“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.”
But Israel reached out his right hand and put it on Ephraim's head, though he was the younger, and crossing his arms, he put his left hand on Manasseh's head, even though Manasseh was the firstborn. The crossing of hands — the deliberate reversal — is the covenant act of divine election operating through the patriarch's deliberate choice. The right hand of primary blessing goes to Ephraim, the younger. The application: the crossed hands of Jacob over Ephraim and Manasseh are the visible sign of the covenant pattern — the younger elevated over the firstborn, just as Jacob over Esau, just as David over his brothers.
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