Genesis 48:18
in Genesis 48“Not so, my father!” Joseph said. “This one is the firstborn; put your right hand on his head.”
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And Joseph said unto his father, Not so, my father; for this is the first-born; put thy right hand upon his head.
KJV
And Joseph said unto his father, Not so, my father: for this is the firstborn; put thy right hand upon his head.
⋯
This verse in Genesis 48
Commentary
5 notes on this verseJoseph said - Not so, my father - Joseph supposed that his father had made a mistake in laying his right hand on the head of the youngest, because the right hand was considered as the most noble, and the instrument of conveying the highest dignities, and thus it has ever been considered among all nations, though the reason of it is not particularly obvious. Even in the heavens the right hand of God is the place of the most exalted dignity.
This site's exposition
he was displeased
on Genesis 48:17-18
Joseph is displeased and takes his father's hand to move it back to Manasseh. He assumes a blind man has made a mistake. The son who was set over ten older brothers argues here for the rights of the firstborn. He says Not so, my father, and the seeing man corrects the blind one.
This site's exposition
put your right hand on his head
Joseph holds a firstborn's double portion himself only because Reuben lost it, as 1 Chronicles 5:1 explains. Now he pleads for Manasseh's right as firstborn and asks his father to move his right hand. The younger son argues for the elder.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
Grace observes not the order of nature, nor does God prefer those whom we think fittest to be preferred, but as it pleases him.
And Joseph said unto his father, not so, my father,.... It is not right, it should not so be, that the right hand should be put on the youngest, and the left hand on the eldest: for this is the firstborn; directing him to Manasseh, and seeking to guide his hand towards him: put thy right hand upon his head; Joseph was for proceeding according to the order of birthright, but Jacob was directed by a spirit of prophecy, as follows.
The words behind it
14 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַיֹּ֧אמֶר | vaiyomer | and he said | H559 → | 5305 times |
| יוֹסֵ֛ף | yosef | Joseph | H3130 → | 213 times |
| אֶל־ | ʾel- | to | H413 → | 5510 times |
| אָבִ֖יו | ʾaviv | father his | H1 → | 1212 times |
| לֹא־ | lo'- | not | H3808 → | 5168 times |
| כֵ֣ן | khen | thus | H3651 → | 771 times |
| אָבִ֑י | ʾavi | O father my | H1 → | 1212 times |
| כִּי־ | ki- | for | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| זֶ֣ה | zeh | this | H2088 → | 1180 times |
| הַבְּכֹ֔ר | habekhor | [is] the firstborn | H1060 → | 122 times |
| שִׂ֥ים | sim | put | H7760 → | 584 times |
| יְמִינְךָ֖ | yeminekha | right [hand] your | H3225 → | 140 times |
| עַל־ | ʾal- | on | H5921 → | 5755 times |
| רֹאשֽׁוֹ׃ | rosho | head his | H7218 → | 599 times |
וַיֹּ֧אמֶרand he said
vaiyomerH559 →5305 times
יוֹסֵ֛ףJoseph
yosefH3130 →213 times
אֶל־to
ʾel-H413 →5510 times
אָבִ֖יוfather his
ʾavivH1 →1212 times
לֹא־not
lo'-H3808 →5168 times
כֵ֣ןthus
khenH3651 →771 times
אָבִ֑יO father my
ʾaviH1 →1212 times
כִּי־for
ki-H3588 →4482 times
זֶ֣הthis
zehH2088 →1180 times
הַבְּכֹ֔ר[is] the firstborn
habekhorH1060 →122 times
שִׂ֥יםput
simH7760 →584 times
יְמִינְךָ֖right [hand] your
yeminekhaH3225 →140 times
עַל־on
ʾal-H5921 →5755 times
רֹאשֽׁוֹ׃head his
roshoH7218 →599 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Genesis 27:15And Rebekah took the finest clothes in the house that belonged to her older son Esau, and she put them on her younger son Jacob.
it leads to
- Genesis 27:27
So he came near and kissed him. When Isaac smelled his clothing, he blessed him and said: “Ah, the smell of my son is like the smell of a field that the LORD has…
- Luke 20:46
“Beware of the scribes. They like to walk around in long robes, and they love the greetings in the marketplaces, the chief seats in the synagogues, and the places of honor at banquets.
- Luke 15:22
But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet.
- Genesis 27:27
Through
Acts 11:8‘No, Lord,’ I said, ‘for nothing impure or unclean has ever entered my mouth.’
it leads to
- Romans 14:14
I am convinced and fully persuaded in the Lord Jesus that nothing is unclean in itself. But if anyone regards something as unclean, then for him it is unclean.
- Hosea 9:3
They will not remain in the land of the LORD; Ephraim will return to Egypt and eat unclean food in Assyria.
- 1 Corinthians 7:14
For the unbelieving husband is sanctified through his believing wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified through her believing husband. Otherwise your children would be unclean, but now they are holy.
- Romans 14:14
Through
Exodus 10:11No, only the men may go and worship the LORD, since that is what you have been requesting.” And Moses and Aaron were driven from Pharaoh’s presence.
it leads to
- Exodus 10:28
“Depart from me!” Pharaoh said to Moses. “Make sure you never see my face again, for on the day you see my face, you will die.”
- Psalms 119:69
Though the arrogant have smeared me with lies, I keep Your precepts with all my heart.
- Exodus 10:28
Where this verse is studied
About Genesis
Who and where
1 name in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.