How did Jesus sit on the donkey and her offspring on one time in Matthew 21:5-8? [9] . But Radak (Rabbi David Kimchi, Narbonne, France, ca. How old was Joseph when Potiphars wife tried to seduce him? 40 What's vodka made from? We sin against Gods honor by blaspheming God or perjuring ourselves. Dr. Alice C. Linsley Taken together, the biblical data indicat Asenath or Asnat combines two ancient Egyptian words: The Kushites are the Nilo-Saharan peoples who contributed their binary worldview to the ancient Afro-Asiatic world . Rashi, along the lines of earlier translators and commentators, draws on the Hebrew root tzadi-fei-nun, meaning "hidden," to explain that Joseph's Egyptian name means "one who explains the hidden," but he also readily admits that there is "nothing similar to 'paneah' in the Bible." Was John the Baptist conceived via an immaculate conception? Share Community answers are sorted based on votes. According to the opinion that they are two different people the question is easily answered - the Torah says that Potiphera was the priest of . Lost your password? gave [Joseph] Asenath daughter of Potiphera, priest of On, to be his wife." The priest of On led the worship of the Egyptian sun god. Potiphar is possibly the same name as Potiphera (Hebrew: ) from Late Egyptian p-dj-p-r "he whom Ra has given." Potiphar is the captain of Pharaoh's guard who is said to have purchased Joseph as a slave and, impressed by his intelligence, makes him the master of his household. Is Potiphar and potiphera the same person? When he married the daughter of Potiphera, the priest of On, Yosef became a member of a socially and politically prominent family. But the former title 'cook' may be . How do you give a first aid to a drowning person? a high-born, aristocratic Egyptian woman, the daughter of Potiphera, a priest of On. Potiphar, Pot'i-phar. This is (at the least) somewhat Biblically accurate. 45 And Pharaoh called Joseph's name Zaphenath-paneah. . He spent Potiphera's wife is powerful in terms of class and ethnic status, less so as a married woman, but she is dependent on male complicity in the transgressive sex act. . TimesMojo is a social question-and-answer website where you can get all the answers to your questions. Should the explanation in Genesis on how God created plants before the sun affect the understanding of creation? . . blessed be He, emasculated [Potiphar]. Is it the same person? When Joseph refused her advances, and ran off, leaving his outer vestment in her hands, she retaliated by falsely accusing him of trying to rape her, and Potiphar had Joseph imprisoned. Wherever Joseph was, God was at work in his life in ways Joseph could not have understood at the time. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc. When we last encountered our hero Joseph, he had been sold to traders from the pit his brothers threw him in, had been brought to Egypt as a slave, and had suffered greatly due to his supposedly salacious interactions with Potiphar's wife, all to end up moldering in an Egyptian jail. The positions of the two men were different and held different positions in the court of Pharaoh plus their names were spelt differently. Vote Up After Joseph's brothers sell him to the Midianites, they take him down to Egypt. Genesis 41:45 Genesis 39:1-20. Rashi, citing Sotah 13b, says that Poti-phera is Potiphar. Is Potiphar and potiphera the same person? See more. The line of tradition that might be the most readily coherent with the marriage patterns shown by your overall research on the "Ancestors of God" is the one that says Asenath was actually the daughter of Dinah, and because she was not wanted, she got sold into slavery in her youth, just like Joseph did. Joseph seeks protection from God who hears his prayer and turns aside their snares but Joseph is imprisoned notwithstanding his innocence. Required fields are marked *. ESV - Report. Why did Herod like to listen to John the Baptist, who criticized Herods lifestyle? That would mean that Asenath really was, according to blood, of the house of Jacob, even though the Scriptures say that she was daughter (adopted?) POTIPHAR. Best wishes from the AskTheRabbi.org Team, AskTheRabbi.org is a service ofthe Gateways Organization [year] The first sentence is correct as although "father's grandfather" and "grandfather's father" are referring to the same person but at the time of speaking/referring, they are the instances of a singleton personality. In Biblical Names the meaning of the name Asenath is: Peril, misfortune. Did Potiphars wife not only try to seduce him day by day, but perhaps even year by year? Pa-di-Para), "Whom P'Ra (sun-god) has given," and most authorities would consider Potiphar as an abbreviated form in Heb. Radak's point is quite valid, for it is hard to imagine any impetus for Pharaoh to have learned or utilized Hebrew pre-Joseph. Often you will find the interchangeable re with ra because the vowels are implied by the