And unto Joseph were born two sons before the years of famine came, which Asenath the daughter of Potipherah priest of On bare unto him.
Joseph had two sons before the years of famine began. Their mother was Asenath, the daughter of Potipherah, who was a priest in the city of On.
This verse tells us that Joseph started his family during the seven years of plenty, having two sons with his Egyptian wife before the difficult times of famine arrived.
📚 Historical Context
This takes place during Joseph's time as second-in-command in Egypt, after he interpreted Pharaoh's dreams about seven years of abundance followed by seven years of famine. Joseph had married Asenath, an Egyptian woman from a priestly family, as part of his integration into Egyptian society. The city of On (also called Heliopolis) was an important religious center in ancient Egypt.
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