Genesis 48:14
in Genesis 48But 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.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And Israel stretched out his right hand, and laid it upon Ephraim’s head, who was the younger, and his left hand upon Manasseh’s head, guiding his hands wittingly; for Manasseh was the first-born.
KJV
And Israel stretched out his right hand, and laid it upon Ephraim’s head, who was the younger, and his left hand upon Manasseh’s head, guiding his hands wittingly; for Manasseh was the firstborn.
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This verse in Genesis 48
Commentary
2 notes on this verseIsrael stretched out his right hand, etc. - Laying hands on the head was always used among the Jews in giving blessings, designating men to any office, and in the consecration of solemn sacrifices. This is the first time we find it mentioned; but we often read of it afterwards.
This site's exposition
Joseph took both of them
on Genesis 48:13-14
Joseph sets the elder under his father's right hand. Israel crosses his hands and lays the right on Ephraim's head. The Hebrew verb behind the crossing is the verb for acting with understanding, so the old man knows what his hands are doing. Adam Clarke marks this as the first hands laid on a head to bless.
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
On the verses either side of this one
Its meaning is: And Joseph had taken them both. 18 In other words va-yikkach (took) is a pluperfect that means had taken.
This section is reception history: how the passage was read and kept in the Jewish tradition. Where a reading parts from an essential of the Christian faith, the section says so at that point.
Texts and citation data: Sefaria; each excerpt follows its version’s licence. 6 further sources are cited on this chapter that carry no English text this site may quote or only restate the verse.
The words behind it
21 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַיִּשְׁלַח֩ | vaiyishlach | and he stretched out | H7971 → | 845 times |
| יִשְׂרָאֵ֨ל | yisrael | Israel | H3478 → | 2507 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| יְמִינ֜וֹ | yemino | right [hand] his | H3225 → | 140 times |
| וַיָּ֨שֶׁת | vaiyashet | and he put [it] | H7896 → | 83 times |
| עַל־ | ʾal- | on | H5921 → | 5755 times |
| רֹ֤אשׁ | rosh | [the] head of | H7218 → | 599 times |
| אֶפְרַ֙יִם֙ | ʾefrayim | Ephraim | H669 → | 180 times |
| וְה֣וּא | vehu' | and he | H1931 → | 1879 times |
| הַצָּעִ֔יר | hatzair | [was] the young | H6810 → | 23 times |
| וְאֶת־ | veet | and <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| שְׂמֹאל֖וֹ | semolo | left [hand] his | H8040 → | 54 times |
| עַל־ | ʾal- | on | H5921 → | 5755 times |
| רֹ֣אשׁ | rosh | [the] head of | H7218 → | 599 times |
| מְנַשֶּׁ֑ה | menasheh | Manasseh | H4519 → | 146 times |
| שִׂכֵּל֙ | sikel | he laid cross-wise | H7919 → | |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| יָדָ֔יו | yadav | hands his | H3027 → | 1618 times |
| כִּ֥י | ki | for | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| מְנַשֶּׁ֖ה | menasheh | Manasseh | H4519 → | 146 times |
| הַבְּכֽוֹר׃ | habekhor | [was] the firstborn | H1060 → | 122 times |
וַיִּשְׁלַח֩and he stretched out
vaiyishlachH7971 →845 times
יִשְׂרָאֵ֨לIsrael
yisraelH3478 →2507 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
יְמִינ֜וֹright [hand] his
yeminoH3225 →140 times
וַיָּ֨שֶׁתand he put [it]
vaiyashetH7896 →83 times
עַל־on
ʾal-H5921 →5755 times
רֹ֤אשׁ[the] head of
roshH7218 →599 times
אֶפְרַ֙יִם֙Ephraim
ʾefrayimH669 →180 times
וְה֣וּאand he
vehu'H1931 →1879 times
הַצָּעִ֔יר[was] the young
hatzairH6810 →23 times
וְאֶת־and <obj.>
veetH853 →10935 times
שְׂמֹאל֖וֹleft [hand] his
semoloH8040 →54 times
עַל־on
ʾal-H5921 →5755 times
רֹ֣אשׁ[the] head of
roshH7218 →599 times
מְנַשֶּׁ֑הManasseh
menashehH4519 →146 times
שִׂכֵּל֙he laid cross-wise
sikelH7919 →
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
יָדָ֔יוhands his
yadavH3027 →1618 times
כִּ֥יfor
kiH3588 →4482 times
מְנַשֶּׁ֖הManasseh
menashehH4519 →146 times
הַבְּכֽוֹר׃[was] the firstborn
habekhorH1060 →122 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
Matthew 6:5And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites. For they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by men. Truly I tell you, they…
it leads to
- Matthew 6:2
So when you give to the needy, do not sound a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by men. Truly I tell you,…
- Luke 18:10–11
“Two men went up to the temple to pray. One was a Pharisee and the other a tax collector.
- Luke 18:13
But the tax collector stood at a distance, unwilling even to lift up his eyes to heaven. Instead, he beat his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner!’
- Mark 11:25
And when you stand to pray, if you hold anything against another, forgive it, so that your Father in heaven will forgive your trespasses as well.”
- Isaiah 55:6–7
Seek the LORD while He may be found; call on Him while He is near.
- Matthew 6:2
Through
Acts 13:3And after they had fasted and prayed, they laid their hands on them and sent them off.
it leads to
- Acts 6:6
They presented these seven to the apostles, who prayed and laid their hands on them.
- 2 Timothy 2:2
And the things that you have heard me say among many witnesses, entrust these to faithful men who will be qualified to teach others as well.
- Acts 6:6
Through
Psalms 118:16The right hand of the LORD is exalted! The right hand of the LORD performs with valor!”
it leads to
- Exodus 15:6
Your right hand, O LORD, is majestic in power; Your right hand, O LORD, has shattered the enemy.
- Exodus 15:6
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies4
On this chapter
About Genesis
Who and where
2 names in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible and Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible.