וַיַּ֣רְא יוֹסֵ֗ף כִּי־יָשִׁ֨ית אָבִ֧יו יַד־יְמִינ֛וֹ עַל־רֹ֥אשׁ אֶפְרַ֖יִם וַיֵּ֣רַע בְּעֵינָ֑יו וַיִּתְמֹ֣ךְ יַד־אָבִ֗יו לְהָסִ֥יר אֹתָ֛הּ מֵעַ֥ל רֹאשׁ־אֶפְרַ֖יִם עַל־רֹ֥אשׁ מְנַשֶּֽׁה׃

While Jacob was reciting the blessing, Joseph saw that his father had switched his hands, as he would lay his right hand upon the head of Ephraim, and it displeased him. Joseph expected Jacob to give preference to Manasseh, the firstborn, by placing his right hand upon him. Since his father’s vision was impaired, Joseph surmised that he had erred. Perhaps Joseph was displeased because he felt that Jacob thought that Joseph himself had mistakenly placed his sons on the wrong sides. In order to rectify what Joseph perceived as an error, he supported his father’s hand from below, to remove it from the head of Ephraim to the head of Manasseh.

וַיֹּ֧אמֶר יוֹסֵ֛ף אֶל־אָבִ֖יו לֹא־כֵ֣ן אָבִ֑י כִּי־זֶ֣ה הַבְּכֹ֔ר שִׂ֥ים יְמִינְךָ֖ עַל־רֹאשֽׁוֹ׃

Joseph also said explicitly to his father: Not so, my father, as this one, Manasseh, is the firstborn; place your right hand upon his head.

וַיְמָאֵ֣ן אָבִ֗יו וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ יָדַ֤עְתִּֽי בְנִי֙ יָדַ֔עְתִּי גַּם־ה֥וּא יִֽהְיֶה־לְּעָ֖ם וְגַם־ה֣וּא יִגְדָּ֑ל וְאוּלָ֗ם אָחִ֤יו הַקָּטֹן֙ יִגְדַּ֣ל מִמֶּ֔נּוּ וְזַרְע֖וֹ יִהְיֶ֥ה מְלֹֽא־הַגּוֹיִֽם׃

His father refused and said: I know, my son, I know which is the firstborn, despite my impaired vision. I am not withholding my blessing from the firstborn, Manasseh, as he too shall become a people, and he too shall be great. However, his younger brother Ephraim shall be greater than he with regard to the number of his descendants and their power, and his descendants shall be the plenitude of nations, as they will fill the world.

וַיְבָ֨רֲכֵ֜ם בַּיּ֣וֹם הַהוּא֮ לֵאמוֹר֒ בְּךָ֗ יְבָרֵ֤ךְ יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר יְשִֽׂמְךָ֣ אֱלֹהִ֔ים כְּאֶפְרַ֖יִם וְכִמְנַשֶּׁ֑ה וַיָּ֥שֶׂם אֶת־אֶפְרַ֖יִם לִפְנֵ֥י מְנַשֶּֽׁה׃

He blessed them that day, saying: By you shall Israel bless their children, saying: May God make you like Ephraim and like Manasseh, and he placed Ephraim before Manasseh in the text of the blessing. In practice as well, Manasseh was given secondary status, despite the fact that he was the firstborn.

וַיֹּ֤אמֶר יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ אֶל־יוֹסֵ֔ף הִנֵּ֥ה אָנֹכִ֖י מֵ֑ת וְהָיָ֤ה אֱלֹהִים֙ עִמָּכֶ֔ם וְהֵשִׁ֣יב אֶתְכֶ֔ם אֶל־אֶ֖רֶץ אֲבֹתֵיכֶֽם׃

Israel said to Joseph: Behold, I am dying and will not return to the land of Canaan while I am alive. Although nothing was preventing his children from returning there at that time, Jacob knew prophetically that they would not return there in the near future. Nevertheless, he declared to his son: God will be with you, and He will eventually restore you to the land of your fathers.

וַאֲנִ֞י נָתַ֧תִּֽי לְךָ֛ שְׁכֶ֥ם אַחַ֖ד עַל־אַחֶ֑יךָ אֲשֶׁ֤ר לָקַ֙חְתִּי֙ מִיַּ֣ד הָֽאֱמֹרִ֔י בְּחַרְבִּ֖י וּבְקַשְׁתִּֽי׃ (פ)

Consequently, in my capacity as father and the transmitter of the inheritance, I have given to you one portion [ shekhem ] of an inheritance as a gift beyond that of your brothers. Instead of receiving one inheritance, your children will inherit two portions. This is the primary ramification of Ephraim and Manasseh being granted the status of Jacob’s adopted children, on the same level as the other tribes of Israel. This is the portion which I took from the hand of the Emorite with my sword and with my bow. The reference to shekhem here may mean that Jacob gave the city of Shekhem, to Joseph. Indeed, this city was included in the inheritance of his sons, and Joseph himself was buried there.