Genesis 41:50

50 And unto Joseph were born two sons before the years of famine came, whom Asenath the daughter of Potipherah, priest of On, bore unto 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 he gathered up all the food of the seven years which were in the land of Egypt, and laid up the food in the cities; the food of the field, which was round about every city, laid he up in the same.

49 And Joseph gathered corn as the sand of the sea -- very much, until he left off numbering; for it was without number.

50 And unto Joseph were born two sons before the years of famine came, whom Asenath the daughter of Potipherah, priest of On, bore unto him.

51 And Joseph called the name of the firstborn Manasseh [that is, Forgetting], "For God," said he, "hath made me forget all my toil and all my father's house."

52 And the name of the second called he Ephraim [that is, Fruitful], "For God hath caused me to be fruitful in the land of my affliction."