scribe. Anyway, this man was a priest, a man who honored pagan God's. Potiphar and Poti-Perah are definitely two different people. A good answer provides new insight and perspective. When he was castrated in his body, and they recognized it, and they called him "Potiphera," he was ashamed about the matter and he left his ministry, and took himself to a house of idol worship, and he became a priest for idol worship, for thus was the custom of the honored ones [to be castrated]. Is it the same person? They take this story out of context and use it as propaganda. Name of an Egyptian officer. Why didnt Abraham bargain with God when it came to Isaac being offered as a burnt offering like he did when it came to Sodom and Gomorrah? We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. When forty years of age, Joseph married a woman called Melcha or Escha by some, Salome by others; they lived forty-nine years together and had six children, two daughters and four sons, the youngest of whom was James (the Less, the Lords brother). 1 Are Pharaoh and Potiphar the same person? He was the father of Asenath, who was given to Joseph as his wife by Pharaoh, ( 41:45 . One can almost imagine Pharaoh seeing Joseph as a critical economic minister he needs to keep happy to ensure his country's continuity. pharaoh, (from Egyptian per aa, great house), originally, the royal palace in ancient Egypt. In Parshat Miketz, Genesis 41, the pharaoh gave Joseph the daughter of Potiphera, the priest of On, to marry. Is Potiphar and potiphera the same person? Potiphar's wife attempted to seduce Joseph. pot'-i-far (poTiphar; compare Egyptian Potiphera (Genesis 39:1 f)): A high Egyptian official who became the master of Joseph. an apologist for the Anglican Way of Christianity. Share The story of Zuleika, wife of Potiphar (q.v. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. They fail to recognize that most of the women named in the Bible are the daughters of ruler-priests and women of high status and influence. Potiphera . What is the difference between the LORD'S face and His countenance in Numbers 6:24-27, which is known as the "priest's blessing"? Joseph's experience in the house of Potiphar was both rewarding and disappointing. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. His name means he whom Ra has given. And the commentators who interpreted that this is the sacred tongue [Hebrew], it is a wonder how Pharaoh could have called [him] by a name in the sacred tongue! 264277; Revised Edition, pp. Matthew Miller Potiphar's wife also seems to be owned by Potiphar. 'On' was another name for Heliopolis, which was the religious centre of Ra, the god representing the sun. Potiphera was a priest of Ra (the Egyptian god of the sun) who was based in On (also known as Heliopolis). Did Joseph of Egypt have more than one wife? Potiphar's wife attempted to seduce Joseph. Zulaika is the name given to the wife of Potiphar in Jewish and Muslim scripture. I have an issue I'd like to resolve from chapters 19 to 21 concerning the rape and murder of the Levite's concubine. (He is known as Potipherah in the KJV, Poti-Pherah in the NKJV and Potiphera in the NIV.) According to the documentary hypothesis, the story of Potiphar and his wife is credited to the Yahwist source, and stands in the same place that the stories of the butler and the baker and Pharaoh's dreams stand in the Elohist text. In 2Kg 20:18 and Is 38:7, the word is translated as "eunuch"; and it . How can Jesus be both God and man at the same time? First, we can grapple with a few potential readings of Joseph's newly bestowed Egyptian name, Zaphenath-paneah. Azeez's wife declares her purpose to imprison Joseph unless he yield to her solicitations. Some scholars think this could be the same person as Potiphar. Was Joseph wrong to marry the daughter of a pagan priest (Genesis 41)? (Founded 21 March 2007). The rabbis recognized that the names "Potiphar" and "Potiphera" were related names of an Egyptian priest without providing any specific reference to the Egyptian god he served. How is Zygospore different from the Sporangiophore in fungi? POTIPHAR.Gen 39:1-23, a high Egyptian official in the story of Joseph. The traditions that trace Asenath to the family of Jacob relate that she was the daughter born to Dinah following her rape by Shechem son of Hamor. ( Ge 37:36; 39:4) Potiphar purchased Joseph from the traveling Midianite merchants and, observing what a good servant Joseph was . see) or an unsuccessful attempt to form an Egyptian name on the same lines. What would be some verses from the Bible to save a marriage? Playing on the similarity between ufeir'o ("mutilated him") and the last two syllables of Potiphera, the Talmud crafts a bizarre tale that serves two narrative purposes: first, it portrays Potiphar as a sexual predator, thus recasting the entire interaction between Potiphar's wife and Joseph in Genesis 39. However, we have to admit that we are speculating. Is it easy to get an internship at Microsoft? How many blood transfusions can a person have? So Joseph went out over the land of Egypt. The consent submitted will only be used for data processing originating from this website. The higher the vote, the further up an answer is. . The above text . The Pharaoh is said to have given Joseph, Asenath daughter of Potiphera, priest of On, as his wife. Did Joseph marry Potiphar's daughter? What happens to atoms during chemical reaction? Another tradition identifies Keturah with Hagar, and thus Abraham married only twice. Vote Up Report Unfortunately, Potiphar's wife, who was known for her infidelities, took a liking to Joseph, and attempted to seduce him. Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features. 'he whom Ra gave'[1]) is a figure in the Hebrew Bible and the Quran. The names Potiphar and Potiphera can be viewed as being one and the same, as Egyptian writing does not always indicate vowels. (biblical) An Egyptian and captain of the guard under Pharaoh. Joseph and Asenath. Joseph is not the only one of our ancestors to engage in an exogamous marriage; indeed, this kind of union can be a successful way to bring people into our group. The African wife of Potiphar is very active for a woman who appears only in a chapter of the book of Genesis. What is known of Potiphar after that is unclear; some sources identify him as Potipherah, an Egyptian priest whose daughter, Asenath, marries Joseph. This is your one-stop encyclopedia that has numerous frequently asked questions answered. However, I will be Zaphnath-Paaneah (Biblical Hebrew: fna Pana, LXX: Psonthomphanch) is the name given by Pharaoh to Joseph in the Genesis narrative (Genesis 41:45). This is clear from Potiphera (Egyp. Home | About | Contact | Copyright | Privacy | Cookie Policy | Terms & Conditions | Sitemap. Alice C. Linsley. When those around him see what has happened, they give him a mocking title with what sounds like a more feminine Hebrew ending, reflecting his newfound lack of male sexuality. Two of Joseph's brothers . Sounds intriguing. The universally acceptable interpretation of Potiphera is that it is from the Egyptian Pa-di-Pre, "the gift of the (god) Re," a well-known type of name (Pa-di-DEITY), and in fact attested just once on a stela in Cairo Museum, attributed to the 21st Dynasty (=ca. Feminism is grounded on the principle that women are universally oppressed by the dominant male hierarchy. A modern interpretation might say, "He is God's gift.". Everything we know about Saint Joseph, the husband of Mary and the foster father of Jesus, comes from the Bible, and mentions of him are underwhelming. This Hannukah, let's celebrate our freedom by recognizing that remaining true to ourselves and engaging in our communities doesn't have to be an either/or choice. Our team has collected thousands of questions that people keep asking in forums, blogs and in Google . The peasants were ignored or killed if they resisted. She gives birth to two sons, Ephraim and Manasseh. [3], Joseph and Potiphar's Wife by Ludovico Cigoli, Guercino, Joseph and Potiphar's Wife, 1649, Joseph and Potiphar's Wife by Bartolom Esteban Perez Murillo, Joseph and Potiphar's Wife by Jean-Baptiste Nattier, Joseph and Potiphar's Wife, by Guido Reni 1631, Joseph and Potiphar's Wife by Rembrandt, 1634. - 100 Bible Stories It has been suggested that Potipherah was a prince, not only a priest. 39 Now Joseph was taken down to Egypt, and Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh, the captain of the guard, an Egyptian, bought him from the Ishmaelites wh Genesis 41:50 And unto Joseph were born two sons before the year of famine came, whom Asenath, the daughter of Potiphera priest of On, bare unto him. Answer (1 of 7): This is an interesting question. Midrashic sources identify Potiphera as none other than Potiphar, Joseph's previous master.4. In another early text, The History of Joseph the Carpenter, which was composed in Egypt between the 6th and 7th centuries, Christ himself tells the story of his step-father, claiming Joseph was 90 years old when he married Mary and died at 111. Who is potiphera in the In the Book of Jubilees, she is said to be given to Joseph to marry by Pharaoh, a daughter of Potiphar, a high priest of Heliopolis, with no clarification as to whether or not this Potiphar is the same Potiphar whose wife falsely accused Joseph of attempting to rape her. The 13 New Testament books written by Paul (the epistles) make no reference to him at all, nor does the Gospel of Mark, the first of the Gospels. