Genesis 41:45

Zaphenath-paneah An Egyptian name for which the meaning is given by some Egyptologists "God speaks, and He lives," i.e. De-pnute-ef-ônch. A proper name of this form does not as yet however appear to have been found in the Egyptian inscriptions before the 20th Dynasty, i.e. the 13th century b.c. The LXX endeavoured to transliterate the name by Ψονθομφανήχ. The Vulg. renders salvator mundi; and Jerome records ab Egyptiis didicimus, quod in linguâ eorum resonet salvator mundi.

Josephus (Ant. ii. 91), Targum of Onkelos, and the Syriac rendered the name by "Revealer of Secrets"; and this was very generally accepted in Christian tradition, the derivation being assumed to be from the Hebrew root zâphan, "to conceal."

Asenath A proper name, meaning "Belonging to the goddess Neith."

Poti-phera As in Genesis 41:50 and Genesis 46:20. This is the same name, spelled fuller, as in Genesis 37:36 (see note), Genesis 39:1, meaning "the gift of the sun-god." We may compare the Greek name Heliodorus.

priest of On "On," known in later times as Heliopolis, was situate about 7 miles N.E. of Cairo; and was the great centre of Egyptian Ra, or Sun, worship. The obelisk still standing at Heliopolis was there in Joseph's time. By his marriage with Asenath, Joseph became connected with one of the principal Egyptian families. Potiphera, the priest of On, would have been a man of eminence; but should not be confounded with "the captain of the guard" (Genesis 37:36). Late Jewish tradition identified the two names; and asserted that Asenath had reported to her father her mother's shameless conduct, whereupon he gave Asenath to Joseph as wife, in order that Joseph might be cleared of any shadow of blame. But this is mere romance.