Manasseh, a figure of scriptural significance, is recognized in the Book of Mormon as the eldest son of Joseph, who was sold into Egypt, and Asenath (Alma 10:3). Bestowed with the birthright, traditionally due to the eldest son, by his grandfather Jacob, Manasseh became the progenitor of one of the twelve tribes of Israel. The blessing given by Jacob to Manasseh predicted that his descendants would become a prominent people (Genesis 48:1-20).
The tribe named after Manasseh received its inheritance in the Promised Land both to the west and east of the Jordan River, indicating the breadth and importance of his lineage. In the context of the Book of Mormon narrative, Manasseh’s significance is further illuminated as the ancestor of Lehi, the prophet who led his family from Jerusalem to the Promised Land. This migration fulfilled the ancient prophecy delivered by Jacob about a “fruitful bough” extending “over the wall” (1 Nephi 5:14). As such, Manasseh’s heritage played a crucial role in the establishment of the Nephites in the Promised Land, a people who considered themselves a branch of the house of Israel, severed and transplanted from their ancestral homeland.
Additionally, Manasseh and his brother Ephraim represent the divided kingdoms of Israel, as noted in the Book of Mormon’s citation of Isaiah, where both tribes are perceived to be against Judah, an allusion to the historical tensions between the tribes and an expression of the sorrow the strife incurred in the eyes of the Lord (2 Nephi 19:21). Despite this strife, the Lord’s readiness to forgive and reunite the tribes is affirmed with the words: “For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still” (2 Nephi 15:25).
Through the lens of Latter-day Saint theology, Manasseh’s lineage extends beyond the ancient borders of Israel to the gathering of the covenant people in the latter days, as Manasseh, along with Ephraim, was foretold to push or gather the people to the ends of the earth (Deuteronomy 33:17). This understanding aligns with the description of the Nephite record, also known as the “stick of Joseph,” as part of a larger prophecy that includes both the Bible and the Book of Mormon (Ezekiel 37:15-19; 2 Nephi 3:12; Doctrine and Covenants 27:5). Manasseh’s legacy, therefore, extends from the ancient patriarchs through historical migrations to the eschatological gatherings of the modern era, anchoring a pivotal role in the unfolding plan of salvation as outlined in Latter-day Saint scripture.