In this chapter, Jacob blesses his grandsons Ephraim and Manasseh, giving the lesser (left-hand) blessing unto the firstborn, to Joseph's consternation. In this we see the continuance of a subversive and inversive theme of which stretches as far back as Cain and Abel and will continue at least until Jesus say “The first shall be last, and the last shall be first.” Moreover, we see here yet again the central theme of this book - putting all of the various tribes into their mythical proper places, according to the heirarchy which the biblical authors would prefer to see fulfilled.
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