And Joseph said unto his father, Not so, my father; for this is the first-born; put thy right hand upon his head.

and Joseph saith unto his father, 'Not so, my father, for this is the first-born; set thy right hand on his head.'

And Joseph said to his father, Not so, my father, for this is the older; put your right hand on his head.

And he said to his father: "It should not have come to pass this way, father. For this one is the firstborn. Place your right hand over his head."

Et dixit Joseph patri suo, Non sic, pater mi: quia iste est primogenitus, pone dexteram tuam super caput ejus.

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.

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.