Joseph and AsenathJoseph meets Asenath (1490s [3]painting)
There are two Rabbinic approaches to Asenath. One holds that she was an Egyptian woman that converted to marry Joseph. This view has her accepting God before marriage and then raising her two sons in the tenets of Judaism. This presents her as a positive example of conversion to Judaism and places her among the devout women converts. The other approach argues she was not Egyptian by descent, but was from the family of Jacob. Traditions that trace her to the family of Jacob relate that she was born as the daughter of Dinah. Dinah was raped by Shechem and gave birth to Asenath, whom Jacob left on the wall of Egypt, where she was later found by Potiphar. She was then raised by Potiphar's wife and eventually married Joseph.[6][7]
Asenath's importance is related to the birth of her two sons, who later become forefathers of two of the Twelve Tribes of Israel.[5]
Her name is believed to derive from the Ancient Egyptian js.tj-(n)-n(j)t, meaning "belonging/she belongs to Neith". Neith was an Egyptian goddess.[8][7]
"Asenath" or "Osnat" is a commonly used female first name in present-day Israel.[9]
Portrayaledit
Asenath is mentioned in three verses in the Bible, all in the Book of Genesis. First appearing in Genesis 41:45, Asenath is said to have been given by the Pharaoh to Joseph as a wife.[10] Here, she is referred to as the daughter of Potipherah, priest of On (Gk. Heliopolis).[11] Genesis 41:50 says that before the years of famine, Joseph had two sons with Asenath. The firstborn was named Manasseh and the second Ephraim.[12] Later, in Genesis 46:20, Joseph and Asenath are mentioned in the family of Jacob; the verse says that in Egypt, Joseph had two sons named Manasseh and Ephraim, whom Asenath, daughter of Potiphera, the priest of On, bore to Joseph.
In the Book of Jubilees, generally not considered a canonical book of the Bible, Asenath is said to be given to Joseph to marry by the Pharaoh,[13] a daughter of Potiphar, a high priest of Heliopolis, with no clarification as to whether or not this Potiphar is the same Potiphar whose wife falsely accused Joseph of attempting to rape her. While in the Midrash and Targum Pseudo-Jonathan, she is said to be the daughter of Dinah, Joseph's sister, and Shechem, born of an illicit union, described as either premarital sex or rape, depending on the narrative.[3][14][15] A later-date apocryphal publication written in Greek, believed to be a Christian document, called Joseph and Aseneth, supposedly details their relationship and their 48-year long reign over Egypt; in it, Asenath weds Joseph, whose brothers Dan and Gad plot to kill him for the sake of Pharaoh's son, who wants Asenath to be his wife, only for their efforts to be thwarted by Joseph's younger brother Benjamin.
Depictionsedit
This painted image, which is part of a 1475 painted Flemish manuscript of unknown origin, shows Aseneth repenting.[16] This image is likely inspired by an apocryphal text that describes Aseneth rejecting her pagan religion and repenting so that she may marry Joseph.[17]
This painted image, which is part of a 1475 Flemish manuscript, shows Aseneth offering honey, wine, and bread to an angel.[18] This image was likely inspired by an apocryphal text that describes Aseneth being visited by an angel after she rejects paganism and offering the angel bread and wine. In turn, the angel gives Aseneth a honeycomb.[19]
This image from a 1475 Flemish manuscript shows Aseneth asking for an angel's blessing for seven young women.[20] The image is likely inspired by an apocryphal text in which Aseneth, while being visited by an angel after converting from paganism, asks the angel to bless her seven slaves.[21]
This Rembrandt work shows Aseneth standing with her husband, Joseph, and her sons, Manasseh and Ephraim, as her father-in-law, Jacob, blesses her sons.[22]
This image from an illuminated manuscript dating back to the 6th century shows Jacob blessing Joseph and Aseneth's sons, Ephraim and Manasseh, while Joseph and Aseneth look on.[23]
This mosaic in the Venetian Basilica di San Marco shows a midwife presenting the newborn Ephraim to Joseph. Aseneth and Manasseh are also present.[24]
Venerationedit
Asenath is venerated in Catholic Church as a saint. Her feast day is 13 December.[25]
Referencesedit
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Joseph and Asenath.
^"Asenet (Asenat)". DEON.pl (in Polish). Retrieved 2021-12-12.
^"Asenet (Asenat)". DEON.pl (in Polish). Retrieved 2021-12-12.
^Khan, Geoffrey (2020). The Tiberian Pronunciation Tradition of Biblical Hebrew, Volume 1. Open Book Publishers. ISBN978-1783746767.
^ ab"The Egyptian woman Asenath in the Bible". from the original on 2016-08-31. Retrieved 18 November 2020.
