God gives every man the wife he deserves,[431] and so Asenath was
worthy of being the helpmeet of Joseph the pious. Her father was
Potiphar, one of Pharaoh's magnates, ranking among the most
distinguished of them by reason of wisdom, wealth, and station. His
daughter was slender like unto Sarah, beautiful like Rebekah, and
radiant in appearance like Rachel. Noblemen and princes sued for her
hand when she was eighteen years of age. Even Pharaoh's appointed
successor, his first-born son, demanded her in marriage, but his father
refused to comply with his wish, because he did not consider her a
proper wife for one destined to sit upon the throne. The daughter of
the Moabite king, he insisted, was a more suitable match for him. But
Asenath rejected every proposal of marriage, and avoided all
intercourse with men. With seven maidens born the same day as herself,
she lived in retirement in a magnificent palace adjoining that of her
parents.
It happened in the first of the seven years of plenty that Joseph
planned to visit the place in which Potiphar resided, and he sent word
to him that he would put up with him, at his house. Potiphar was
enchanted with the honor in prospect for him, and also with the
opportunity it would afford him of bringing about a marriage between
Asenath and Joseph. But when he disclosed his plan to his daughter, she
rejected it with indignation. "Why shouldst thou desire to see me
united with a vagabond, a slave," she cried out, "one that does not
even belong to our nation, but is the son of a Canaanitish herdsman, a
fellow that attempted to violate the honor of his mistress, and in
punishment for this misdemeanor was thrown into prison, to be liberated
thence by Pharaoh for interpreting his dream? Nay, father, never will I
become his wife. I am willing to marry the son of Pharaoh, the future
ruler and king of Egypt."
Potiphar promised his daughter not to speak of the plan again. At that
moment Joseph's arrival was announced, and Asenath left the presence of
her parents and withdrew to her own apartments. Standing by the window,
she saw Joseph pass, and she was so transported with his divine beauty
and his indescribably noble carriage that she burst into tears, and
said: "Poor, foolish me, what shall I do? I permitted myself to be
misled by friends, who told me that Joseph was the son of a Canaanitish
shepherd. Now I behold the splendor that emanates from him like unto
the splendor of the sun, illuminating our house with his rays. In my
audacity and folly I had looked down upon him, and had spoken absurd
nonsense against him. I knew not that he was a son of God, as he must
be, for among men such beauty as his does not exist. I pray Thee, O God
of Joseph, grant me pardon! It was my ignorance that made me speak like
a fool. If my father will give me in marriage to Joseph, I will be his
forever."
Meantime Joseph had taken his seat at Potiphar's table, and he observed
a maiden looking at him from one of the palace windows. He commanded
that she be ordered away, for he never permitted women to gaze at him
or come near to him. His supernatural beauty always fascinated the
noble Egyptian ladies, and they were untiring in the efforts they made
to approach him. But their attempts were vain. He cherished the words
of his father Jacob, who had admonished his son to keep aloof from the
women of the Gentiles.
Potiphar explained to Joseph that the maiden at the window was his
virgin daughter, who never permitted men to abide near her; he was the
first man she had ever looked upon. The father continued and made the
request of Joseph, to allow his daughter to pay him her respects.
Joseph granted the favor he desired, and Asenath appeared and greeted
him with the words, "Peace be with thee, thou blessed of God Most
High," whereunto Joseph returned the salutation, "Be thou blessed of
the Lord, from whom flow all blessings."
Asenath desired also to kiss Joseph, but he warded off the intimate
greeting with the words: "It is not meet that a God-fearing man, who
blesses the living God, and eats the blessed bread of life, who drinks
of the blessed cup of immortality and incorruptibility, and anoints
himself with the fragrant oil of holiness, should kiss a woman of a
strange people, who blesses dead and unprofitable idols, and eats the
putrid bread of idolatry, which chokes the soul of man, who drinks the
libations of deceit, and anoints herself with the oil of destruction."
These words uttered by Joseph touched Asenath unto tears. Out of
compassion with her, he bestowed his blessing upon her, calling upon
God to pour out His spirit over her and make her to become a member of
His people and His inheritance, and grant her a portion in the life
eternal.