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.
Israel reached out his right hand and placed it on Ephraim's head, even though he was the younger son, and his left hand on Manasseh's head, crossing his arms on purpose. He did this intentionally, even though Manasseh was the older brother.
Israel deliberately chose to give the greater blessing to the younger grandson, crossing his hands to place his right hand on Ephraim instead of following the tradition of blessing the firstborn first.
📚 Historical Context
This scene takes place when the elderly Jacob (Israel) is blessing Joseph's two sons before his death. In ancient times, the right hand was considered the hand of greater blessing and honor, typically reserved for the firstborn son. Jacob's crossing of his hands was a deliberate act that went against cultural expectations, similar to how God had chosen him over his older brother Esau.
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