KJV ORIGINAL
And Joseph said unto his father, Not so, my father: for this is the firstborn; put thy right hand upon his head.
Close to the original. Clear modern English.
✦ MADE SIMPLE
And Joseph said to his father, 'No, my father, you have it wrong—this one is the firstborn. Put your right hand on his head.'
⚡ THE BOTTOM LINE
Joseph is correcting his father Jacob, trying to make sure the older son gets the traditional blessing that should go to the firstborn.
📚 Historical Context
This occurs when Jacob is blessing Joseph's two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim. In ancient Near Eastern culture, the firstborn son typically received a double portion of inheritance and the primary blessing from the father. Jacob had crossed his hands, placing his right hand (the hand of greater blessing) on Ephraim, the younger son, rather than on Manasseh, the firstborn.
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