. What happened to Potiphar after that is unclear; some sources identify him as Potipherah, an Egyptian priest whose daughter, Asenath, marries Joseph. Vote Up (Mark 2:15). "the written Torah."The Bible; the Pentateuch; Tanakh (the Pentateuch, Prophets and Hagiographia) Torah as "the daughter of Poti-phera" (Gen. 41:45), who was married to Joseph in Egypt. How did Jesus sit on the donkey and her offspring on one time in Matthew 21:5-8? Proper noun. There is no definitive answer to your question! An Egyptian court official and chief of Pharaoh's bodyguard. Potiphar definition, the Egyptian officer whose wife tried to seduce Joseph. What . Asenath is mentioned in the Torah she-bi-khetav: Lit. Azeez believes Joseph and condemns his wife. Potiphera. Potiphar is only mentioned in 2 chapters in Genesis. The Lord is still with Joseph, and the prison's commander puts him in charge. Potiphar seems to be entitled 'chief cook' (EV [Note: English Version.] Joseph and Potiphar: The Named, the Neutered, and the Neutralized, Dr. Panken's excellent commentary on the naming, neutering, and neutralizing of Joseph's father-in-law Potiphar opens the door for us to ask, what becomes of Joseph with. Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet. What is the story of Joseph and his brothers. 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. A reader has asked whether Potiphar and Potifera might be the same person. Does God gives us political leaders or do we vote them by choice? A reader has asked whether Potiphar and Potifera might be the same person. I love what you have written. Potipherah /ptfr/ was a priest of the ancient Egyptian town of On, mentioned in the Genesis 41:45 and 41:50. The names Potiphar and Potiphera are very similar. [2] The false accusation by Potiphar's wife plays an important role in Joseph's narrative, because had he not been imprisoned, he would not have met the fellow prisoner who introduced him to Pharaoh. 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"? But if Joseph's story teaches us anything, it is the beauty of resilience and the way life turns unexpectedly. What is the difference between a tunic and a cloak? Josephus, Philo and many rabbinical passages concur that the two men were distinct. The names Potiphar and Potiphera can be viewed as being one and the same, as Egyptian writing does not always indicate vowels. Second, this reading explains the similarity between the names Potiphar and Potiphera, something the Torah never explicitly addresses. . Rashi subscribes to that opinion, and he explains why the name is slightly different in verse 45. Sethite Hebrew priest of Nekheb on the Nile with authority over the palace. pot'-i-far (poTiphar; compare Egyptian Potiphera (Genesis 39:1 f)): A high Egyptian official who became the master of Joseph. The sefer here in his discussion of the name Potiphera says that there is a dispute amongst the Rabbis whether Potiphar (Bereishis/Genesis 39,1), the chief executioner of Pharaoh, and Potiphera are the same person or not.. Analysis of the marriage and ascendancy structure of Abraham's Horite people reveals that the rulers had two wives. 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. His brothers were jealous of him and sold him into slavery. Also Known As: "Potifera", "Poti-phera", "Potiphera" Birthdate: estimated before . Clarify His name possibly indicates the same figure as Potiphera (Hebrew: ). Potiphar, Son of Horus. Who is Potiphar? Joseph's marriage to his daughter seems to go against the Old Testament directive not to intermarry with pagans (Deuteronomy 7:3; Nehemiah 13:27). 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. A second issue in our verse is the role of matchmaker the Torah assigns to Pharaoh. After Joseph's brothers sell him to the Midianites, they take him down to Egypt. 31 When should weight be measured? But Radak (Rabbi David Kimchi, Narbonne, France, ca. Potiphar's wife, who was known for her infidelities, took a liking to Joseph, and attempted to seduce him. The Eastern Orthodox Church, which names Josephs first wife as Salome, holds that Joseph was a widower and betrothed to Mary, and that references to Jesus brothers were children of Joseph from a previous marriage. Two of Joseph's brothers . 40 Is potiphar and potiphera the same person? Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. He was Joseph's master for a time and, it appears, was a man of wealth. Please ensure your answer MEETS all our guidelines. Was John the Baptist conceived via an immaculate conception? Genesis 37:36 I was also going on a hunch about the LXX, which appears not to distinguish between the two names. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); 2012-2023 On Secret Hunt - All Rights Reserved The story is first related in Quran 12:21-35: An Egyptian purchases Joseph and proposes to adopt him. Is Potiphar and potiphera the same person? On, the equivalent of the Greek Heliopolis, neighboring the Eastern Delta or Goshen, later the site of the Hebrews' settlement, was the center of sun worship. Family tree. see) or an unsuccessful attempt to form an Egyptian name on the same lines. He was responsible for the personal protection of the Egyptian King, his family and court; as well as presiding over the Royal Prison. 