Bible Study Online Article
Finally things seem to be turning around for Joseph, for he had, in is mind -- suffered in the land of Egypt for the past thirteen years. Then one day he finds himself being summoned by the great Pharaoh himself. Joseph would arrive early that day known as a prisoner who had been confined to the king's prison because of some allege adultery charge that was placed against him, which concerned his master's wife. Entering into the Egyptian palace courts dressed in his prison garb and dragging his shackles and chains he stands before Pharaoh. But before the day would end, this same person, this same prisoner would be elevated to the second highest position in all the land. No longer dressed in prison garb, but now in soft linen; no longer shackled and chained, but now he wears a chain of gold and the signet ring of the most powerful man in that region; no longer introduced by his prisoner number or ID; but now his introduction is that of second-in-command as he rides in a royal chariot throughout the entire land of Egypt. "Then Pharaoh took his signet ring from his finger and put it on Joseph's finger. He dressed him in robes of fine linen and put a gold chain around his neck. He had him ride in a chariot as his second-in-command, and men shouted before him, 'Make way!' Thus he put him in charge of the whole land of Egypt." (Genesis 41:42-43) But the Egyptian ruler would not stop there: "Pharaoh gave Joseph the name Zaphenath-Paneah and gave him Asenath daughter of Poti-pherah, priest of On, to be his wife. And Joseph went throughout the land of Egypt." (Genesis 41:45) Not only did Joseph get a new position, but he also received a new name in the process. This name "Zaphnath-Paaneah" is a name that signified the type of reputation that Joseph had earned for himself, which meant - The Revealer of Secrets. This little bit of information might not seem important, for you might assume that Joseph was blessed to finally marry, after all -- he deserved it right? Normally I would agree with that statement, but it's these little details that help to set the Bible (when it comes to depth and credibility) far apart from anything else that's out there. So therefore, it's my duty to relay it to you. Now there are some who believe that, Poti-pherah the priest of On, is the same person as -- Potiphar the captain of the guard. It would seem so at first glance; being that the names "Poti-pherah" and "Potiphar" are quite similar in there context. Although the names are close, I don't believe that the two are connected to the same person. Just like the scripture informs us, Asenath was the virgin daughter of Poti-pherah the priest of On -- not, Potiphar the captain of the guard. Let's explore these names a little deeper before we move on: We must keep in mind that when it came to the Egyptians, there were a set of words that would accompany or be attached to names that would identify the importance of one's family or ancestry. First, you would have the name "Phar" -- and this would signify that the person came from a family of inferior or less important officers or officials. Notice that the name "Potiphar" has this attached within its context. Next you would have the name "Pherah" -- and this would signify that a person came from a family of higher power or esteemed dignity. Notice how the name "Poti-pherah" has this attached within its context. And just for curiosity sake -- the name Pharaoh was the surname that was given to the Egyptian king, in which his royal family operated under. While were here, I might as well mention that the "City of On" was a very popular city that was located in the land of Egypt. This city was also known as Aven and perhaps later on known as Heliopolis -- which could now be the city of Damiata or Damiatta. Oh, what a wonderful place to be in, to have the favor of the Lord raining upon you so much so? Joseph although worried at times, stayed true to who he was when it came to his beliefs and standards. He spent thirteen years in a foreign land that was filled with things that did not please the one true God. In spite of his current life situation, Joseph never compromised or yielded his position as a servant to the one true God. Everything he did, he gave credit to the Lord, and because of that -- God Almighty has rewarded him out in the open for all to see. Sure Joseph had to travel through a dark valley for a period of his life. But when he emerges -- he is not the same as he was when he first went in. "Who is this person that has been elevated from the depths of the king's dungeons, to now sit in the king's palace as second-in-command and ruler over the land he was once a prisoner of?" -- One might ask? Only to be answered by a simple reply: Oh, you don't know... he's the highly favored -- Zaphenath-Paneah the Revealer of Secrets. The favor of God was on Joseph and because of this he was elevated to the highest position in perhaps the most powerful kingdom that stood at the time. But what I would like to do, is take a quick look at how God might have caused some major events to take place from within this mighty kingdom, that would later benefit Joseph. Hint: Was this Pharaoh a true Egyptian or was his ancestry closer to Joseph's than we might think?
Jacob - The Path of Uncertainty **YOUR CURRENT SERIES WOULD BE HERE** 84) Joseph's Dark Dreams Interpretation 85) Joseph the Overseer of Egypt 86) <-CURRENT PAGE-> 88) The Seven Years of Abundance 90) Joseph the Egyptian Prime Minister 91) Joseph's Temptation of Revenge 93) The Confessions of the Ten Tribes  CrossDaily.com Web Search where you can VOTE FOR THIS SITE & other great ones. Christian search engine, directory & voting index. You'll find Bible, chat, churches, jobs, music, reviews, software, theology, & more. See the best sites!
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