KNOWN AS JOSEPH’S EGYPTIAN WIFE
Genesis 41:45-52; 46:20
IMAGINE: Being not much more than a political pawn for the king of Egypt. Growing up in a priestly, princess like atmosphere in Egypt only to be given in marriage to a Hebrew slave.
Joseph, Jacob’s favorite son, had been sold by his jealous brothers to the Ishmaelites for twenty pieces of silver when he was seventeen years old. The Ishmaelites took him to Egypt and sold him to Potiphar, an official of Pharaoh and the captain of the guard. (Gen. 37:18, 36). Joseph was in Egypt for thirteen years, part of which was spent in prison, when Pharaoh sent for him.
Then Pharaoh sent for Joseph,
and they quickly brought him from
the dungeon. He shaved, changed his
clothes, and went to Pharaoh.
Genesis 41:14
The culture and customs of the Egyptians and Hebrews were very different and the two had a great dislike and distrust of each other. It seems Joseph retained his Hebrew look for the thirteen years he had been in Egypt. Scripture states he shaved and changed his clothes. Hebrews were not clean shaven, whereas Egyptians shaved their heads and face. Hebrews wore woolen cloth and Egyptian apparel consisted of linen or cotton wrap-around skirts.
Pharaoh now had a need for Joseph to be in his service thus Joseph’s association with his past had to be severed.
Pharaoh gave Joseph the name
Zaphenath-paneah and gave him
a wife, Asenath daughter of
Potiphera, priest at On.
Genesis 41:45
Pharaoh gave Joseph an Egyptian name and an Egyptian wife after releasing him from prison because of his ability, even though Joseph gave God the credit, to interpret the king’s dreams. In this way he would Egyptianize Joseph, making it right with the people when he placed him in a position second only to Pharaoh, himself.
According to the interpretation of the dream, there was to be seven years of plenty and seven years of famine. After Joseph gives to Pharaoh a solution, so as to resolve the dreaded ravages of famine, the Egyptian name given to him means “savior”, “creator’, or “preserver of life”.
Along with a new name Joseph is given a wife when he entered the service of Pharaoh at thirty years of age. She was the daughter of Potiphera, priest at On, which was one of the most influential offices in the sacred city of the sun-worshipers of Egypt. Because of the agriculture’s crucial need for the sun, Ra was considered an extremely important god. The priests of Ra were a wealthy and politically important part of society.
The high priest of On, held the title of “greatest of seers.” Pharaoh, arranging this marriage, shows he considered Joseph a great “seer” since he was able to interpret Pharaoh’s dreams. These priests were considered knowledgeable of nature’s many secrets and with a great famine on the horizon Asenath could prove invaluable to Pharaoh’s second in command. Their marriage would completely assimilate Joseph with the priestly caste of sun worshipers and would place him in a social class befitting a national leader.
Asenath is indeed the daughter of a pagan priest and she is indeed given to Joseph as a wife, yet Scripture makes no judgment concerning this marriage. Joseph was given power, prestige and a wife which were all positive aspects of God’s plan for Israel. It was a must that he fit into the societal Egypt so as to save God’s people.
Nowhere is it recorded that she was a detriment of any kind to Joseph. She was actually given to him in a list of blessings Pharaoh bestowed on Joseph. Asenath was an Egyptian princess, aristocrat, probably literate and well educated.
Some have questioned why Joseph was allowed by God to have a pagan for a wife. In Genesis 10:13, 14 is listed the lineage of Mizraim, none of which are cursed according to Scripture. Mizraim settled in Egypt and North Africa and thus Asenath was more than likely one of these descendants of Ham, Noah’s son. Ham’s son Canaan was the one to receive the curse, not Ham himself. Joseph comes from the line of Seth, another of Noah’s sons.
It appears Asenath must not have originated from a people with whom intermarriage between the sons of Israel was prohibited by God’s law. By Asenath, Joseph’s first son is born and given the name Manasseh meaning “forget.” Now with a wife and son Joseph would be reminded of the ways God had healed him of his family’s rejection. Joseph is now experiencing God’s blessings in his life, including a release from the past hurts.
Asenath gives Joseph yet another son and he is named Ephraim meaning “fruitful.” It is interesting to note, that in spite of her past life under a pagan god and Joseph’s merge into the Egyptian way of life, both boys are given Hebrew names.
These two boys are grandchildren of Jacob (Israel). (Gen. 52:28). They are adopted by their grandfather thus making them part of the twelve tribes of Israel. Ephraim and Manasseh are considered one tribe – that of Joseph.
So Joseph made the Israelites
take an oath: “When God comes
to your aid, you are to carry
my bones up from here.”
Genesis 50:25
Interestingly, through all the years of suffering, living in and among the Egyptian’s pagan beliefs, and separation from his family and all he had been familiar with, Joseph still holds onto his faith and his God.
Scripture is silent as to when Asenath died or where she is buried. Nothing is mentioned about her bones being carried out of Egypt along with Joseph’s bones, thus being buried alongside him.
It also is not recorded as to Asenath’s reaction to her husband’s very large family as they arrived in Egypt during the severe famine in the land. It is unknown if she ever had knowledge concerning who Joseph’s family truly was and what and who they represented. She may never have known or understood her son’s importance in God’s program for His people.
Just as Asenath was, many today are part of a plan we have no knowledge of. What we can be assured of, God is still in control of the plan He has laid out for each one of His children’s lives in the here and now leading up to the hereafter.
Something to consider:
Accept what is,
let go of what was,
have faith in what will be.
BIBLICAL PEOPLE 