Genesis 41:51

Verse

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

American Standard Version (1901)

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

Bible in Basic English

And to the first he gave the name Manasseh, for he said, God has taken away from me all memory of my hard life and of my father's house.

Douay-Rheims 1899

And he called the name of the firstborn Manasses, saying: God hath made me to forget all my labours, and my father’s house.

Free Bible Version

Joseph named his firstborn Manasseh, because he said, “The Lord has made me forget all my troubles and all my father's family.”

Geneva Bible 1599

And Ioseph called the name of the first borne Manasseh: for God, said he, hath made me forget all my labour and al my fathers houshold.

King James (Authorized) Version

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.

One Unity Resource Bible

Joseph [May he add] called the name of the firstborn Manasseh [Causing to forget], “For,” he said, “God has made me forget all my toil, and all my father’s house.”

Translation for Translators

Joseph named the first one Manasseh, which sounds like the Hebrew word that means ‘forget’, because, he said, “God has caused me to forget all my troubles and all my father’s family.”

Unlocked Literal Bible

Joseph called the name of his firstborn Manasseh, for he said, “God has made me forget all my trouble and all my father's household.”

Noah Webster Bible

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

World English Bible

Joseph called the name of the firstborn Manasseh, “For”, he said, “God has made me forget all my toil, and all my father’s house.”

Young's Literal Translation

and Joseph calleth the name of the first-born Manasseh: 'for, God hath made me to forget all my labour, and all the house of my father;'

Context

The Seven Years of Plenty

⁵⁰Before the years of famine arrived, two sons were born to Joseph by Asenath daughter of Potiphera, priest of On. ⁵¹Joseph named the firstborn Manasseh, saying, “God has made me forget all my hardship and all my father’s household.” ⁵²And the second son he named Ephraim, saying, “God has made me fruitful in the land of my affliction.”

Summary

In this verse, Joseph names his firstborn son Manasseh, which means 'God has made me forget all my trouble and all my father's household.' It reflects Joseph's gratitude and acknowledgment of God's faithfulness in helping him move past the hardships he faced, including being sold into slavery by his brothers. By naming his son Manasseh, Joseph demonstrates his trust in God's ability to bring healing and restoration, showing that God can turn even the most challenging circumstances into blessings.

Commentary

John Gill

John Gill Bible Commentary

And the famine was over all the face of the earth,.... Not over the whole world, but the land of Egypt; all the inhabitants of it were pinched with it, rich and poor; it reached all parts and all sorts of men: and Joseph opened all the storehouses; in the several cities throughout the land where he had laid up corn: and sold unto the Egyptians; for, as he had bought it with Pharaoh's money, it was no injustice to sell it; and as it could be sold at a moderate price, and yet Pharaoh get enough by it, being bought cheap in a time of plenty, no doubt but Joseph, who was a kind and benevolent man, sold it at such a price: and the famine waxed sore in the land of Egypt; there being no overflow of the Nile year after year, and nothing left of the old stock but what was in the storehouses.