What does Genesis 41:51 mean?
During Joseph's first seven years as Pharaoh's second-in-command, the Lord blesses the couple with children. Two sons are born to the couple. Joseph names the firstborn Manasseh. The name means "making forget." Joseph names the child in celebration of the fact that he has forgotten both his hardship and his father's house. Joseph was sold into slavery by his jealous brothers (Genesis 37:8), then spent years in prison on a false charge (Genesis 40:14–15). In a moment arranged by God, Joseph was suddenly brought from jail to a position of incredible power (Genesis 41:44). Already, the benefits in Joseph's life are outweighing the hardships he faced.Of course, in modern speech, we use the term "forget" to mean something lost from memory. In Scripture, the concept has more to do with what a person dwells on or chooses to emphasize. Joseph has not failed to remember either his time in prison or the loss of his family. Instead, the name given to his son implies new gladness and a family of his own to replace what was lost in those difficult years.