^ One or more of the preceding sentences incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Singer, Isidore; et al., eds. (1901–1906). "1905-asenath". The Jewish Encyclopedia. New York: Funk & Wagnalls.
^ ab"Asenath: Midrash and Aggadah | Jewish Women's Archive". jwa.org.
^"Asenath - Name's Meaning of Asenath". Name-Doctor.com.
^Aptowitzer, V. (1924). "Asenath, the Wife of Joseph: A Haggadic Literary-Historical Study" (PDF). Hebrew Union College Annual. 1: 239–306. JSTOR 43301987.
^Brooks, Ernest Walter (1918). "Joseph and Asenath - Translations of Early Documents".
^"FAMILY BENEDICTION: THE ROLE OF ASENATH IN REMBRANDT"S JACOB BLESSING" (PDF).
^"Encyclopedia of the Bible and Its Reception vol. 17 (pages 991 to 994)" (PDF).
^"Web Gallery of Art, searchable fine arts image database". www.wga.hu. Retrieved 2020-11-05.
^Zdansky, Hannah (February 28, 2018). ""Of hiest God, Asneth, blessed thu be": Female Readers and The Storie of Asneth". Medieval Studies Research Blog. Retrieved November 10, 2020.
^Zdansky, Hannah (February 28, 2018). ""Of hiest God, Asneth, blessed thu be": Female Readers and The Storie of Asneth". Medieval Studies Research Blog. Retrieved November 10, 2020.
^"Asenet (Asenat)". DEON.pl (in Polish). Retrieved 2021-12-12.
External linksedit
Text of Joseph and Asenath 2019-02-02 at the Wayback Machine
January 08, 2024
asenath, osnas, redirects, here, russian, doctor, soldier, osnas, hebrew, modern, ʾŎsnát, tiberian, ʾĀsnaṯ, koine, greek, Ἀσενέθ, asenéth, minor, figure, book, genesis, high, born, aristocratic, egyptian, woman, wife, joseph, mother, sons, manasseh, ephraim, a. Osnas redirects here For the Russian doctor and soldier see Leo Osnas Asenath ˈ ae s ɪ n ae 8 Hebrew א ס נ ת Modern ʾŎsnat Tiberian ʾAsnaṯ 4 Koine Greek Ἀsene8 Aseneth is a minor figure in the Book of Genesis Asenath was a high born aristocratic Egyptian woman 5 She was the wife of Joseph and the mother of his sons Manasseh and Ephraim AsenethAsenath from Guillaume Rouille s Promptuarium Iconum InsigniorumSaintHonored inCatholic Church 1 Feast13 December 2 Joseph and AsenathJoseph meets Asenath 1490s 3 painting There are two Rabbinic approaches to Asenath One holds that she was an Egyptian woman that converted to marry Joseph This view has her accepting God before marriage and then raising her two sons in the tenets of Judaism This presents her as a positive example of conversion to Judaism and places her among the devout women converts The other approach argues she was not Egyptian by descent but was from the family of Jacob Traditions that trace her to the family of Jacob relate that she was born as the daughter of Dinah Dinah was raped by Shechem and gave birth to Asenath whom Jacob left on the wall of Egypt where she was later found by Potiphar She was then raised by Potiphar s wife and eventually married Joseph 6 7 Asenath s importance is related to the birth of her two sons who later become forefathers of two of the Twelve Tribes of Israel 5 Contents 1 Name 2 Portrayal 3 Depictions 4 Veneration 5 References 6 External linksName editHer name is believed to derive from the Ancient Egyptian js tj n n j t meaning belonging she belongs to Neith Neith was an Egyptian goddess 8 7 Asenath or Osnat is a commonly used female first name in present day Israel 9 Portrayal editAsenath is mentioned in three verses in the Bible all in the Book of Genesis First appearing in Genesis 41 45 Asenath is said to have been given by the Pharaoh to Joseph as a wife 10 Here she is referred to as the daughter of Potipherah priest of On Gk Heliopolis 11 Genesis 41 50 says that before the years of famine Joseph had two sons with Asenath The firstborn was named Manasseh and the second Ephraim 12 Later in Genesis 46 20 Joseph and Asenath are mentioned in the family of Jacob the verse says that in Egypt Joseph had two sons named Manasseh and Ephraim whom Asenath daughter of Potiphera the priest of On bore to Joseph In the Book of Jubilees generally not considered a canonical book of the Bible Asenath is said to be given to Joseph to marry by the Pharaoh 13 a daughter of Potiphar a high priest of Heliopolis with no clarification as to whether or not this Potiphar is the same Potiphar whose wife falsely accused Joseph of attempting to rape her While in the Midrash and Targum Pseudo Jonathan she is said to be the daughter of Dinah Joseph s sister and Shechem born of an illicit union described as either premarital sex or rape depending