WHEN Joseph became Pharaoh's prime minister, he was second only to the king of Egypt himself. With Pharaoh's blessing he married Asenath, daughter of the Egyptian priest of On, who bore him two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim, during the seven years of plenty which Joseph had foretold. The name "Manasseh" indicates forgetfulness, as Joseph explained (Gen. 41: 51), "God . . . hath made me forget . . . all my father's house"; while "Ephraim" implies fruitfulness.
As the famine which Joseph also had foreseen became increasingly severe, urgent calls for food came from all over Egypt and even from distant lands. Among the petitioners were members of his own family. In promptly meeting the need of many strangers from within and without his adopted land, such a man as Joseph could not forget all his family and his father's house in spite of the name which he had given to Manasseh!
Genesis, Chapter 42, vividly describes Joseph's first encounter with his brothers since the day they sold him into slavery. In pleading for food, they all bowed before him, as he had predicted (see Gen. 37:7), though they failed to recognize him. Testing their sincerity, he accused them of spying. When they assured him of their innocence, adding that they were all sons of one father and that the youngest remained at home, Joseph insisted that this son, Benjamin, be brought to verify their statement. For three days he continued testing them, at last agreeing to hold but one, Simeon, as a hostage, permitting the others to take food to Canaan to meet their immediate need, on the assurance that they would return with their brother Benjamin.