26 How does bunkering work? Share At one time, Joseph was assumed to be elderly when he married Mary. 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. What uses graphics or pictures to help the user navigate and access programs? He names his firstborn son Manasseh (Genesis 41:51) to thank God for helping him forget the troubles of his past; he is physically unrecognizable to his brothers (42:8), perhaps because he may look like an Egyptian; and he swears by Pharaoh (42:15), who is not only his boss, but also an Egyptian deity. also known as: Potipherah. The view that the names Potiphar and Potiphera refer to men of high rank is supported by the stela of Potiphera in Cairo Museum. Others explain that the fact that the Torah uses two different names indicates that they are two different people. Further support for my reading of the narrative of Joseph and Potiphar's wife comes when we set this story alongside the narrative that precedes it that of Judah . Rashi: Potiphera - This is Potiphar, and he is called Potiphera because he was castrated, since he bought Joseph to sleep with him. The nobles among conquered peoples had greater skills, education, connections, etc. Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License; The supreme ruler of ancient Egypt; a formal address for the sovereign seat of power as personified by the 'king' in an institutional role of Horus son of Osiris; often used by metonymy for Ancient Egyptian sovereignty. , VAYESHEV It was mostly high-ranking people who were slaves. His eyesight has been affected and his left Pleasecontact the AskTheRabbi Support team. She is the subject of many verbs and they are unusual ones for a female biblical character. 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. The Rabbis found it difficult to accept that Joseph, who withstood the wiles of Potiphar's wife and proclaimed his loyalty to the Lord in the palace . What happens to Joseph and Potiphar's relationship? Who was Joseph's boss? Get our Question of the Week delivered right to your inbox! 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. Second, God calls His people to live . Potiphere and Potiphere are the same person. 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 . (Some people seem to think that Potiphera is the same man as Potiphar, but others think that they are completely different men with similar names. Some of our partners may process your data as a part of their legitimate business interest without asking for consent. 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.. Who is Ben Hur in the movie produced in 1959? He names his firstborn son Manasseh (Genesis 41:51) to thank God for helping him forget the troubles of his past; he is physically unrecognizable to his brothers (42:8), perhaps because he may look like an Egyptian; and he swears by Pharaoh (42:15), who is not only his boss, but also an Egyptian deity. As for Jesus, he was probably somewhere between 12 and 19 years old when Joseph of Nazareth died. Asenath means 'belonging to (goddess) Neith.' Potiphera was priest of On, one of the most influential offices in Egypt. Joseph seeks protection from God who hears his prayer and turns aside their snares but Joseph is imprisoned notwithstanding his innocence. Potiphar bought Joseph as a slave. Why did Herod like to listen to John the Baptist, who criticized Herods lifestyle? Potiphars titles, servant of Pharaoh and chief of the cooks, while not Egyptian in themselves, may well be Hebrew translations of two Egyptian titles. There are several remarkable features to this verse, creating a veritable field day for commentators and authors willing to take up the cudgel. 2 responses Potipherah was the priest of On and Joseph ended up marrying his daughter Asenath. She was Potiphera's daughter. ( Ge 37:36; 39:4) Potiphar purchased Joseph from the traveling Midianite merchants and, observing what a good servant Joseph was . In 2Kg 20:18 and Is 38:7, the word is translated as "eunuch"; and it . With the Torah's focus on family dynamics, it is rather odd that we learn, then, of Joseph's marriage in one short and strange verse (Genesis 41:45): Pharaoh called Joseph Zaphenath-paneah and gave him Asenath daughter of Potiphera priest of On, as a wife; thus Joseph came to be in charge of the land of Egypt. When Joseph refused her advances, and ran off, leaving his outer vestment . Hebrew: . For example, here is the verse at Genesis 39:1; 'As for Joseph, he was brought down to Egypt, and Potiphar, a court official of Pharao. It's a site that collects all the most frequently asked questions and answers, so you don't have to spend hours on searching anywhere else. They may or may not be the same person. Potiphar, Pot'i-phar. Is Potiphar and potiphera the same person? Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Potiphar&oldid=1142124452, Short description is different from Wikidata, Articles containing Ancient Egyptian-language text, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, In art the subject is one of the most commonly shown in the, This page was last edited on 28 February 2023, at 17:07. Potiphera was a priest of Ra (the Egyptian god of the sun) who was based in On (also known as Heliopolis). We could learn a lesson about the mysteries of how the world works. Our experts have done a research to get . He was the father of Asenath, who was given to Joseph as his wife by Pharaoh, (41:45) and who bore Joseph two sons: Manasseh and Ephraim. Amram married his aunt, Jochebed, the sister of his father Kehath. What is known of Potiphar after that is unclear; some sources identify him as Potipherah, an Egyptian priest whose daughter, Asenath, marries Joseph. He was Joseph's master for a time and, it appears, was a man of wealth. 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?) He is supposed by some to have been the same "captain of the guard" who promoted Joseph in prison, Genesis 37:36; 39:23. What is the story of Joseph and Potiphar? (deceased) family tree on Geni, with over 230 million profiles of ancestors and living relatives. Another tradition identifies Keturah with Hagar, and thus Abraham married only twice. A good answer provides new insight and perspective. [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. Earth's history. The Spanish authority Ramban (Nachmanides, 1194-1270), expands on Rashi and the Talmudic interpretation: And I say that according to the words of our Rabbis, Potiphar was a minister to Pharaoh. The consent submitted will only be used for data processing originating from this website. This is the single extra-Biblical occurance of the name. Further, the grandfather's father instance is older than father's grandfather( considering the natural timeline). The above text . it is clear that Potiphar was a powerful person . This is (at the least) somewhat Biblically accurate. 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). In the Old Testament she is described simply as Potiphars wife, her name being given only in the Koran. In Biblical Names the meaning of the name Potiphar is: Bull of Africa, a fat bull. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. . Potiphar. Pa-di-Para), "Whom P'Ra (sun-god) has given," and most authorities would consider Potiphar as an abbreviated form in Heb. Dr. Alice C. Linsley Who is this Mark in Colossians 4? So, "If it walks like a duck, and quacks like a duck . Are Pharaoh and Potiphar the same person? 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]. . This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. All answers are REVIEWED and MODERATED. 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. His father loved him more than any of the others and gave him a coloured cloak. O Bellinzona, Switzerland is a place of extraordinary beauty. NIV - If so, both the captain of the guard and the high priest of Heliopolis bore the same name, but would not be the same person. . The Second Commandment is: You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain (Deuteronomy 5:11; Exodus 20:7). What would be some verses from the Bible to save a marriage? . What is the difference between discernment and judgment? Wherever Joseph was, God was at work in his life in ways Joseph could not have understood at the time. 'On' was another name for Heliopolis, which was the religious centre of Ra, the god representing the sun. For Joseph to refuse Potiphar's wife was for him to honour his owner Potipharand to dishonour God, his true master. There remain Potiphar and Potiphera. The founder of this blog, Ed Lundwall, is recovering from Covid. 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. Josephs Egyptian wife. Justice is achieved as the commentators name, neuter, and then neutralize Potiphar, bringing the entire sordid ordeal to an end, and ensuring that Joseph is set up for success in his career in Egyptian government. He is the maternal grandfather of the Israelite patriarchs Manasseh and Ephraim. I read one commentary, which says yes, (including Rashi) and another, which says no. What is the difference between a sign and a wonder? And he gave him in marriage Asenath, the daughter of Potiphera priest of On. Rabbi Joshua B. Liefis the senior rabbi at Congregation Ahavath Chesed - The Temple in Jacksonville, Florida. Such a fantastic accusation on Rashi's part is surely surprising, but he comes by it honestly. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Asenath (He is known as Potipherah in the KJV, Poti-Pherah in the NKJV and Potiphera in the NIV.) Poti-phera (3 Occurrences). The cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. Welcome to Sharing Culture! Where did the names Potiphar and Potiphera come from? There are no Hebrew words that come close to it. Potiphar and His Wife. Should the explanation in Genesis on how God created plants before the sun affect the understanding of creation? The Book of Abraham, included in the Pearl of Great Price, one of the standard works of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) and by churches of the Latter Day Saint movement, refers to a Potiphar`s Hill in Egypt (Abraham 1:10, 20).
