And Israel beheld Joseph's sons,.... Ephraim and Manasseh, of whom he had been speaking as if they were absent, and he might not know until now that they were present, for his eyes were dim that he could not see clearly, Ge 49:10; he saw two young men standing by Joseph, but knew not who they were, and therefore asked the following question:and said, who [are] these?
whose sons are they? the Targum of Jonathan is,"of whom were these born to thee?'