Asenath
Pronounced AS-uh-nath
- Meaning
- "Belonging to the goddess Neith; Gift of the sun god"
- Origin
- Egyptian
Asenath was an Egyptian woman given to Joseph as a wife by Pharaoh after Joseph interpreted his dreams and rose to become second-in-command of Egypt. She was the daughter of Potiphera, priest of On (Heliopolis). Asenath became the mother of Manasseh and Ephraim — two sons who became heads of prominent Israelite tribes. Through marriage to Joseph, this Egyptian woman became part of the covenant family, and her descendants received territorial allotments in the Promised Land. Asenath's story parallels Ruth's and Rahab's — foreign women who were grafted into Israel's family and became ancestors of important tribal lines. Her inclusion demonstrates that God's covenant community was never exclusively ethnic but always open to those joined by providence.
Spiritual meaning
Asenath's integration into the covenant family shows that God draws people from every background into His story. Her sons' prominence proves that God transforms cultural outsiders into spiritual insiders.
Related verses (KJV)
"And Pharaoh called Joseph's name Zaphnathpaaneah; and he gave him to wife Asenath the daughter of Potipherah priest of On."
Genesis 41:45 (KJV) →"And unto Joseph in the land of Egypt were born Manasseh and Ephraim, which Asenath the daughter of Potipherah priest of On bare unto him."
Genesis 46:20 (KJV) →