Bible Strands
Genesis 41:52
And the second son he named Ephraim, saying, “God has made me fruitful in the land of my affliction.”
Berean Standard Bible
Follow its threads on the canvas →
Study note
Setting — Joseph, elevated to Pharaoh’s administration, names his second son during the seven years of Egyptian abundance.
The words — The Hebrew verb הִפְרַ֥/נִי (hifra/ni) literally renders "he has made fruitful me," directly linked to אֱלֹהִ֖ים ('Elohim) for "God."
The thread — This declaration of divine fruitfulness echoes the covenant promise in Genesis 17:6 and anticipates the later metaphor of Joseph as a fruitful vine in Genesis 49:22.
Why it lands — The text states God made Joseph fruitful in a foreign land, requiring readers to recognize divine agency operating within political and geographic displacement.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
And the name of the second called he Ephraim: For God hath caused me to be fruitful in the land of my affliction.
Cross-references
- Genesis 49:22 Joseph is a fruitful vine—a fruitful vine by a spring, whose branches scale the wall.
- Genesis 50:23 He saw Ephraim’s sons to the third generation, and indeed the sons of Machir son of Manasseh were brought up on Joseph’s knees.
- Genesis 17:6 I will make you exceedingly fruitful; I will make nations of you, and kings will descend from you.
- Genesis 28:3 May God Almighty bless you and make you fruitful and multiply you, so that you may become a company of peoples.
- Psalms 105:17 He sent a man before them—Joseph, sold as a slave.
- Isaiah 40:1 “Comfort, comfort My people,” says your God.
- Amos 6:6 You drink wine by the bowlful and anoint yourselves with the finest oils, but you fail to grieve over the ruin of Joseph.
- Genesis 29:32 And Leah conceived and gave birth to a son, and she named him Reuben, for she said, “The LORD has seen my affliction. Surely my husband will love me now.”
- Genesis 30:6 Then Rachel said, “God has vindicated me; He has heard my plea and given me a son.” So she named him Dan.
- Genesis 48:16 the angel who has redeemed me from all harm—may He bless these boys. And may they be called by my name and the names of my fathers Abraham and Isaac, and may they grow into a multitude upon the earth.”