Influencing Your Spouse
Pharaoh later gives the-now-freed Joseph a wife. Her name is Asenath, and she’s the daughter of the priest of On. The priest’s name is Potiphera. (Don’t confuse Potiphera with Potiphar.)
This is likely a strategic move on Pharaoh’s part, hoping that Asenath will influence Joseph to accept Egyptian perspectives and beliefs.
In this way, Pharaoh uses Asenath to accomplish his goal. He expects her to influence her husband for her country. But she has no say in his plan.
We know Joseph is both attractive and powerful, but he’s also an outsider. He isn’t even permitted to eat at the same table as the Egyptians.
Asenath is forced to marry a foreigner. There is no hint of love or affection between the two. Though this could be a good life for her, it’s doubtful it’s the one she wanted.
Asenath and Joseph have two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim, but we know nothing else of the couple’s relationship.
We don’t know if Joseph influences his wife to believe in God, but in looking at the life of Joseph, we see no hint that Asenath causes him to embrace her people’s way of life or turn from God.
When others try to use us, do we become their pawn or make our own path?
How should we react if we’re in a marriage we don’t want?
[Read about Asenath in Genesis 41:45–50. Discover a man whose foreign wives influenced him in 1 Kings 11:1–13.]
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More Old Testament Sinners and Saints is part of the Bible Character Sketches series.
Peter DeHaan writes about biblical Christianity to confront status quo religion and live a life that matters. He seeks a fresh approach to following Jesus through the lens of Scripture, without the baggage of made-up traditions and meaningless practices.
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