Genesis 46:20
And to Joseph in the land of Egypt were born Manasseh and Ephraim, whom Asenath, the daughter of Potiphera the priest of On, bore to him.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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This verse highlights that Manasseh and Ephraim were born in Egypt, emphasizing they are part of the burgeoning nation God promised to make from Joseph's lineage, not just additions to Jacob's original entourage. It subtly signals that Joseph's lineage is already becoming a distinct entity within Egypt, separate from the family unit descending directly from Jacob.
As Jacob and his entire household, now numbering seventy souls, are settling into Egypt, the narrative shifts to Joseph. This verse details the birth of Joseph's two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim, in Egypt to his Egyptian wife Asenath, highlighting how Joseph's lineage is already being established in this new land before the arrival of his father and brothers. These sons will later become the progenitors of two of the most prominent Israelite tribes.
Joseph, an Israelite in Egypt, now has sons born to him by an Egyptian woman. How does this union speak to God's plan for His people?
Genesis 46:20 introduces Manasseh and Ephraim, the sons of Joseph and Asenath. This union is significant because it marks a crucial moment where the covenant people of Israel begin to integrate with the culture of Egypt.
Bridging the Divide
The names Manasseh and Ephraim carry deep meaning. What do they reveal about Joseph's heart and God's faithfulness?
The names of Joseph's sons, Manasseh and Ephraim, are not accidental; they reflect Joseph's personal journey and God's sovereign hand.
Manasseh: Forgetting Hardship
Understand the original words
Mitsrayim · Hebrew Proper Noun
The historical and geographic location where the Israelites were eventually enslaved but also where God demonstrated His power through the Exodus; it often serves as a symbol of the world or bondage in later biblical theology.
kohen · Hebrew Noun
A person who mediates between God and the people, performing sacrifices and maintaining the holiness of sacred spaces; in the ancient world, this office often carried significant political and religious authority.
c. 1715-1700 BC
Joseph sold into Egypt
Joseph, son of Jacob, is sold into slavery by his brothers and eventually rises to a position of power in Egypt.
c. 1710-1680 BC— this verse
Joseph's sons born in Egypt
During his time in Egypt, Joseph marries Asenath, daughter of Potiphera, a priest of On, and fathers two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim.
c. 1680 BC
Famine grips Canaan
A severe famine forces Jacob's family to seek sustenance in Egypt, leading to their eventual migration.
c. 1680 BC
Jacob's family migrates to Egypt
Jacob and his entire household, numbering seventy souls according to the Hebrew text, relocate to Egypt, settling in the land of Goshen.
This passage directly precedes Genesis 46:20, detailing the very births of Manasseh and Ephraim to Joseph and Asenath in Egypt, setting the immediate context for this verse.
Exodus 1:1-5This passage lists the sons of Jacob who came to Egypt, including Joseph and his two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim, showing the generational growth that began with these births.
Numbers 26:28-37This chapter provides a detailed genealogy of the descendants of Joseph, explicitly naming Manasseh and Ephraim as the heads of their respective tribes, highlighting the significance of their birth.
1 Chronicles 7:14-20This passage recounts the lineage of Manasseh and Ephraim, offering further genealogical details and emphasizing their roles as progenitors of significant tribes within Israel.
Acts 7:13-14In Stephen's speech, he recounts the event of Joseph revealing himself to his brothers and sending for Jacob, specifically mentioning Joseph's two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim, by name, underscoring their importance in the migration to Egypt.
clarkeGenesis 46:20: "And unto Joseph in the land of Egypt were born Manasseh and Ephraim, which Asenath the daughter of Potipherah priest of On bare unto him."
Unto Joseph - were born Manasseh and Ephraim - There is a remarkable addition here in the Septuagint, which must be noticed: Εγενοντο δε υἱοι Μανασση, οὑς ετεκεν αυτῳ ἡ παλλακη ἡ Συρα, τον Μαχιρ· Μαχιρ δε εγεννησε τον Γαλααδ. Υἱοι δε Εφραιμ αδελφου Μανασσῃ, Σουταλααμ και Τααμ. Υἱοι δε Σουταλααμ, Εδεμ· These were the sons of Manasseh w…
calvinGenesis 46:1-34: "And Israel took his journey with all that he had, and came to Beersheba, and offered sacrifices unto the God of his father Isaac."
- Et dixit Deus ad Israel in visi onibus noctis, dixit inquam, Jahacob Jahacob. Ille respondit, Ecce, adsum.
3 And he said, I am God, the God of thy father: fear not to go down into Egypt; for I will there make of thee a great nation:
- Et dixit, Ego sum Deus, Deus patris tui: ne timeas descendere in Aegyptum: quia in gentem magnam ponam to ibi…
This verse highlights that Manasseh and Ephraim were born in Egypt, emphasizing they are part of the burgeoning nation God promised to make from Joseph's lineage, not just additions to Jacob's original entourage. It subtly signals that Joseph's lineage is already becoming a distinct entity within Egypt, separate from the family unit descending directly from Jacob.
As Jacob and his entire household, now numbering seventy souls, are settling into Egypt, the narrative shifts to Joseph. This verse details the birth of Joseph's two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim, in Egypt to his Egyptian wife Asenath, highlighting how Joseph's lineage is already being established in this new land before the arrival of his father and brothers. These sons will later become the progenitors of two of the most prominent Israelite tribes.
As Jacob and his entire household, now numbering seventy souls, are settling into Egypt, the narrative shifts to Joseph. This verse details the birth of Joseph's two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim, in Egypt to his Egyptian wife Asenath, highlighting how Joseph's lineage is already being established in this new land before the arrival of his father and brothers. These sons will later become the progenitors of two of the most prominent Israelite tribes.
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Ephraim: Fruitfulness
These names are a testament to Joseph's faith, acknowledging God's power to bring good out of suffering and to grant abundant fruitfulness even in exile.
"And to Joseph in the land of Egypt were born Manasseh and Ephraim, whom Asenath, the daughter of Potiphera the priest of On, bore to him." — This verse highlights that Manasseh and Ephraim were born in Egypt, emphasizing they are part of the burgeoning nation God promised to make from Joseph's lineage, not just additions to Jacob's orig…
