The appearance and the speech of Joseph made so deep an impression upon
Asenath that no sooner had she reached her apartment than she divested
herself of her robes of state and took off her jewels, and put on
sackcloth instead, strewed ashes upon her head, and supplicated God
amid tears to grant her pardon for her sins. In this manner she spent
seven days and seven nights in her chamber. Not even her seven
attendants were permitted to enter her presence during the time of her
penance. The morning of the eighth day an angel appeared unto her, and
bade her put away her sackcloth and ashes and array herself in state,
for this day she had been born anew, he said, to eat the blessed bread
of life, to drink of the cup of life immortal, and anoint herself with
the oil of life eternal. Asenath was about to set food and drink before
her guest, when she perceived a honeycomb of wondrous form and
fragrance. The angel explained to her that it had been produced by the
bees of Paradise, to serve as food for the angels and the elect of God.
He took a small portion of it for himself, and the rest he put into
Asenath's mouth, saying: "From this day forth thy body shall bloom like
the eternal flowers in Paradise, thy bones shall wax fat like the
cedars thereof, strength inexhaustible shall be thine, thy youth shall
never fade, and thy beauty never perish, and thou shalt be like unto a
metropolis surrounded by a wall." At the request of Asenath, the angel
blessed also her seven attendants, with the words, "May the Lord bless
you and make you to be seven pillars in the City of Refuge."
Thereupon the angel left her, and she saw him ascend heavenward in a
chariot of fire drawn by four steeds of fire. Now she knew that she had
not been entertaining a human being, but an angel.
The celestial messenger had scarcely departed, when a visit from Joseph
was announced, and she hastened to array and adorn herself for his
reception. When she washed her face, she caught sight of it in the
water, and saw it to be of such beauty as never before, so great had
been the transformation wrought by the angel. When Joseph came, he did
not recognize her. He asked her who she was, whereto she replied, "I am
thy maid-servant Asenath! I have cast away my idols, and this day a
visitant came to me from heaven. He gave me to eat of the bread of life
and to drink of the blessed cup, and he spake these words unto me, 'I
give thee unto Joseph as his affianced wife, that he may be thy
affianced husband forever.' And furthermore he said, 'Thy name shall
not any more be called Asenath, but thy name shall be City of Refuge,
whither the nations shall flee for safety.' And he added, 'I go to
Joseph, to tell him all these things that have reference to thee.' Now,
my lord, thou knowest whether the man was with thee and spoke to thee
in my behalf."
Joseph confirmed all she had said, and they embraced and kissed each
other in token of their betrothal, which they celebrated by a banquet
with Potiphar and his wife. The wedding took place later in the
presence of Pharaoh, who set a golden crown upon the head of the
bridegroom and the bride, gave them his blessing, and made a seven
days' feast in their honor, to which he invited the magnates and
princes of Egypt and of other countries. And during the seven days of
the wedding festivities the people were prohibited, under penalty of
death, from doing any manner of work; they all were to join in the
celebration of Joseph's marriage.