on the narrative 3 14 15 A later date apocryphal publication written in Greek believed to be a Christian document called Joseph and Aseneth supposedly details their relationship and their 48 year long reign over Egypt in it Asenath weds Joseph whose brothers Dan and Gad plot to kill him for the sake of Pharaoh s son who wants Asenath to be his wife only for their efforts to be thwarted by Joseph s younger brother Benjamin Depictions edit nbsp This painted image which is part of a 1475 painted Flemish manuscript of unknown origin shows Aseneth repenting 16 This image is likely inspired by an apocryphal text that describes Aseneth rejecting her pagan religion and repenting so that she may marry Joseph 17 nbsp This painted image which is part of a 1475 Flemish manuscript shows Aseneth offering honey wine and bread to an angel 18 This image was likely inspired by an apocryphal text that describes Aseneth being visited by an angel after she rejects paganism and offering the angel bread and wine In turn the angel gives Aseneth a honeycomb 19 nbsp This image from a 1475 Flemish manuscript shows Aseneth asking for an angel s blessing for seven young women 20 The image is likely inspired by an apocryphal text in which Aseneth while being visited by an angel after converting from paganism asks the angel to bless her seven slaves 21 nbsp This Rembrandt work shows Aseneth standing with her husband Joseph and her sons Manasseh and Ephraim as her father in law Jacob blesses her sons 22 nbsp This image from an illuminated manuscript dating back to the 6th century shows Jacob blessing Joseph and Aseneth s sons Ephraim and Manasseh while Joseph and Aseneth look on 23 nbsp This mosaic in the Venetian Basilica di San Marco shows a midwife presenting the newborn Ephraim to Joseph Aseneth and Manasseh are also present 24 Veneration editAsenath is venerated in Catholic Church as a saint Her feast day is 13 December 25 References edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Joseph and Asenath Asenet Asenat DEON pl in Polish Retrieved 2021 12 12 Asenet Asenat DEON pl in Polish Retrieved 2021 12 12 a b Asenath Bible Jewish Women s Archive jwa org Retrieved 2019 09 05 Khan Geoffrey 2020 The Tiberian Pronunciation Tradition of Biblical Hebrew Volume 1 Open Book Publishers ISBN 978 1783746767 a b The Egyptian woman Asenath in the Bible Archived from the original on 2016 08 31 Retrieved 18 November 2020 nbsp One or more of the preceding sentences incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain Singer Isidore et al eds 1901 1906 1905 asenath The Jewish Encyclopedia New York Funk amp Wagnalls a b Asenath Midrash and Aggadah Jewish Women s Archive jwa org Asenath Name s Meaning of Asenath Name Doctor com Popular Jewish Hebrew Girl Names Aptowitzer V 1924 Asenath the Wife of Joseph A Haggadic Literary Historical Study PDF Hebrew Union College Annual 1 239 306 JSTOR 43301987 Brooks Ernest Walter 1918 Joseph and Asenath Translations of Early Documents FAMILY BENEDICTION THE ROLE OF ASENATH IN REMBRANDT S JACOB BLESSING PDF Encyclopedia of the Bible and Its Reception vol 17 pages 991 to 994 PDF Jubilees 40 www pseudepigrapha com Retrieved 2019 09 05 Pirke De Rabbi Eliezer chapter 38 The Repentance of Aseneth Getty Museum The J Paul Getty in Los Angeles Retrieved 2020 11 05 ASENATH JewishEncyclopedia com www jewishencyclopedia com Retrieved 2020 11 05 Aseneth Offering Bread Wine and Honey to an Angel Getty Museum The J Paul Getty in Los Angeles Retrieved 2020 11 04 ASENATH JewishEncyclopedia com www jewishencyclopedia com Retrieved 2020 11 05 Aseneth Requesting the Angel s Blessing of Seven Young Women Getty Museum The J Paul Getty in Los Angeles Retrieved 2020 11 05 ASENATH JewishEncyclopedia com www jewishencyclopedia com Retrieved 2020 11 05 Web Gallery of Art searchable fine arts image database www wga hu Retrieved 2020 11 05 Zdansky Hannah February 28 2018 Of hiest God Asneth blessed thu be Female Readers and The Storie of Asneth Medieval Studies Research Blog Retrieved November 10 2020 Zdansky Hannah February 28 2018 Of hiest God Asneth blessed thu be Female Readers and The Storie of Asneth Medieval Studies Research Blog Retrieved November 10 2020 Asenet Asenat DEON pl in Polish Retrieved 2021 12 12 External links editText of Joseph and Asenath Archived 2019 02 02 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Asenath amp oldid 1177933836, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
