B'resheet 48:5-7 "And now your two sons, who were born to you in the land of Egypt before I came to you in Egypt, are mine; Efrayim and M'nasheh shall be mine, as Re'uven and Shim'on are. But your offspring that have been born after them shall be yours; they shall be called by the names of their brothers in their inheritance. Now as for me, when I came from Paddan, Rachel died, to my sorrow, in the land of Kena'an on the journey, when there was still some distance to go to Efrat (Ephrath); and I buried her there on the way to Efrat (Ephrath) (that is, Beit-Lechem (Bethlehem))."
Efrayim and M'nasheh shall be mine - Ya'akov adopts Yosef's two sons. Yosef received a double portion of the inheritance as the first born of his mother. This double portion should have gone to Re'uven. We will discuss this in more detail in the next chapter.
B'resheet 48:8-9 When Israel saw Yosef's sons, he said, "Who are these?" And Yosef said to his father, "They are my sons, whom G-d has given me here." So he said, "Bring them to me, please, that I may bless them."
Ya'akov shows concern for his children and grandchildren.
Mishlei (Proverbs) 13:21-22 But the righteous will be rewarded with prosperity. A good man leaves an inheritance to his children's children, NAS
B'resheet 48:10-12 Now the eyes of Israel were so dim from age that he could not see. Then Yosef brought them close to him, and he kissed them and embraced them. And Israel said to Yosef, "I never expected to see your face, and look, G-d has let me see your children as well." Then Yosef took them from his knees, and bowed with his face to the ground.
Now the eyes of Israel were so dim from age that he could not see. - Like his father Yitz'chak (Isaac), Ya'akov (Jacob) lost his site in his old age.
B'resheet 48:13-16 And Yosef took them both, Efrayim with his right hand toward Israel's left, and M'nasheh with his left hand toward Israel's right, and brought them close to him. But Israel stretched out his right hand and laid it on the head of Efrayim, who was the younger, and his left hand on M'nasheh's head, crossing his hands, although M'nasheh was the first-born. And he blessed Yosef, and said, "The G-d before whom my fathers Avraham and Yitz'chak (Isaac) walked, The G-d who has been my shepherd all my life to this day, the ANGEL who has redeemed me from all evil, Bless the lads; and may my name live on in them, And the names of my fathers Avraham and Yitz'chak; And may they grow into a multitude (be prolific as fish) in the midst of the earth."
The ANGEL who has redeemed me from all evil - Only G-d Himself can redeem us. No ordinary angel can do it.
Ya'akov declares the angel was none other than the L-rd G-d Almighty.
B'resheet 48:17-19 When Yosef saw that his father laid his right hand on Efrayim's head, it displeased him; and he grasped his father's hand to remove it from Efrayim's head to M'nasheh's head. And Yosef said to his father, "Not so, my father, for this one is the first-born. Place your right hand on his head." But his father refused and said, "I know, my son, I know; he also shall become a people and he also shall be great. However, his younger brother shall be greater than he, and his descendants shall become a multitude of nations."
Efrayim indeed become prominent and eventually the national designate for the northern ten tribes. (Is. 7:2,5,9,17; Hos. 9:3-16)
This is not the first time HaShem has chosen the younger over the older.
Example: Yitz'chak (Isaac) above Yishma'el (Ishmael). Ya'akov above Esav (Esau)
B'resheet 48:20 And he blessed them that day, saying, "By you Israel shall pronounce blessing, saying, 'May G-d make you like Efrayim and M'nasheh!'" Thus he put Efrayim before M'nasheh.
Today it is still the custom for parents to bless their children on Shabbat and at Festivals. The traditional blessing for boys is:
Y'sim'cha elohim k'Efrayim v'chi-M'nasheh
May G-d bless you and make you like Efrayim (Ephraim) and M'nasheh (Manasseh).
B'resheet 48:21-22 Then Israel said to Yosef, "Look, I am about to die, but G-d will be with you, and bring you back to the land of your fathers. And I give you one portion more than your brothers, which I took from the hand of the Amorite with my sword and my bow." NAS
The Messiah would one day return from Egypt to Israel to die too. But one day He will return with His own.