Genesis 41:50

The Sons of Joseph

50 Now before the year of famine came, ¹two sons were born to Joseph, whom Asenath, the daughter of Potiphera priest of On, bore to him.

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 So he gathered all the food of these seven years which occurred in the land of Egypt and placed the food in the cities; he placed in every city the food from its own surrounding fields.

49 Thus Joseph stored up grain in great abundance like the sand of the sea, until he stopped measuring it, for it was beyond measure.

50 Now before the year of famine came, two sons were born to Joseph, whom Asenath, the daughter of Potiphera priest of On, bore to him.

51 Joseph named the firstborn Manasseh, "For," he said, "God has made me forget all my trouble and all my father's household."

52 He named the second Ephraim, "For," he said, "God has made me fruitful in the land of my affliction."

Cross References

• 1. Genesis 48:5

Footnotes

• [a]. Or "Heliopolis"