Genesis 48:18

18 saying, "That's the wrong head, Father; the other one is the firstborn; place your right hand on his head."

Genesis 48:18 Meaning and Commentary

Genesis 48:18

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.

Genesis 48:18 In-Context

16 The Angel who delivered me from every evil, Bless the boys. May my name be echoed in their lives, and the names of Abraham and Isaac, my fathers, And may they grow covering the Earth with their children.

17 When Joseph saw that his father had placed his right hand on Ephraim's head, he thought he had made a mistake, so he took hold of his father's hand to move it from Ephraim's head to Manasseh's,

18 saying, "That's the wrong head, Father; the other one is the firstborn; place your right hand on his head."

19 But his father wouldn't do it. He said, "I know, my son; but I know what I'm doing. He also will develop into a people, and he also will be great. But his younger brother will be even greater and his descendants will enrich nations."

20 Then he blessed them both: Israel will use your names to give blessings: May God make you like Ephraim and Manasseh. In that he made it explicit: he put Ephraim ahead of Manasseh.