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License; additional terms may apply.See Wiktionary Terms of Use for details. What is notable is the degree to which Joseph becomes an assimilated Egyptian in the process. An Egyptian court official and chief of Pharaoh's bodyguard. Should the explanation in Genesis on how God created plants before the sun affect the understanding of creation? When Joseph refused her advances, and ran off, leaving his outer vestment in her hands, she retaliated by falsely accusing him of trying to rape her, and Potiphar had Joseph imprisoned. What is the difference between a tunic and a cloak? What is the difference between discernment and judgment? In this quotation, al-abari understands the word al-Azz as the king, which gives the same impression of a mighty person, . The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other. The majority opinion follows Rashi, and there are several sources in the Midrashic texts that seem to back up Rashis opinion. Potiphar seems to be entitled 'chief cook' (EV [Note: English Version.] When Joseph refused her advances, and ran off, leaving his outer vestment in her hands, she retaliated by falsely accusing him of trying to rape her, and Potiphar had Joseph imprisoned. Clarify Earth's history. A second issue in our verse is the role of matchmaker the Torah assigns to Pharaoh. According to BDB Theological Dictionary Potiphar is an abbreviation of Potiphera. Poti-phera (3 Occurrences). After Joseph correctly interpreted Pharaoh's dreams, one of the ways in which Pharaoh rewarded Joseph was by giving him Potiphera's daughter Asenath as his wife, as noted in Genesis 41:45. This issue came up from a discussion on an atheist blog. I make no apology for being an Anglican Traditionalist. The text isn't clear and the Rabbis don't agree. ), and a priest of On as well. Poti-Pherah means he whom Ra (the sun God) gave. "It seems possible that the process of translation triggers speculation about Aseneth that the original Hebrew did not" (Kraemer, When, p.314). 4 What happens to Joseph and Potiphars relationship? Why did Jesus associate with disreputable people? His eyesight has been affected and his left my: Tracing the Hand of Moses in Genesis Not the best moment in his life, one must imagine. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. In this reading, Joseph is nothing but . See e.g. Hebrew: . Still, our speculation is based on verifiable patterns in Genesis.Also, you are lifting up something that many Americans don't understand about slavery in the ancient world. If Potiphar and Poti-phera were the same person, then either (a) the same man was both captain of the guard for Paro and a priest, or (b) he was one and then became the other later. Asenath is mentioned in the Torah she-bi-khetav: Lit. H e lived in Egypt, and his daughter Asenath became Joseph's wife (Gen. 41:45). In the Bible, Pharaoh honors Joseph by giving him as a wife Asenath, the daughter of Potiphera, priest from the city of On (LXX: Heliopolis; Gen 41:45). The word came to be used metonymically for the Egyptian king under the New Kingdom (starting in the 18th dynasty, 15391292 bce), and by the 22nd dynasty (c. Egypt was continually governed, at least in part, by native pharaohs for approximately 2500 years, until it was conquered by the Kingdom of Kush in the late 8th century BC, whose rulers adopted the traditional pharaonic titulature for themselves. His name in Hebrew is a shortened version of Potiphera, which means "he whom Ra gave.". I read one commentary, which says yes, (including Rashi) and another, which says no. I love what you have written. As a result of Potiphar's inappropriate male actions toward Joseph, the angel Gabriel castrated him as an act of divine justice, rendering him unable to continue such predatory activities. Pharaoh gave Asenath to Joseph for a wife. Vote Up Second, this reading explains the similarity between the names Potiphar and Potiphera, something the Torah never explicitly addresses. Who is this Mark in Colossians 4? Posted on January 17, 2022 by Claude Mariottini. An example of data being processed may be a unique identifier stored in a cookie. His father loved him more than any of the others and gave him a coloured cloak. Share 1160-1235) rejects such a reading in no uncertain terms: This is the Egyptian language, just as Nebuchadnezzar called Daniel and his associates by a name in the Aramaic language. Asenath In Genesis 37 Joseph is seventeen years of age; when he gets out of prison in 41,30 he is thirty years old. Father Abraham, justified by faith, saw the promise of the Son to come and believed! What would be some verses from the Bible to save a marriage? His brothers were jealous of him and sold him into slavery. Things are certainly starting to look up. This precise situation is described by the Babylonian Talmud, Sotah 13b: And Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh's, bought him [Joseph]. Joseph and Asenath had two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim, both born during the seven years of plenty. If you would like to change your settings or withdraw consent at any time, the link to do so is in our privacy policy accessible from our home page.. (Mark 2:15). What is notable is the degree to which Joseph becomes an assimilated Egyptian in the process.