Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Genesis 48:18

And Joseph said unto his father, Not so, my father: for this [is] the firstborn; put thy right hand upon his head.

Verse 18. Joseph said – Not so, my father] Joseph supposed that his father had made a mistake in laying his right hand on the head of the youngest, because the right hand was considered as the most noble, and the instrument of conveying the highest dignities, and thus it has ever been considered among all nations, though the reason of it is not particularly obvious. Even in the heavens the right hand of God is the place of the most exalted dignity. It has been observed that Joseph spoke here as he was moved by natural affection, and that Jacob acted as he was influenced by the Holy Spirit.

Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible

And Joseph said unto his father, not so, my father,…. It is not right, it should not so be, that the right hand should be put on the youngest, and the left hand on the eldest;

for this [is] the firstborn; directing him to Manasseh, and seeking to guide his hand towards him:

put thy right hand upon his head; Joseph was for proceeding according to the order of birthright, but Jacob was directed by a spirit of prophecy, as follows.

Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible

Gen 48:18 And Joseph said unto his father, Not so, my father: for this [is] the firstborn; put thy right hand upon his head.

Ver. 18. Not so, my father, &c. ] Here are a couple of holy prophets differing in their judgments; yet not about the substance of the blessing, but the circumstance of it. Wonder not though such things still fall out in the true Church, and the doctors be likewise divided in points less material, and that touch not the foundation. Luther interprets those words of Christ, “This is my body,” synecdochically; Calvin, metonymically. Hence the Jesuits straight cry out: The Spirit of God dissents not from itself; but these interpretations dissent one from another, therefore they are not of the Spirit. a Now it were easy to stop their foul mouths, by telling them of their own far worse differences. But is it not a doleful thing that we should, with those birds, aqnoscere in nostris vulneribus nostras pennas? “Brother goeth to law with brother, and that before infidels.” 1Co 6:6 This is the devil’s malice, to sow tares, &c. Christ came to destroy his works; yet never were so many possessed as about that time.

a See The Peace of Rome.

Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)