And Pharaoh called Joseph’s name Zaphnathpaaneah; and he gave him to wife Asenath the daughter of Potipherah priest of On. And Joseph went out over all the land of Egypt.
Pharaoh gave Joseph an Egyptian name, Zaphnath-paaneah, and arranged for him to marry Asenath, the daughter of Potiphera, who was a priest in the city of On. Then Joseph traveled throughout all of Egypt in his new position.
This verse shows Pharaoh fully establishing Joseph as an Egyptian leader by giving him an Egyptian name, an Egyptian wife, and authority over the entire land.
📚 Historical Context
In the biblical narrative of Genesis, Joseph had risen from being a slave and prisoner in Egypt to a high position after interpreting Pharaoh's dreams about seven years of abundance followed by seven years of famine. Pharaoh gave him the Egyptian name Zaphnathpaaneah, meaning something like "God speaks and lives," and married him to Asenath, the daughter of a priest in the city of On, to solidify his integration into Egyptian society and authority. This event highlights how God used Joseph's circumstances to prepare Egypt for the coming crisis.
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