Genesis 41:50

50 Before the years of famine came, Joseph had two sons by Asenath.

Genesis 41:50 Meaning and Commentary

Genesis 41:50

And unto Joseph were born two sons
The word for "born" is singular; hence Ben Melech conjectures that they were twins: and this was before the years of famine came;
or "the year of famine" ^F17; the first year: which Asenath, the daughter of Potipherah priest of On, bare unto him;
which is observed, to show that he had them by his lawful wife; whom the Targum of Jonathan wrongly again makes the daughter of Dinah, and her father prince of Tanis, the same with Zoan; whereas this was "On" or "Heliopolis", a very different place; so Artapanus says ^F18, that Joseph married the daughter of the priest of Heliopolis, by whom he had children; and another Heathen writer ^F19 mentions their names, Ephraim and Manesseh.

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FOOTNOTES:

F17 (berh tnv) "annus famis", Tigurine version, Pagninus, Montanus, Drusius; "annus (primus) famis", Schmidt.
F18 Apud Euseb. Praepar. Evangel. l. 9. c. 23. p. 429.
F19 Polyhistor. apud ib. p. 424.

Genesis 41:50 In-Context

48 all of which Joseph collected and stored in the cities. In each city he stored the food from the fields around it.

49 There was so much grain that Joseph stopped measuring it - it was like the sand of the sea.

50 Before the years of famine came, Joseph had two sons by Asenath.

51 He said, "God has made me forget all my sufferings and all my father's family"; so he named his first son Manasseh.

52 He also said, "God has given me children in the land of my trouble"; so he named his second son Ephraim.