Manasseh, Son of Joseph

Background and Family

Manasseh was born in Egypt to Joseph and Asenath (Genesis 41:50-51) before the years of famine began. His birth was a momentous occasion for Joseph, who had spent years in servitude and imprisonment. The biblical text notes that Joseph named him Manasseh, saying, “God has made me forget all my hardship and all my father’s household” (Genesis 41:51).

Manasseh was the older brother of Ephraim. While he spent his early years in the Egyptian court, his identity remained firmly rooted in the Hebrew tradition of his father. He eventually married an Aramean partner (identified as a concubine in 1 Chronicles 7:14), through whom he fathered Machir and Asriel. His line proved to be prolific; his son Machir became a famed warrior and the father of Gilead, a name that would eventually define a large region of Israelite territory.

Major Life Events

The Adoption by Jacob

One of the most critical events in Manasseh’s life occurred when his grandfather, Jacob, was nearing death in Egypt. Joseph brought his two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim, to be blessed by the dying patriarch. In a surprising turn of events, Jacob claimed the boys as his own: “Ephraim and Manasseh shall be mine, just as Reuben and Simeon are mine” (Genesis 48:5). This act effectively granted Joseph’s line two tribal allotments instead of one.

The Crossing of Hands

During the formal blessing, a significant cultural and spiritual upset took place. Joseph positioned Manasseh at Jacob’s right hand, as was the right of the firstborn. However, Jacob deliberately crossed his arms, placing his right hand on the younger Ephraim and his left hand on Manasseh. When Joseph attempted to correct his father, Jacob refused, stating that while Manasseh would indeed be great and become a people, his younger brother would be even greater (Genesis 48:19). This event established a recurring biblical theme where the divine choice supersedes human tradition regarding birthright.

Life in Egypt and Posterity

Manasseh lived to see his grandchildren born. Genesis 50:23 records that the children of Machir, son of Manasseh, were "brought up on Joseph’s knees," indicating a close family bond and the transmission of the patriarchal covenant from Joseph to Manasseh’s descendants before Joseph's death.

Relationship to Other Biblical Figures

Manasseh’s life is defined by his relationship with Joseph and Ephraim. As the son of the most powerful man in Egypt (second only to Pharaoh), he occupied a position of high social status. However, his relationship with his brother Ephraim is marked by the biblical narrative's consistent pairing of their names. In almost every major census and tribal listing from the Exodus through the settlement, the two are linked as the "House of Joseph."

Later, Manasseh’s son Machir and his great-grandson Zelophehad are highlighted. The daughters of Zelophehad (Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah) are particularly noted for their role in legal history, as they successfully petitioned Moses to allow them to inherit their father's land, ensuring the line of Manasseh remained intact (Numbers 27:1-11).

Spiritual Significance

The spiritual significance of Manasseh lies in the sovereignty of God’s grace and the expansion of the covenant. His birth represented God’s restoration of Joseph. However, the blessing he received from Jacob serves as a reminder that being the firstborn does not guarantee the primary position in God’s redemptive plan.

Despite being "second" to Ephraim in the blessing, Manasseh’s tribal importance remained vast. The tribe was the only one to receive land on both sides of the Jordan River—the "half-tribe" in the east and the other half in the west. This geographical spread symbolized the far-reaching influence of the Josephite line. In the prophetic literature and the New Testament, Manasseh remains a symbol of the gathered people of God, appearing in the sealing of the 144,000 in Revelation 7:6, affirming his permanent place in the biblical record of the tribes.