Shem to Japheth, Abraham to Nahor, Isaac to Ishmael, and Jacob to Esau; as there were after it, as Moses to Aaron, and David to his brethren.

Génesis 48:20 In-Context

18 —No, padre mío —le dijo—. Este es el hijo mayor; pon tu mano derecha sobre su cabeza.

19 Pero su padre se negó a hacerlo.
—Ya lo sé, hijo mío, lo sé —respondió él—. Manasés también llegará a ser un gran pueblo, pero su hermano menor será aún más grande y de su descendencia se formarán una multitud de naciones.

20 Así que, aquel día, Jacob bendijo a los muchachos con esta bendición: «El pueblo de Israel usará el nombre de ustedes cuando impartan una bendición. Dirán: “Que Dios los haga tan prósperos como a Efraín y a Manasés”». De esta manera, Jacob puso a Efraín antes de Manasés.

21 Entonces Jacob le dijo a José:
—Mira, yo estoy a punto de morir, pero Dios estará contigo y te llevará de regreso a Canaán, la tierra de tus antepasados.

22 Y además de lo que les he dado a tus hermanos, te doy a ti una porción adicional de la tierra
que tomé de los amorreos con mi espada y con mi arco.