Israel stretched out his right hand, and laid it on Ephraim’s head, who was the younger, and his left hand on Manasseh’s head, guiding his hands knowingly, for Manasseh was the firstborn.
Parallel translations
- 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.
- BSB 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.
- NKJV Then Israel stretched out his right hand and laid it on Ephraim’s head, who was the younger, and his left hand on Manasseh’s head, guiding his hands knowingly, for Manasseh was the firstborn.
- NASB But Israel reached out his right hand and placed it on the head of Ephraim, who was the younger, and his left hand on Manasseh’s head, crossing his hands, although Manasseh was the firstborn.
- NLT But Jacob crossed his arms as he reached out to lay his hands on the boys’ heads. He put his right hand on the head of Ephraim, though he was the younger boy, and his left hand on the head of Manasseh, though he was the firstborn.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Israel deliberately crosses his hands, placing his right on the younger Ephraim and left on the firstborn Manasseh. He acts knowingly, guided by God.
Overview
Jacob crosses his arms to give the preeminent blessing to Ephraim, the younger, doing so 'knowingly' rather than by mistake. This continues the Bible's pattern of God choosing the younger over the elder, as with Isaac over Ishmael and Jacob over Esau. Such reversals display God's sovereign grace, which does not depend on human precedence.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 20
- Gen 41:51Joseph called the name of the firstborn Manasseh, “For”, he said, “God has made me forget all my toil, and all my father’s house.”
- Num 8:10You shall present the Levites before Yahweh. The children of Israel shall lay their hands on the Levites,
- Exod 15:6Your right hand, Yahweh, is glorious in power. Your right hand, Yahweh, dashes the enemy in pieces.
- Deut 34:9Joshua the son of Nun was full of the spirit of wisdom; for Moses had laid his hands on him. The children of Israel listened to him, and did as Yahweh commanded Moses.
- Luke 4:40When the sun was setting, all those who had any sick with various diseases brought them to him; and he laid his hands on every one of them, and healed them.
- Luke 13:13He laid his hands on her, and immediately she stood up straight, and glorified God.
- Acts 13:3Then, when they had fasted and prayed and laid their hands on them, they sent them away.
- Acts 6:6whom they set before the apostles. When they had prayed, they laid their hands on them.
- Acts 8:17–19Then they laid their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.
- 1 Tim 4:14Don’t neglect the gift that is in you, which was given to you by prophecy, with the laying on of the hands of the elders.
- 1 Tim 5:22Lay hands hastily on no one, neither be a participant in other men’s sins. Keep yourself pure.
- Gen 48:18Joseph said to his father, “Not so, my father; for this is the firstborn; put your right hand on his head.”
- Gen 46:20To Joseph in the land of Egypt were born Manasseh and Ephraim, whom Asenath, the daughter of Potiphera, priest of On, bore to him.
- Ps 118:16The right hand of Yahweh is exalted! The right hand of Yahweh does valiantly!”
- Ps 110:1A Psalm by David. Yahweh says to my Lord, “Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies your footstool for your feet.”
- Matt 6:5“When you pray, you shall not be as the hypocrites, for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen by men. Most certainly, I tell you, they have received their reward.
- Matt 16:18I also tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my assembly, and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it.
- Matt 19:13Then little children were brought to him, that he should lay his hands on them and pray; and the disciples rebuked them.
- Num 8:18I have taken the Levites instead of all the firstborn among the children of Israel.
- Matt 19:15He laid his hands on them, and departed from there.
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Christ at the center
From the first promise that the seed of the woman would crush the serpent (3:15), through Abraham's blessing to all nations and Judah's coming ruler, Genesis sows every seed that flowers in Christ — the true offspring, the better Adam, the ram caught for Isaac.
How Genesis 48:14 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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