Genesis 41:51 kjv

And Joseph called the name of the firstborn Manasseh: For God, said he, hath made me forget all my toil, and all my father's house.

Genesis 41:51 nkjv

Joseph called the name of the firstborn Manasseh: "For God has made me forget all my toil and all my father's house."

Genesis 41:51 niv

Joseph named his firstborn Manasseh and said, "It is because God has made me forget all my trouble and all my father's household."

Genesis 41:51 esv

Joseph called the name of the firstborn Manasseh. "For," he said, "God has made me forget all my hardship and all my father's house."

Genesis 41:51 nlt

Joseph named his older son Manasseh, for he said, "God has made me forget all my troubles and everyone in my father's family."

Genesis 41 verses

Genesis 41 51 Meaning

Genesis 41:51 records Joseph naming his firstborn son Manasseh, expressing profound gratitude and acknowledgment that God Himself had enabled him to forget or be relieved of the burdens of his difficult past, including the pain of his servitude, imprisonment, and the betrayal by his father's house. It signifies divine intervention in healing past wounds and turning sorrow into release.

Genesis 41 51 Context

Genesis chapter 41 details Pharaoh's prophetic dreams, which Joseph interprets as seven years of abundance followed by seven years of severe famine across the world. Due to his wisdom and the clear divine anointing upon him, Pharaoh elevates Joseph from prisoner to the second most powerful man in Egypt, putting him in charge of managing the land's food supply. During the seven years of plenty, Joseph gathers enormous amounts of grain. Verse 50 mentions that before the famine began, Joseph had two sons by Asenath, his Egyptian wife. Verse 51 specifically details the naming of his firstborn son, Manasseh, reflecting Joseph's deeply personal and spiritual response to God's providence after years of suffering and separation. This event signifies a pivotal point in Joseph's life, marking God's work of restoration and peace after his painful past.

Genesis 41 51 Word analysis

• And Joseph called the name: In ancient Hebrew culture, naming was a significant act, often reflecting circumstances of birth, character, or, crucially, a parental declaration of God's action and identity. Joseph is asserting his identity and his theological understanding in this naming.
• of the firstborn: The firstborn son traditionally held special significance, inheriting a double portion and the primary blessing. While Joseph's lineage as firstborn of Rachel carried weight, the name itself holds primary significance here.
• Manasseh: (Hebrew: מְנַשֶּׁה, Menašše, from the verb nashah, "to forget" or "to make forget"). This name means "causing to forget" or "one who causes to forget." It directly links to Joseph's declaration that follows, highlighting the immediate and divinely orchestrated nature of this "forgetting." It is not a literal loss of memory, but a release from the crippling pain, trauma, and bitterness associated with those memories.
• For God, said he,: Joseph explicitly attributes this deep sense of relief and liberation directly to Elohim (אֱלֹהִים), the general Hebrew term for God, emphasizing a divine agency beyond himself or human effort. Joseph’s faith remained central even in a pagan court. His personal testimony reinforces divine sovereignty.
• hath made me forget: (Hebrew: הִשָּׁנִי, hishshani, a Hiphil perfect form of the verb nashah (נָשָׁה), meaning "to make to forget" or "to cause to forget"). The causative verb emphasizes that God actively caused this "forgetting" or liberation from the past pain, rather than it being a natural process or Joseph's own will power. It signifies a profound healing and detachment from the hurt.
• all my toil,: (Hebrew: עֲמָלִי, ‘amali, from ‘amal, meaning "labor, toil, pain, trouble, sorrow"). This refers to the physical and emotional suffering Joseph endured during his slavery and imprisonment in Egypt. It encompasses the exhaustion, humiliation, and distress he experienced over thirteen years.
• and all my father's house.: This phrase adds a deeper layer of forgotten pain. It points not only to the general sorrow of being separated from his family but, more profoundly, the trauma of being betrayed, sold into slavery by his own brothers, and presumed dead by his father. The "forgetting" here means a release from the bitterness and resentment associated with those profound wounds inflicted by his own family. It speaks to a heart that God has freed from the grip of unforgiveness and sorrow originating from his dearest connections.

Genesis 41 51 Bonus section

The balance between "forgetting" sorrow (Manasseh) and "being fruitful" (Ephraim, Joseph's second son, named in Gen 41:52) reveals a profound theological truth about restoration. True fruitfulness and prosperity (Ephraim) can often only emerge after the pain and trauma of the past have been dealt with and, in a sense, "forgotten" (Manasseh) by divine intervention. Joseph's naming of Manasseh also implicitly counters any inclination towards bitterness or revenge, illustrating a spirit of forgiveness and reliance on God's justice and sovereignty, rather than dwelling on the past wrongs committed by his brothers. His faith enabled him to look forward rather than backward with resentment.

Genesis 41 51 Commentary

Genesis 41:51 is a powerful declaration of God's restorative work in Joseph's life. After more than a decade of profound suffering – including unjust enslavement, wrongful imprisonment, and deep familial betrayal – Joseph receives a profound internal healing that he attributes entirely to God. The naming of Manasseh is not just a personal reflection but a public testimony to divine grace. The "forgetting" Joseph speaks of is not a literal amnesia that erases memories, for he would later recognize his brothers and manage the famine crisis based on past experiences. Rather, it signifies a spiritual and emotional liberation from the crushing weight, bitterness, and debilitating effects of his past traumas. God enabled him to process, overcome, and find peace concerning the injustices he had suffered, specifically those originating from his toil in Egypt and the profound wound inflicted by his family. This relief from his painful past, including the hurt from his own household, prepared Joseph to be an instrument of God's greater plan of preservation, free from the encumbrance of resentment or sorrow. It foreshadows the broader redemption narrative where God brings ultimate peace and renewal.