Genesis 48:14

14 Which held forth the right hand, and laid it on Ephraim's head, the younger brother; soothly he laid his left hand on Manasseh's head, that was the more through birth. Jacob changed his hands, (And Jacob put forth his right hand, and laid it on Ephraim's head, the younger brother; and he laid his left hand on Manasseh's head, who was the elder. Jacob had crossed his hands,)

Genesis 48:14 Meaning and Commentary

Genesis 48:14

And Israel stretched out his right hand
Not directly forward, but across, or otherwise it would have been laid on Manasseh, as Joseph designed it should by the position he placed him in: and laid [it] upon Ephraim's head, who [was] the younger,
the right hand being the strongest and most in use, as it was reckoned most honourable to sit at it, so to have it imposed, as being significative of the greater blessing: and his left hand upon Manasseh's head;
who was the older: guiding his hands wittingly;
this was not done accidentally, but on purpose: or made his "hands to understand" ^F17, they acted as if they understood what he would have done, as Aben Ezra; as if they were conscious of what should be, or would be; though he could not see clearly and distinctly, yet he knew, by the position of them before him, which was the elder and which was the younger: he knew that Joseph would set the firstborn in such a position before him as naturally to put his right hand on him, and the younger in such a position as that it would be readiest for him to put his left hand on him; and therefore, being under a divine impulse and spirit of prophecy, by which he discerned that the younger was to have the greater blessing, he crossed his bands, or changed them, and put his right hand on Ephraim, and his left hand on Manasseh: for Manasseh [was] the firstborn;
or rather, though ^F18 he was the firstborn, as Aben Ezra.

---

FOOTNOTES:

F17 (wydy ta lkv) "intelligere fecit suas manus", Paguinus, Montanus, Vatablus, Drusius, Cartwright.
F18 (yk) "tametsi", Tigurine version; "quamvis", Piscator; so some in Fagius.

Genesis 48:14 In-Context

12 And when Joseph had taken them from his father's lap, he worshipped low to the earth (he bowed low to the ground).

13 And he set Ephraim on his right side, that is, on the left side of Israel; forsooth he set Manasseh on his left side, that is, on the right side of his father; and he joined both to him. (And he put Ephraim on his right side, that is, on Jacob's left side; and he put Manasseh on his left side, that is, on his father's right side; and he brought them both close to him.)

14 Which held forth the right hand, and laid it on Ephraim's head, the younger brother; soothly he laid his left hand on Manasseh's head, that was the more through birth. Jacob changed his hands, (And Jacob put forth his right hand, and laid it on Ephraim's head, the younger brother; and he laid his left hand on Manasseh's head, who was the elder. Jacob had crossed his hands,)

15 and blessed his son Joseph , and said, God, in whose sight my fathers Abraham and Isaac went; God that feedeth me from my young waxing age till into this present day; (and then he blessed his son Joseph, and said, May God, in whose sight my fathers Abraham and Isaac walked; the God who hath fed me from my young age unto this present day;)

16 the angel that delivered me from all evils, bless these children, and my name be called on them, and the names of my fathers, Abraham and Isaac; and wax they in multitude on (the) earth. (yea, the Angel who delivered me from every evil, bless these boys, and may they be called by my name, and the names of my fathers, Abraham and Isaac; and may they grow into a multitude upon the earth.)