Interesting Facts

• Asenath (also spelled Osnath) was given by Pharaoh to be the wife of Joseph.
• She is identified as the daughter of Potipherah priest of On.
• One source specifies her father as Potiphera, the son of Ahiram priest of On.
• Another source identifies her as the daughter of Potiphar, the daughter of the priest of Heliopolis, the chief cook.
• She is described as a very comely virgin, one whom man had not known.

Genealogy

• Asenath (Osnath) was the daughter of Potipherah (or Potiphar).
• Her paternal grandfather is identified as Ahiram, a priest of On, according to one source.
• Her father, Potipherah/Potiphar, was a priest of On (Heliopolis), and in one account, the chief cook.
• She became the wife of Joseph.
• She bore Joseph two sons before the years of famine: Manasseh and Ephraim.

Historical Context

Asenath’s marriage to Joseph is a significant event within the narrative, reflecting the integration of Joseph into the highest levels of Egyptian society. Her father’s prominent position as a priest of On (Heliopolis), a major religious center, underscores the importance of this alliance. Pharaoh’s deliberate act of giving Asenath to Joseph as wife suggests a strategic move to legitimize Joseph’s authority and potentially gain favor with the powerful Egyptian priesthood. The description of Asenath as a comely virgin highlights the purity and suitability of this union from a cultural perspective. The birth of her sons, Manasseh and Ephraim, further solidified Joseph’s lineage within Egypt and his connection to the land during the prosperous years preceding the famine. Thus, Asenath’s role is intertwined with the political and social dynamics of Egypt during Joseph’s ascendance.

Narrative

Asenath’s narrative role is primarily defined by her marriage to Joseph and the birth of their children. She is introduced as the daughter of a prominent Egyptian priest, bestowed upon Joseph by Pharaoh himself. This act signifies Pharaoh’s high regard for Joseph and his intention to establish him firmly within Egyptian society. While the sources offer limited direct information about Asenath’s personal actions or dialogues, her marriage to Joseph was instrumental in founding his family in Egypt and providing him with heirs, Manasseh and Ephraim, who would later become significant figures in their own right. Her portrayal as a comely virgin emphasizes her suitability as the wife of a man who had risen to such a high position of power and influence. Therefore, Asenath’s significance in the narrative lies in her role as the Egyptian wife of Joseph, a union orchestrated by Pharaoh that played a crucial part in Joseph’s life and the unfolding events in Egypt.