Manasseh מְנַשֶּׁה
Firstborn son of Joseph, blessed by Jacob.
Who is Manasseh in the Bible?
Manasseh was the firstborn son of Joseph and Asenath, born in Egypt before the great famine (Genesis 41:51). When Jacob blessed Joseph's two sons, he gave the greater blessing to Ephraim, the younger child, a decision that surprised Joseph but established Manasseh as the second-ranked son (Genesis 48:14-20). The tribe of Manasseh, descended from him, became one of the twelve tribes of Israel and played a significant role throughout Israel's history, from the wilderness wanderings through the conquest and settlement of Canaan (Numbers 1:10, Joshua 17). The tribe was notable for including Gaddi, one of the spies sent to explore the land, and the daughters of Zelophehad, who set an important legal precedent by inheriting their father's land (Numbers 13:11, 27:1-6). Manasseh's legacy demonstrates God's pattern of choosing the younger over the firstborn and the enduring tribal identity that shaped Israel's social and territorial organization.
Biography
Manasseh was the firstborn son of Joseph and Asenath, born in Egypt before the famine. When Israel (or 'Jacob') blessed Joseph's sons, he gave the greater blessing to Ephraim, the younger son, despite Joseph's objection. The tribe of Manasseh, along with Ephraim, became one of the twelve tribes of Israel.
During the Exodus, the tribe of Manasseh was counted in the census and arranged in the camp under their standard. They had a significant population and contributed to the army. Notable descendants of Manasseh include Gaddi, who was among the twelve spies sent to explore Canaan, and Zelophehad's daughters, who received an inheritance among their uncles due to their father's lack of sons.
When the Promised Land was divided, half of the tribe of Manasseh settled east of the Jordan River, while the other half settled west of the Jordan. The eastern portion of Manasseh, along with Reuben and Gad, assisted in the conquest of Canaan before returning to their inheritance. The western portion of Manasseh received cities and territories, including the city of refuge, Golan.
Throughout Israel's history, the tribe of Manasseh played significant roles. They participated in the conquest of Canaan, fought alongside Gideon against the Midianites, and joined David's army. However, they also faced challenges, such as incomplete conquest of their territories and occasional conflicts with other tribes.
In later prophecies, Manasseh is mentioned as part of the restored Israel. The tribe is also listed among the sealed servants of God in the Book of Revelation.
Manasseh is also used to refer to the territory allotted to the tribe of Manasseh. The tribe's inheritance was divided between the eastern and western portions of the Promised Land.
The eastern portion of Manasseh's territory was conquered by Jair, a descendant of Manasseh, and was named Havvoth-jair. This region was known for its small towns and villages.
The western portion of Manasseh's territory was located in the heart of Canaan. It included cities such as Beth-shean, Ibleam, Dor, En-dor, Taanach, and Megiddo, along with their villages. However, the Manassites were unable to drive out the Canaanites from these cities completely.
Manasseh's territory also included the city of refuge, Golan, in the region of Bashan. This city was designated as a place of asylum for those who unintentionally caused the death of another person.
The territory of Manasseh is mentioned in the context of the conquest of Canaan, the division of the land among the tribes, and the establishment of cities of refuge. It is also noted in the description of the regions that remained loyal to the house of David during the reign of King Pekah of Israel.
Family
Parents
Partners
In Scripture
12 biblical books ; 6 with study contentGenesis 5 verses
- Genesis 41:51
"Joseph named the firstborn Manasseh, saying, “God has made me forget all my hardship and all my father’s household.”"
Study Genesis → - Genesis 46:20
"Manasseh and Ephraim were born to Joseph in the land of Egypt by Asenath daughter of Potiphera, priest of On."
Study Genesis → - Genesis 48:1
"Some time later Joseph was told, “Your father is ill.” So he set out with his two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim."
Study Genesis → - Genesis 48:5
"And now your two sons born to you in Egypt before I came to you here shall be reckoned as mine; Ephraim and Manasseh shall be mine, just as Reuben and Simeon are mine."
Study Genesis → - Genesis 48:13
"And Joseph took both of them—with Ephraim in his right hand toward Israel’s left hand, and Manasseh in his left hand toward Israel’s right hand—and brought them close to him."
Study Genesis →
Numbers 5 verses
- Numbers 1:10
"from the sons of Joseph: from Ephraim, Elishama son of Ammihud, and from Manasseh, Gamaliel son of Pedahzur;"
- Numbers 1:34
"And from the sons of Manasseh, according to the records of their clans and families, counting the names of all those twenty years of age or older who could serve in the army,"
- Numbers 1:35
"those registered to the tribe of Manasseh numbered 32,200."
- Numbers 2:20
"The tribe of Manasseh will be next to it. The leader of the Manassites is Gamaliel son of Pedahzur,"
- Numbers 7:54
"On the eighth day Gamaliel son of Pedahzur, the leader of the Manassites, drew near."
Deuteronomy 3 verses
- Deuteronomy 3:13
"To the half-tribe of Manasseh I gave the rest of Gilead and all of Bashan, the kingdom of Og. (The entire region of Argob, the whole territory of Bashan, used to be called the land of the Rephaim.)"
Study Deuteronomy → - Deuteronomy 33:17
"His majesty is like a firstborn bull, and his horns are like those of a wild ox. With them he will gore the nations, even to the ends of the earth. Such are the myriads of Ephraim, and such are the thousands of Manasseh.”"
Study Deuteronomy → - Deuteronomy 34:2
"all of Naphtali, the land of Ephraim and Manasseh, all the land of Judah as far as the Western Sea,"
Study Deuteronomy →
Joshua 5 verses
- Joshua 1:12
"But to the Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh, Joshua said,"
Study Joshua → - Joshua 4:12
"The Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh crossed over before the Israelites, armed for battle as Moses had instructed them."
Study Joshua → - Joshua 12:6
"Moses, the servant of the LORD, and the Israelites had struck them down and given their land as an inheritance to the Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh."
Study Joshua → - Joshua 13:7
"Now therefore divide this land as an inheritance to the nine tribes and the half-tribe of Manasseh.”"
Study Joshua → - Joshua 13:29
"This is what Moses had given to the clans of the half-tribe of Manasseh, that is, to half the tribe of the descendants of Manasseh:"
Study Joshua →
Names & Aliases
| Form | Language | Script | Transliteration | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Named | Hebrew | מְנַשֶּׁה | mĕnašeh | Menashsheh , a grandson of Jacob, also the tribe descended from him, and its territory |
| (same form as previous) | Hebrew | מְנַשֶּׁה | mĕnašeh | Menashsheh , a grandson of Jacob, also the tribe descended from him, and its territory |
| Group | Hebrew | מְנַשִּׁי | — | a Menashshite or descendant of Menashsheh |
| (same form as previous) | Hebrew | מְנַשִּׁי | — | a Menashshite or descendant of Menashsheh |
| Greek | Greek | Μανασσῆς | — | — |