"On this journey," said Mama Otter. "We learn about Joseph's sons Manasseh and Ephraim."
Papa Otter picked up the story. "Jacob was old and close to dying. He called his son Joseph to him and asked him to bring his two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim, to him."
"Why did he want them to come to him?" asked Olivia.
"Jacob wanted to bless them before he died," Mama Otter explained. "He put his right hand on Ephraim, who was the younger son, and his left hand on Manasseh, who was the older son. But Joseph said that this was not right, that Manasseh should be the one who was blessed first because he was the older son."
"But Jacob refused and said that Ephraim would be greater than Manasseh and that his descendants would be many," Papa Otter continued. "So, Jacob blessed Ephraim and his descendants and made him the heir of the promise God made to Abraham."
Olivia looked confused. "What promise?" she asked.
"The one from Genesis 12, God promised Abraham that his descendants would be many and that they would receive the land of Canaan," Mama Otter explained.
Papa and Mama Otter hugged Olivia and told her how proud they are of her for understanding the story and what it means.
Lesson: Genesis 48 teaches us that God can bless us in unexpected ways, and that blessings may not always be given according to our own expectations or societal norms. It is important to trust in God's plan and be grateful for the blessings we receive, regardless of who they are given to.