Bible Strands
Genesis 48:17
When Joseph saw that his father had placed his right hand on Ephraim’s head, he was displeased and took his father’s hand to move it from Ephraim’s head to Manasseh’s.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — Joseph addresses his father Jacob at the precise moment Jacob blesses Joseph’s sons by placing his right hand on the younger son Ephraim. Joseph physically intervenes to redirect that hand toward his firstborn, Manasseh.
The words — The narrative hinges on יָשִׁ֨ית (ya.Shit), literally “he will put,” and יְמִינ֛/וֹ (ye.mi.N/o), meaning “his right,” which describe Jacob’s deliberate positioning of his hand on Ephraim’s head. Joseph’s objection focuses entirely on this specific physical arrangement of the right hand.
The thread — The event directly continues Genesis 48:14, where Israel first crosses his hands to place the right hand on the younger. It aligns with the principle in Romans 9:7 that not all physical descendants of Abraham are counted as the true offspring. The familial authority dynamic also recalls the pattern in Genesis 28:8 regarding Isaac’s disapproval of Canaanite unions.
Why it lands — The text records Joseph’s correction of a patriarchal blessing, showing that the right hand’s placement overrides standard firstborn expectations. It requires the reader to observe how physical positioning in the narrative directly determines the distribution of familial authority and promise.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
And when Joseph saw that his father laid his right hand upon the head of Ephraim, it displeased him: and he held up his father’s hand, to remove it from Ephraim’s head unto Manasseh’s head.
Cross-references
- Genesis 48:14 But Israel stretched out his right hand and put it on the head of Ephraim, the younger; and crossing his hands, he put his left on Manasseh’s head, although Manasseh was the firstborn.
- Romans 9:7 Nor because they are Abraham’s descendants are they all his children. On the contrary, “Through Isaac your offspring will be reckoned.”
- Genesis 28:8 And seeing that his father Isaac disapproved of the Canaanite women,
- Genesis 38:10 What he did was wicked in the sight of the LORD, so He put Onan to death as well.
- Numbers 11:1 Soon the people began to complain about their hardship in the hearing of the LORD, and when He heard them, His anger was kindled, and fire from the LORD blazed among them and consumed the outskirts of the camp.
- 1 Samuel 16:7 But the LORD said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or height, for I have rejected him; the LORD does not see as man does. For man sees the outward appearance, but the LORD sees the heart.”
- 1 Kings 16:25 But Omri did evil in the sight of the LORD and acted more wickedly than all who were before him.
- 1 Chronicles 21:7 This command was also evil in the sight of God; so He struck Israel.
- Proverbs 24:18 or the LORD will see and disapprove, and turn His wrath away from him.
- Romans 9:11 Yet before the twins were born or had done anything good or bad, in order that God’s plan of election might stand,