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.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
Joseph names his firstborn Manasseh, meaning "causing to forget," but the significance goes beyond simply forgetting his hardships. It powerfully signifies his complete integration into Egyptian life, indicating that his past struggles and his father's home are now in the past, with no intention of return. This act of naming highlights a profound shift, marking a new beginning and a settled future in a foreign land, rather than a lingering longing for what was lost.
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.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
After interpreting Pharaoh's dreams and foreseeing a coming famine, Joseph is elevated to a position of immense power in Egypt. He is given authority to gather and store grain during seven years of plenty, and he marries Asenath, with whom he has two sons before the famine begins. The naming of these sons reflects Joseph's deep gratitude for his newfound security and his sense of God's favor, while simultaneously acknowledging the hardships he has endured.
Joseph names his firstborn son Manasseh, a name that means 'making to forget.' But what exactly is he forgetting, and why is this act so significant in his life story?
Joseph, after years of suffering – from betrayal by his brothers to unjust imprisonment – experiences a profound shift. The naming of his son Manasseh ('God has made me forget') signifies more than just relief from pain.
Forgetting the Pain, Remembering the Purpose
Joseph, once a Hebrew slave in a foreign land, is now a powerful ruler. How does the naming of his son reflect this dramatic transformation and his new identity?
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The birth of Manasseh marks a pivotal moment in Joseph's life, symbolizing his transition from a displaced, suffering individual to a settled, influential figure.
From Exile to Authority
Understand the original words
bekor · Hebrew Noun
The firstborn son, traditionally inheriting a double portion and headship of the family. In Joseph's life, the naming of his firstborn signifies the divine healing of his past trauma and separation from his origin.
Menashsheh · Hebrew Proper Noun
The Hebrew name meaning 'causing to forget.' It represents Joseph's testimony of God's grace in healing his emotional wounds and memories of past rejection by his brothers.
amal · Hebrew Noun
Extreme suffering, distress, or difficult labor. It refers to the physical and emotional adversity Joseph endured while being enslaved and imprisoned in Egypt.
The naming of Manasseh highlights Joseph's deep emotional processing and spiritual understanding of his trials. It wasn't that he truly forgot his family, but that God's overwhelming blessings and his new responsibilities in Egypt provided a profound sense of relief and a new perspective, enabling him to move forward without being consumed by past suffering.
c. 1700 BC
Joseph sold into slavery
Joseph, son of Jacob, is betrayed by his brothers and sold into slavery in Egypt.
c. 1700-1680 BC
Joseph's years of hardship
Joseph endures slavery and unjust imprisonment in Egypt, rising to positions of trust but facing significant trials.
c. 1680 BC
Pharaoh's dreams
Pharaoh of Egypt dreams of seven fat cows eaten by seven lean cows, and seven full ears of grain devoured by seven thin ears, causing him great distress.
c. 1680 BC
Joseph interprets Pharaoh's dreams
Joseph is summoned and interprets Pharaoh's dreams, revealing seven years of great abundance to be followed by seven years of severe famine.
c. 1680 BC— this verse
Joseph appointed Governor of Egypt
Pharaoh appoints Joseph as second-in-command over all Egypt, tasking him with managing the grain reserves for the coming famine.
c. 1673 BC— this verse
Birth of Manasseh
Joseph names his firstborn son Manasseh, signifying God's help in making him forget his past hardships and his father's house.
c. 1673 BC
Birth of Ephraim
Joseph names his second son Ephraim, recognizing God's fruitfulness in the land of his affliction.
This passage speaks of a future where Israel would be exiled and forget their identity and heritage, highlighting the profound reversal in Joseph's life where God granted him a new identity and a sense of belonging.
Ruth 1:20Naomi's declaration that the Almighty has dealt bitterly with her and that she should be called 'Bitter' parallels Joseph's naming of Manasseh, as both express a deep sense of past suffering and a desire for a new reality.
Psalm 30:11This psalm speaks of God turning mourning into dancing and sorrow into joy, mirroring the transition Joseph experienced from hardship and displacement to honor and family in Egypt.
Isaiah 43:18-19God's promise to do a new thing, to make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert, resonates with Joseph's experience of God bringing him out of his difficult past into a new and fruitful present.
Luke 15:24The parable of the Prodigal Son, where the father rejoices that his lost son has been found, echoes the sentiment of Joseph finding a new 'house' and a sense of belonging after immense hardship, reflecting God's restorative work.
gillGenesis 41:51: "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."
And Joseph called the name of the firstborn Manasseh,.... Which signifies forgetfulness, as the reason of it shows: for God, said he, hath made me forget all my toil, and all my father's house; all his toil and labour in Potiphar's house, and especially in the prison; and all the injuries his brethren had done him; all this he was made to forget by…
cambridgeGenesis 41:51: "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."
50–52 (E). Joseph’s Sons 51 . Manasseh ] That is, Making to forget . There is to be no thought of return to his father’s house. The name makes us ask the question why Joseph, when supreme in Egypt, sent no message to his father, who was living in a region distant only a few days’ journey. That there were continual communications between Egypt and C…
Joseph names his firstborn Manasseh, meaning "causing to forget," but the significance goes beyond simply forgetting his hardships. It powerfully signifies his complete integration into Egyptian life, indicating that his past struggles and his father's home are now in the past, with no intention of return. This act of naming highlights a profound shift, marking a new beginning and a settled future in a foreign land, rather than a lingering longing for what was lost.
After interpreting Pharaoh's dreams and foreseeing a coming famine, Joseph is elevated to a position of immense power in Egypt. He is given authority to gather and store grain during seven years of plenty, and he marries Asenath, with whom he has two sons before the famine begins. The naming of these sons reflects Joseph's deep gratitude for his newfound security and his sense of God's favor, while simultaneously acknowledging the hardships he has endured.
After interpreting Pharaoh's dreams and foreseeing a coming famine, Joseph is elevated to a position of immense power in Egypt. He is given authority to gather and store grain during seven years of plenty, and he marries Asenath, with whom he has two sons before the famine begins. The naming of these sons reflects Joseph's deep gratitude for his newfound security and his sense of God's favor, while simultaneously acknowledging the hardships he has endured.
"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.”" — Joseph names his firstborn Manasseh, meaning "causing to forget," but the significance goes beyond simply forgetting his hardships. It powerfully signifies his complete integration into Egyptian life…
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Last reviewed October 2026