Lexical Summary Asenath: Asenath Original Word: אֱסְנַת Strong's Exhaustive Concordance Asenath Of Egyptian derivation; Asenath, the wife of Joseph -- Asenath. NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originof foreign origin Definition perhaps "belonging to Neith," the wife of Joseph NASB Translation Asenath (3). Brown-Driver-Briggs אָֽסְנַת proper name, feminine wife of Joseph (ᵐ5 Ἀσεννεθ, ᵐ5L Ἀσσενεθ; Egyptian, = belonging to (goddess) Neith (Thes); CookSpeaker's Comm. i. 479 proposes either As-Neit, favourite of Neith, or < Isis-Neit) Genesis 41:45,50; Genesis 46:20. Topical Lexicon Biblical OccurrencesGenesis 41:45, Genesis 41:50, and Genesis 46:20 present Asenath as the daughter of Potiphera, priest of On, and the wife of Joseph. She is thereby introduced into the patriarchal narrative at a decisive moment: Joseph’s exaltation in Egypt. “Pharaoh gave Joseph the name Zaphenath-paneah and gave him Asenath daughter of Potiphera, priest of On, as his wife” (Genesis 41:45). Historical Setting On (Heliopolis) was the premier center of solar worship in Egypt. Its priestly families held great influence, so Pharaoh’s gift of a priest’s daughter to Joseph publicly affirmed Joseph’s newly granted authority. The alliance also demonstrated Egypt’s recognition of the God-given wisdom in Joseph, even while formal Egyptian religion remained idolatrous. Marital Alliance with Joseph Joseph accepted the marriage without relinquishing covenant loyalty to the God of his fathers. The naming of his sons with explicitly theistic Hebrew names—Manasseh (“For God has made me forget all my hardship,” Genesis 41:51) and Ephraim (“For God has made me fruitful in the land of my affliction,” Genesis 41:52)—indicates that the household was oriented to the LORD rather than to the deities of On. Thus Asenath, though Egyptian by birth, became part of a household that honored the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Mother of Manasseh and Ephraim Through Asenath the tribes of Manasseh and Ephraim trace maternal lineage to Egypt. Jacob later adopted both boys as his own, granting them tribal status equal to Reuben and Simeon (Genesis 48:5). Consequently, half of Israel’s tribal structure descends from a mother of Gentile origin, highlighting divine sovereignty in choosing unexpected vessels to advance redemptive history. Bridge Between Israel and the Nations Asenath embodies an early scriptural pattern: Gentiles brought into covenant blessing through union with an Israelite. Like Rahab and Ruth after her, Asenath foreshadows the inclusion of the nations in the promised Seed. Her account anticipates prophetic declarations such as Isaiah 19:24–25, where Egypt itself is called “My people,” and finds ultimate fulfillment in passages such as Ephesians 2:11–22, where Jew and Gentile are made one in Christ. Role in Tribal Inheritance The Josephite tribes inherited extensive territories in Canaan (Joshua 16–17). Their strategic central location and later prominence under leaders like Joshua (an Ephraimite) and Gideon (from Manasseh) trace back to Asenath’s motherhood. Through her, Egyptian influence indirectly touched Israel’s demographic and geopolitical development, yet God preserved covenant purity by faith rather than bloodline. Later Jewish and Christian Traditions The non-canonical “Joseph and Asenath” (second-temple Jewish fiction) portrays her renouncing idolatry and converting to the worship of the one true God. While not Scripture, the narrative reflects early recognition that her marriage necessitated genuine faith. Church Fathers occasionally cited the account as a symbol of the Church’s Gentile conversion. These traditions, though speculative, underscore themes already implicit in Genesis. Christological and Missional Implications 1. Typology of Inclusion: Joseph, exalted to the right hand of power and given a Gentile bride, prefigures Christ, exalted to the Father’s right hand and calling the Church—largely Gentile—to Himself (Acts 15:14). Practical Lessons for Believers • God’s redemptive purposes are not thwarted by cultural or ethnic boundaries; He weaves them into His plan. Summary Asenath stands at the crossroads of Egyptian nobility and Israel’s patriarchal line. Through her, two tribes emerged that would shape Israel’s history, and through her union with Joseph, Scripture previews the inclusion of the nations in God’s saving plan. Her brief but significant appearance in Genesis thus enriches the biblical testimony to God’s unchanging resolve to bless all families of the earth through the seed of Abraham. Forms and Transliterations אָֽסְנַ֔ת אָֽסְנַ֗ת אסנת ’ā·sə·naṯ ’āsənaṯ aseNatLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Genesis 41:45 HEB: ל֣וֹ אֶת־ אָֽסְנַ֗ת בַּת־ פּ֥וֹטִי NAS: and he gave him Asenath, the daughter KJV: him to wife Asenath the daughter INT: Zaphenath-paneah gave Asenath the daughter of Potiphera Genesis 41:50 Genesis 46:20 3 Occurrences |
    |