Genesis 41:45

Zaphnath-paaneah. The name given Joseph by Pharaoh was long recognized as Egyptian, but its meaning was not known. However, the name has been discovered in an inscription of the later, Bubastid period (9th century B.C.), and was written in Egyptian Djed-pa-netjer-iuf-ankh, meaning, “The god speaks that he may live.” Joseph’s name must have referred to contemporary events, signifying that God had spoken through Pharaoh’s dream and Joseph’s interpretation and counsel, to preserve the lives of the king, of Joseph, and of all others as well.

Asenath. Joseph received not only an Egyptian name but also an Egyptian wife, a woman from one of the most eminent priestly families. Pharaoh apparently sought to increase Joseph’s honor and reputation by this marriage, as is evident from the fact that some of the kings themselves took their wives from priestly families.

Asenath means, “belonging to [the goddess] Neith.” Her father’s name is identical to that of Joseph’s former master (see on ch. 37:36), though a slight difference exists in the Hebrew transliteration of the names. However, the fact that both names are the same does not imply that the persons bearing them were identical also. Joseph’s former master was commander of the royal bodyguard, whereas his father-in-law was high priest of On, the city of the great sun temple, which was a few miles from Memphis on the eastern bank of the Nile. The Greeks later called this city Heliopolis. The sun temple of On and its priesthood wielded a strong influence on Egyptian religious life for many centuries, until the worship of Amen and later of Amen-Re of Thebes overshadowed the sun worship of Heliopolis, in the 15th and succeeding centuries. Joseph’s social position was tremendously strengthened by his marriage to a daughter of one of Egypt’s first families.

The marriage of Joseph to an Egyptian woman seems not to have weakened his allegiance to the God of his fathers. His sons, Ephraim and Manasseh, were apparently brought up in the Hebrew religion, since they were made heads of two tribes of Israel, and in this respect achieved equality with their uncles, the brothers of Joseph. Joseph’s strong loyalty to his God may even have been the means of converting his Egyptian wife. Moreover, it should not be forgotten that the hand of God by which he had been so highly exalted after deep humiliation, also preserved him in his lofty position of honor from sinking into the heathenism of Egypt.

What a change God had brought about in the life of Joseph! His fetters were exchanged for a chain of gold, the prisoner’s rags for fine linen, his cell for a chariot, and his jail for a palace. Potiphar’s slave had become his lord, and the clank of chains had given way to the exclamation, “Do homage!” Humility goes before honor; servitude and suffering were the stepping-stones to authority. How well was God’s faithful servant repaid for his loyalty and patience!