Joseph’s objection shows that he assumes his nearly blind father has made a mistake.

Not so, my father: that is, “Don’t do it like that, father” or “No, father, not that way.” Although the Hebrew text has “my father,” in English the possessive pronoun is less suitable when Joseph is addressing Jacob. In some languages a special address form will be appropriate here.

For this one is the first-born: it is necessary to visualize the arrangement of the two boys as given in verse 13, with Ephraim on Jacob’s left and Manasseh on his right. This one refers to Manasseh, and it may be necessary to make this clear by saying “The one on your right is the firstborn,” “The boy to your right…,” or “The one on this side is the eldest.” Another way of making the reference clear is to say “The other one is the firstborn.”

Quoted with permission from Reyburn, William D. and Fry, Euan McG. A Handbook on Genesis. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1997. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .