And when Joseph saw that his father laid his right hand upon the head of Ephraim, it displeased him: and he held up his father’s hand, to remove it from Ephraim’s head unto Manasseh’s head.
When Joseph saw that his father had placed his right hand on Ephraim's head, he was upset about it. So he took hold of his father's hand to move it from Ephraim's head and put it on Manasseh's head instead.
Joseph was bothered when his father gave the greater blessing to his younger son instead of his older son, so he tried to correct what he thought was his father's mistake.
📚 Historical Context
In the book of Genesis, Jacob, who is nearing the end of his life, is blessing his son Joseph's children, Ephraim and Manasseh, as part of the patriarchal promises passed down through generations. According to ancient Near Eastern customs, the right hand was used to confer the greater blessing, which was typically given to the firstborn son, symbolizing primacy and inheritance. Joseph was displeased because he expected his father to follow this tradition by placing the right hand on Manasseh, the older brother, but Jacob deliberately crossed his hands, reflecting God's sovereign choice in matters of blessing and destiny.
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