The name Manasseh means forget, as his father Joseph was forgetting his trouble in Egypt at the birth of this son. Americans, unlike nearly every other nation on earth, have no memory of their own history. This is why.
At the birth of Manasseh his father named him to mark the fact that the joy of having a son was causing him to forget his troubles in Egypt.
1 Genesis 41:51 51וַיִּקְרָ֥א יוֹסֵ֛ף אֶת־ שֵׁ֥ם הַבְּכ֖וֹר מְנַשֶּׁ֑ה כִּֽי־ נַשַּׁ֤נִי אֱלֹהִים֙ אֶת־ כָּל־ עֲמָלִ֔י וְאֵ֖ת כָּל־ בֵּ֥ית אָבִֽי׃ (WLC)
1 Genesis 41:51
1 Genesis 41:51 51And Joseph called the name of the firstborn Manasseh: For God, said he, hath made me forget all my toil, and all my fathers house. (KJV)
1 Genesis 41:51 51And Joseph called the name of the firstborn Manasseh: For God, said he, hath made me forget all my toil, and all my father's house. (KJV/NC)
1 Genesis 41:51 51And Joseph called the name of the first-born Manasseh: For, said he, God hath made me forget all my toil, and all my father's house. (ASV)
1 Genesis 41:51 51And Joseph called the name of his first-born Manasseh; For God, said he, has made me forget all my troubles, and all my father's house. (LAM)
1 Genesis 41:51 51Joseph called the name of the first-born Manas'seh, "For," he said, "God has made me forget all my hardship and all my father's house." (RSV)
1 Genesis 41:51 51Joseph named his firstborn Manasseh and said, "It is because God has made me forget all my trouble and all my father's household." (NIV)
1 Genesis 41:51 51Joseph called the name of the firstborn Manasseh, 'For,' he said, 'God has made me forget all my toil, and all my father's house.' (WEB)
1 Genesis 41:51 51Joseph called the name of the firstborn Manasseh, 'For,' he said, 'God has made me forget all my toil, and all my father's house.' (WEB/HNV)
1 Genesis 41:51 51And Joseph called the name of his firstborn Manasseh; For God, he said, has made me forget all my troubles, and all my father's house. (BRB)
The expression house when used in the personal sense means litterally family. Joseph was missing his family and the birth of this son was comforting him. In a national sense the word house implies nation. Americans are particularly inept at remembering their roots in other countries. Some families take special care to maintain contacts with family members in the "old country" but for most the focus is simply on the present state of the country.
There was a widespread attempt to disconnect families from roots in other countries. This happened even with the changes in the spelling of names and because of the great distances back to home nations across the oceans.
When I first share this material with groups I often get the objection that the nation has no history before the 1770s and cannot be a people group that is any older. This objection is yet another reflection of this false American belief about not having any roots anywhere earlier in history. God is in the business of raising the dead and he did so with this very ancient tribe, as old as any of the others recorded in the Bible.
The name "Forget" which is what Manasseh means has several specific uses that matter to tracking references to Manasseh in scripture. The best is an important reference that warns that when wealth accumulates we as people will forget what God has done.
5 Deuteronomy 6:6-12 6וְהָי֞וּ הַדְּבָרִ֣ים הָאֵ֗לֶּה אֲשֶׁ֨ר אָנֹכִ֧י מְצַוְּךָ֛ הַיּ֖וֹם עַל־ לְבָבֶֽךָ׃ 7וְשִׁנַּנְתָּ֣ם לְבָנֶ֔יךָ וְדִבַּרְתָּ֖ בָּ֑ם בְּשִׁבְתְּךָ֤ בְּבֵיתֶ֙ךָ֙ וּבְלֶכְתְּךָ֣ בַדֶּ֔רֶךְ וּֽבְשָׁכְבְּךָ֖ וּבְקוּמֶֽךָ׃ 8וּקְשַׁרְתָּ֥ם לְא֖וֹת עַל־ יָדֶ֑ךָ וְהָי֥וּ לְטֹטָפֹ֖ת בֵּ֥ין עֵינֶֽיךָ׃ 9וּכְתַבְתָּ֛ם עַל־ מְזוּזֹ֥ת בֵּיתֶ֖ךָ וּבִשְׁעָרֶֽיךָ׃
10וְהָיָ֞ה כִּ֥י יְבִיאֲךָ֣׀ יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֗יךָ אֶל־ הָאָ֜רֶץ אֲשֶׁ֨ר נִשְׁבַּ֧ע לַאֲבֹתֶ֛יךָ לְאַבְרָהָ֛ם לְיִצְחָ֥ק וּֽלְיַעֲקֹ֖ב לָ֣תֶת לָ֑ךְ עָרִ֛ים גְּדֹלֹ֥ת וְטֹבֹ֖ת אֲשֶׁ֥ר לֹא־ בָנִֽיתָ׃ 11וּבָ֨תִּ֜ים מְלֵאִ֣ים כָּל־ טוּב֮ אֲשֶׁ֣ר לֹא־ מִלֵּאתָ֒ וּבֹרֹ֤ת חֲצוּבִים֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר לֹא־ חָצַ֔בְתָּ כְּרָמִ֥ים וְזֵיתִ֖ים אֲשֶׁ֣ר לֹא־ נָטָ֑עְתָּ וְאָכַלְתָּ֖ וְשָׂבָֽעְתָּ׃ 12הִשָּׁ֣מֶר לְךָ֔ פֶּן־ תִּשְׁכַּ֖ח אֶת־ יְהוָ֑ה אֲשֶׁ֧ר הוֹצִֽיאֲךָ֛ מֵאֶ֥רֶץ מִצְרַ֖יִם מִבֵּ֥ית עֲבָדִֽים׃ (WLC)
5 Deuteronomy 6:6-12 6And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: 7And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up. 8And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand, and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes. 9And thou shalt write them upon the posts of thy house, and on thy gates. 10And it shall be, when the LORD thy God shall have brought thee into the land which he sware unto thy fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give thee great and goodly cities, which thou buildedst not, 11And houses full of all good things, which thou filledst not, and wells digged, which thou diggedst not, vineyards and olive trees, which thou plantedst not; when thou shalt have eaten and be full; 12Then beware lest thou forget the LORD, which brought thee forth out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage. (KJV)
5 Deuteronomy 6:6-12 6And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: 7And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up. 8And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand, and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes. 9And thou shalt write them upon the posts of thy house, and on thy gates. 10And it shall be, when the LORD thy God shall have brought thee into the land which he sware unto thy fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give thee great and goodly cities, which thou buildedst not, 11And houses full of all good things, which thou filledst not, and wells digged, which thou diggedst not, vineyards and olive trees, which thou plantedst not; when thou shalt have eaten and be full; 12Then beware lest thou forget the LORD, which brought thee forth out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage. (KJV/NC)
