New King James Version
Genesis 48:17
17Now when Joseph saw that his father laid his right hand on the head of Ephraim, it displeased him; so he took hold of his father’s hand to remove it from Ephraim’s head to Manasseh’s head.
Genesis 48:17 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)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.
- New International Version (NIV)When Joseph saw his father placing his right hand on Ephraim’s head he was displeased; so he took hold of his father’s hand to move it from Ephraim’s head to Manasseh’s head.
- English Standard Version (ESV)When Joseph saw that his father laid his right hand on the head of Ephraim, it displeased him, and he took his father's hand to move it from Ephraim's head to Manasseh's head.
- New Living Translation (NLT)But Joseph was upset when he saw that his father placed his right hand on Ephraim’s head. So Joseph lifted it to move it from Ephraim’s head to Manasseh’s head.
Context of Genesis 48:17
15And he blessed Joseph, and said: “God, before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac walked, The God who has fed me all my life long to this day, 16The Angel who has redeemed me from all evil, Bless the lads; Let my name be named upon them, And the name of my fathers Abraham and Isaac; And let them grow into a multitude in the midst of the earth.” Now when Joseph saw that his father laid his right hand on the head of Ephraim, it displeased him; so he took hold of his father’s hand to remove it from Ephraim’s head to Manasseh’s head. 18And Joseph said to his father, “Not so, my father, for this one is the firstborn; put your right hand on his head.” 19But his father refused and said, “I know, my son, I know. He also shall become a people, and he also shall be great; but truly his younger brother shall be greater than he, and his descendants shall become a multitude of nations.”
Read all of Genesis 48Genesis 48:17 word by word
וַיַּ֣רְא יוֹסֵ֗ף כִּי־יָשִׁ֨ית אָבִ֧יו יַד־יְמִינ֛וֹ עַל־רֹ֥אשׁ אֶפְרַ֖יִם וַיֵּ֣רַע בְּעֵינָ֑יו וַיִּתְמֹ֣ךְ יַד־אָבִ֗יו לְהָסִ֥יר אֹתָ֛הּ מֵעַ֥ל רֹאשׁ־אֶפְרַ֖יִם עַל־רֹ֥אשׁ מְנַשֶּֽׁה׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And when Josephיוֹסֵףyôsêph · JosephH3130
- sawרָאָהrâ'âh · to see: seeH7200
- that his fatherאָב'âb · fatherH1
- laidשִׁיתshîyth · to set: putH7896
- his rightיָמִיןyâmîyn · rightH3225
- handיָדyâd · handH3027
- upon the headרֹאשׁrô'sh · headH7218
- of Ephraimאֶפְרַ֫יִם'ephrayim · EphraimH669
- it displeasedעַ֫יִן‛ayin · eye: appearanceH5869
- it displeasedיָרַעyâra‛ · quiverH3415
- him: and he held upתָּמַךְtâmak · to graspH8551
- to removeסוּרsûr ώûr · to turn aside: removeH5493
- unto Manasseh’sמְנַשֶּׁהmenashsheh · ManassehH4519
Cross-references for Genesis 48:17
- Genesis 48:14Then Israel stretched out his right hand and laid it on Ephraim’s head, who was the younger, and his left hand on Manasseh’s head, guiding his hands knowingly, for Manasseh was the firstborn.
- Genesis 28:8Also Esau saw that the daughters of Canaan did not please his father Isaac.
- Genesis 38:10And the thing which he did displeased the Lord; therefore He killed him also.
- Numbers 11:1Now when the people complained, it displeased the Lord; for the Lord heard it, and His anger was aroused. So the fire of the Lord burned among them, and consumed some in the outskirts of the camp.
- Numbers 22:34And Balaam said to the Angel of the Lord, “I have sinned, for I did not know You stood in the way against me. Now therefore, if it displeases You, I will turn back.”
- 1 Samuel 16:7But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look at his appearance or at his physical stature, because I have refused him. For the Lord does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”
- 1 Kings 16:25Omri did evil in the eyes of the Lord, and did worse than all who were before him.
- 1 Chronicles 21:7And God was displeased with this thing; therefore He struck Israel.
- Proverbs 24:18Lest the Lord see it, and it displease Him, And He turn away His wrath from him.
- Romans 9:7nor are they all children because they are the seed of Abraham; but, “In Isaac your seed shall be called.”
Commentaries on Genesis 48:17
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 1-22Verses 1-22 - Joseph Visits His Sick Father The right of primogeniture has been forfeited by Reuben. The double portion in the inheritance is now transferred to Joseph. He is the first-born of her who was intended by Jacob to be his first and only wife. He has also been the means of saving all his father‘s house, even after he had been sold into slavery by his brethren. He has therefore, undeniable claims to this part of the first-born‘s rights. Genesis…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 8-22Verses 8-22 The two good men own God in their comforts. Joseph says, They are my sons whom God has given me. Jacob says, God hath showed me thy seed. Comforts are doubly sweet to us when we see them coming from God's hand. He not only prevents our fears, but exceeds our hopes. Jacob mentions the care the Divine providence had taken of him all his days. A great deal of hardship he had known in his time, but God kept him from the evil of his troubles. Now…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 17-19Not so, my father!: Joseph was upset because he expected God to act in a predictable way. But faith understands that God's ways and thoughts are different from human ones. Jacob spent his life learning this lesson, but he eventually understood and acted on it.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1-221. one told Joseph, Behold, thy father is sick--Joseph was hastily sent for, and on this occasion he took with him his two sons.Read the comment
Topics related to Genesis 48:17
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Genesis 48
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
New King James Version — © 1982 Thomas Nelson, Inc
Commentaries