Genesis 41:50

50 Soothly two sons were born to Joseph before that the hunger came, which Asenath, the daughter of Potipherah, a priest of Heliopolis, childed to him (bare for 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 and (they) were gathered into the barns of Egypt, also all the abundance of ripe corns was kept in all cities (and all the abundance of the harvest was kept in all the cities),

49 and so great abundance was of wheat (and there was such a great abundance of corn, or of grain), that it was made even to the gravel, (or the sand,) of the sea, and the plenty passed (any) measure.

50 Soothly two sons were born to Joseph before that the hunger came, which Asenath, the daughter of Potipherah, a priest of Heliopolis, childed to him (bare for him).

51 And Joseph called the name of the first begotten son, Manasseh, and said, God hath made me to forget all my travails, and the house of my father; (And Joseph named his first-born son Manasseh, and said, For God hath made me forget all my travails, or all my troubles, and my father's household, or my family;)

52 and he called the name of the second son Ephraim, and said, God hath made me to increase in the land of my poverty. (and he named his second son Ephraim, and said, For God hath made me to be fruitful in the land of my tribulation.)