though he had been its
ruler, gave a portion to Joseph more than to the others. "I give you," said
he, "one part more than to your brothers." And blessing his two children,
Ephraim and Manasseh, whom Joseph had presented to him, the elder, Manasseh,
on his right, and the young Ephraim on his left, he put his arms crosswise,
and placing his right hand on the head of Ephraim, and his left on Manasseh,
he blessed them in this manner. And, upon Joseph's representing to him that
he was preferring the younger, he replied to him with admirable resolution:
"I know it well, my son; but Ephraim will increase more than Manasseh." This
has been indeed so true in the result that, being alone almost as fruitful
as the two entire lines which composed a whole kingdom, they have been
usually called by the name...