And Israel stretched out his right hand and laid it upon the head of Ephraim, who was the younger, and his left hand upon the head of Manasseh, crossing his hands, for Manasseh was the first-born. Next we see the grandfather caring for his grandsons. He wanted to not only receive, but also to give. He wanted to bless these young men and give them a word of encouragement. He wanted them to realize that they were special in the eyes of their grandfather, the eyes of their father, and the eyes of God.
Grandfathers can have a great influence on the religious development of their grandchildren.
By showing that the faith of their father is also the faith of their grandfather, it reinforces the place of God in the lives of the grandchildren. All grandparents need to be conscious of the importance they play in the spiritual development of their descendants. Not only do we see Israel caring for his grandsons, but we also see the grandfather still caring for his son. Before pronouncing any blessing on the grandsons, Israel blesses Joseph. Children should always be more important to us than grandchildren.