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Potiphera

Biblical
Pronunciation

Understanding ARPABET Pronunciation

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The pronunciation guide uses the ARPABET phonetic system—the same system used in speech recognition and text-to-speech applications.

Vowel Examples:
AE1 = cat, bat
EH1 = bed, head
IY1 = see, me
OW1 = go, boat
UW1 = boot, do
Stress Numbers:
0 = no stress (unstressed)
1 = primary stress (loud)
2 = secondary stress (medium)
Example:
AH0 TH IY1 N AH0
= a-THEE-na (Athena)

The stressed syllable (marked with 1) is pronounced louder and clearer than others.

Quick Definition

An Egyptian priest of On and father of Asenath, Joseph’s wife; a minor biblical figure symbolizing intercultural union in Genesis.

Detailed Definition
Potiphera, priest of the sun god Ra in On (Heliopolis), gave his daughter Asenath to Joseph (Genesis 41:45). He links Joseph to Egyptian elite. In poetry, Potiphera represents the integration of Hebrew faith into foreign wisdom, the dignity of pagan priesthood yielding to covenant—often evoked as a bridge between cultures, whose lineage blesses Israel despite his idolatry.
Example
Example in poetry:
In Genesis 41:45, Potiphera is named as Joseph’s father-in-law—a detail used in genealogical poetry; 19th-century devotional verse honors Potiphera as priest of On who welcomed Hebrew wisdom; Contemporary minimalist poems list Potiphera to affirm Joseph’s integration into Egyptian society; In poems about intermarriage, Potiphera gives Asenath to Joseph; Some liturgical works include Potiphera in backstory of Ephraim and Manasseh; Educational poems cite Potiphera to teach about cultural exchange.
Additional Notes
Potiphera, father of Asenath (Joseph’s wife) and priest of On (Genesis 41), connects Joseph to Egyptian elite; his role facilitates Joseph’s integration into Pharaoh’s court; though minor, he symbolizes cultural bridge-building and the sanctification of foreign lineage in Israel’s story.
Also Known As
Potiphera priest of On Potiphera father of Asenath
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