Genesis 41:50

50 Before the years of famine arrived, two sons were born to Joseph by Asenath daughter of Potiphera, priest of On.

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 During those seven years, Joseph collected all the excess food in the land of Egypt and stored it in the cities. In every city he laid up the food from the fields around it.

49 So Joseph stored up grain in such abundance, like the sand of the sea, that he stopped keeping track of it; for it was beyond measure.

50 Before the years of famine arrived, two sons were born to Joseph by Asenath daughter of Potiphera, priest of On.

51 Joseph named the firstborn Manasseh, saying, “God has made me forget all my hardship and all my father’s household.”

52 And the second son he named Ephraim, saying, “God has made me fruitful in the land of my affliction.”