The Meaning of Genesis 48:17 Explained

Genesis 48:17

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.

YLT: And Joseph seeth that his father setteth his right hand on the head of Ephraim, and it is wrong in his eyes, and he supporteth the hand of his father to turn it aside from off the head of Ephraim to the head of Manasseh;

Darby: When Joseph saw that his father laid his right hand on the head of Ephraim, it was evil in his eyes; and he took hold of his father's hand to remove it from Ephraim's head to Manasseh's head.

ASV: 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.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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. 

What does Genesis 48:17 Mean?

Context Summary

Genesis 48:8-22 - Jacob Blesses Joseph's Sons
By his act in blessing them, Jacob reversed the verdict of birth, and gave the younger the birthright. Probably there were qualities in Ephraim which naturally put him in the foremost place. The Bible is full of hope for younger sons. He spoke of the Angel, Jehovah, so often referred to in the Old Testament, and who can be no other than the Son of God. He also is our Shepherd, Guardian and Friend. He will feed and tend us all our life long. He will redeem us from all evil and bring us to a blessed end in peace. Be of good cheer! He cared for you in your helpless infancy and will do no less in your helpless old age. If any lads hear this portion read let them notice that old Jacob prayed God to bless the lads. Evidently then, no little lad is too small for God to notice and bless! Though the fathers die, God lives and will bring us again to "the land of the leal." [source]

Chapter Summary: Genesis 48

1  Joseph with his sons visits his sick father
2  Jacob strengthens himself to bless them
3  He repeats God's promise
5  He takes Ephraim and Manasseh as his own sons
7  He tells Joseph of his mother's grave
8  He blesses Ephraim and Manasseh
17  He prefers the younger before the elder
21  He prophesies their return to Canaan

What do the individual words in Genesis 48:17 mean?

And saw Joseph that laid his father hand his right on the head of Ephraim and it displeased him so he took hold of hand of his father to remove it from head of Ephraim to head of Manasseh
וַיַּ֣רְא יוֹסֵ֗ף כִּי־ יָשִׁ֨ית אָבִ֧יו יַד־ יְמִינ֛וֹ עַל־ רֹ֥אשׁ אֶפְרַ֖יִם וַיֵּ֣רַע בְּעֵינָ֑יו וַיִּתְמֹ֣ךְ יַד־ אָבִ֗יו לְהָסִ֥יר אֹתָ֛הּ מֵעַ֥ל רֹאשׁ־ אֶפְרַ֖יִם עַל־ רֹ֥אשׁ מְנַשֶּֽׁה

וַיַּ֣רְא  And  saw 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: רָאָה 
Sense: to see, look at, inspect, perceive, consider.
יוֹסֵ֗ף  Joseph 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יׄוסֵף  
Sense: the eldest son of Jacob by Rachel.
כִּי־  that 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: כִּי 
Sense: that, for, because, when, as though, as, because that, but, then, certainly, except, surely, since.
יָשִׁ֨ית  laid 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: שִׁית  
Sense: to put, set.
אָבִ֧יו  his  father 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: אָב  
Sense: father of an individual.
יַד־  hand 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: יָד  
Sense: hand.
יְמִינ֛וֹ  his  right 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: יָמִין  
Sense: right, right hand, right side.
רֹ֥אשׁ  the  head 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: רֹאשׁ 
Sense: head, top, summit, upper part, chief, total, sum, height, front, beginning.
אֶפְרַ֖יִם  of  Ephraim 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: אֶפְרַיִם  
Sense: second son of Joseph, blessed by him and given preference over first son, Manasseh.
וַיֵּ֣רַע  and  it  displeased 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: מֵרֵעַ 
Sense: to be bad, be evil.
וַיִּתְמֹ֣ךְ  so  he  took  hold 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: תָּמַךְ  
Sense: to grasp, hold, support, attain, lay hold of, hold fast.
יַד־  of  hand 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: יָד  
Sense: hand.
אָבִ֗יו  of  his  father 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: אָב  
Sense: father of an individual.
לְהָסִ֥יר  to  remove 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Hifil, Infinitive construct
Root: סוּר 
Sense: to turn aside, depart.
רֹאשׁ־  head 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: רֹאשׁ 
Sense: head, top, summit, upper part, chief, total, sum, height, front, beginning.
אֶפְרַ֖יִם  of  Ephraim 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: אֶפְרַיִם  
Sense: second son of Joseph, blessed by him and given preference over first son, Manasseh.
רֹ֥אשׁ  head 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: רֹאשׁ 
Sense: head, top, summit, upper part, chief, total, sum, height, front, beginning.
מְנַשֶּֽׁה  of  Manasseh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: מְנַשֶּׁה  
Sense: the eldest son of Joseph and progenitor of the tribe of Manasseh.