5 Deuteronomy 6:6-12 6And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be upon thy heart; 7and thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thy house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up. 8And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thy hand, and they shall be for frontlets between thine eyes. 9And thou shalt write them upon the door-posts of thy house, and upon thy gates.
10And it shall be, when Jehovah thy God shall bring thee into the land which he sware unto thy fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give thee, great and goodly cities, which thou buildest not, 11and houses full of all good things, which thou filledst not, and cisterns hewn out, which thou hewedst not, vineyards and olive-trees, which thou plantedst not, and thou shalt eat and be full; 12then beware lest thou forget Jehovah, who brought thee forth out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. (ASV)
5 Deuteronomy 6:6-12 6And these words which I command you this day shall be in your heart: 7And you shall repeat them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way and when you lie down and when you rise up. 8And you shall bind them for a sign upon your hand, and they shall be as a token between your eyes. 9And you shall write them upon the doorposts of your house and on your gates. 10And it shall be, when the LORD your God shall have brought you into the land which he swore to your fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give you great and goodly cities, which you did not build, 11And houses full of all good things, which you did not fill, and cisterns digged, which you did not dig, and vineyards and olive trees, which you did not plant; when you shall eat and be full; 12Then take heed lest you forget the LORD your God, who brought you forth out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage. (LAM)
5 Deuteronomy 6:6-12 6And these words which I command you this day shall be upon your heart; 7and you shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. 8And you shall bind them as a sign upon your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. 9And you shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.
10"And when the LORD your God brings you into the land which he swore to your fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give you, with great and goodly cities, which you did not build, 11and houses full of all good things, which you did not fill, and cisterns hewn out, which you did not hew, and vineyards and olive trees, which you did not plant, and when you eat and are full, 12then take heed lest you forget the LORD, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. (RSV)
5 Deuteronomy 6:6-12 6These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. 7Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. 8Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. 9Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.
10When the LORD your God brings you into the land he swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, to give you -- a land with large, flourishing cities you did not build, 11houses filled with all kinds of good things you did not provide, wells you did not dig, and vineyards and olive groves you did not plant -- then when you eat and are satisfied, 12be careful that you do not forget the LORD, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery.(NIV)
5 Deuteronomy 6:6-12 6These words, which I command you this day, shall be on your heart; 7and you shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise up. 8You shall bind them for a sign on your hand, and they shall be for symbols between your eyes. 9You shall write them on the door-posts of your house, and on your gates. 10It shall be, when Yahweh your God shall bring you into the land which he swore to your fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give you, great and goodly cities, which you didn't build, 11and houses full of all good things, which you didn't fill, and cisterns dug out, which you didn't dig, vineyards and olive trees, which you didn't plant, and you shall eat and be full; 12then beware lest you forget Yahweh, who brought you forth out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. (WEB)
5 Deuteronomy 6:6-12 6These words, which I command you this day, shall be on your heart; 7and you shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise up. 8You shall bind them for a sign on your hand, and they shall be for symbols between your eyes. 9You shall write them on the door posts of your house, and on your gates. 10It shall be, when the LORD your God shall bring you into the land which he swore to your fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give you, great and goodly cities, which you didn't build, 11and houses full of all good things, which you didn't fill, and cisterns dug out, which you didn't dig, vineyards and olive trees, which you didn't plant, and you shall eat and be full; 12then beware lest you forget the LORD, who brought you forth out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. (WEB/HNV)
5 Deuteronomy 6:6-12 6And these words which I command you this day will be in your heart; 7And you will repeat them diligently to your children, and will talk of them when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way and when you lie down and when you rise up. 8And you will bind them for a sign on your hand, and they will be as a token between your eyes. 9And you will write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates. 10And it will be, when Yahvah your God will have brought you into the land which he swore to your fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give you great and attractive cities, which you did not build, 11And houses full of all good things, which you did not fill, and cisterns dug, which you did not dig, and vineyards and olive trees, which you did not plant; when you will eat and be full; 12Then be careful lest you forget Yahvah your God, who brought you forth out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage. (BRB)