Genesis 41:52 - Printer Friendly

ESV: The name of the second he called Ephraim, "For God has made me fruitful in the land of my affliction."

NIV: The second son he named Ephraim and said, "It is because God has made me fruitful in the land of my suffering."

NASB: And he named the second Ephraim; 'For,' he said, 'God has made me fruitful in the land of my affliction.'

CSB: And the second son he named Ephraim and said, "God has made me fruitful in the land of my affliction."

NLT: Joseph named his second son Ephraim, for he said, 'God has made me fruitful in this land of my grief.'

KJV: And the name of the second called he Ephraim: For God hath caused me to be fruitful in the land of my affliction.

NKJV: And the name of the second he called Ephraim: “For God has caused me to be fruitful in the land of my affliction.”

Two sons are born to Joseph after his remarkable ascent to power in Egypt (Genesis 41:44, 50). Joseph names his second son Ephraim. Ephraim may have meant "fertile land." Joseph names his second boy to recognize God's gift of fruitfulness in Joseph's life even in the land of his affliction. Prior to the birth of his sons, Joseph had been sold into slavery (Genesis 37:28) and falsely imprisoned for years (Genesis 40:14–15).

Certainly, God has made Joseph fruitful, both in his work to spare the land from the coming famine (Genesis 41:33–36) and in extending his family to another generation. And yet, Joseph continues to refer to the nation he rules as second in command as the land of his own oppression. For all his power and privilege, Joseph recognizes that he is still, technically, a slave in Egypt.

Genesis 41:37–57 describes Joseph's sudden and breathtaking rise to power. Pharaoh, the ruler of Egypt, is convinced that God's Spirit is with Joseph, after seeing him interpret dreams and offer sound advice. He appoints Joseph to be the second most powerful man in the nation. His main task is to prepare for the devastating famine to come. Pharaoh gives to Joseph his own signet ring, along with a new Egyptian name and wife. Joseph sets about to use Pharaoh's authority to gather and store massive amounts of grain. This stockpile, built during the seven years of abundance can then be accessed when the famine strikes (Genesis 47:13–26).

Joseph's status in Genesis 41 begins as "forgotten Hebrew prison slave" and ends as "the second most powerful man in Egypt." The cupbearer from the previous chapter finally mentions Joseph two years later, when Pharaoh is troubled by dreams which wise men can't interpret. Joseph reveals the meaning of the dreams: seven years of abundance will be followed by seven years of great famine in the land. Pharaoh, recognizing that God's Spirit is with Joseph, makes him second in command over the entire nation and tasks him with preparing for the famine.

Joseph was sold into slavery by his own brothers (Genesis 37:24–28). He then excelled in his work for an Egyptian official, only to be falsely accused and imprisoned (Genesis 39:20). There, he accurately interpreted dreams for servants of the Egyptian ruler (Genesis 40:20–22). Unfortunately, the restored cupbearer failed to mention Joseph, leaving him in prison for two more years (Genesis 40:23). A series of disturbing dreams leads to Joseph's audience with Pharaoh. This, in turn, leads to Joseph becoming the second most powerful man in the nation. The following chapters emphasize Joseph's reunion with his family. Details about his administration of food during the famine are recorded in Genesis 47:13–26.

The book of Genesis establishes fundamental truths about God. Among these are His role as the Creator, His holiness, His hatred of sin, His love for mankind, and His willingness to provide for our redemption. We learn not only where mankind has come from, but why the world is in its present form. The book also presents the establishment of Israel, God's chosen people. Many of the principles given in other parts of Scripture depend on the basic ideas presented here in the book of Genesis. Within the framework of the Bible, Genesis explains the bare-bones history of the universe leading up to the captivity of Israel in Egypt, setting the stage for the book of Exodus.

Accessed 11/22/2024 9:23:46 AM