Who was Zaphnath-Paaneah in the bible?

Zaphnath Paaneah is the Egyptian name Pharaoh gave to Joseph. The name is described in a lexicon gloss as being of Egyptian derivation and as Joseph’s Egyptian name.

Zaphnath Paaneah in Scripture

The name appears in the context of Joseph being publicly elevated in Egypt and given broad authority. Immediately before Joseph is renamed, the narrative describes his status and the scope of his delegated power.

Genesis 41:43 (WEB): “He made him ride in the second chariot which he had. They cried before him, “Bow the knee!” He set him over all the land of Egypt.”

Joseph’s elevation is portrayed as public (“They cried before him, “Bow the knee!””) and administrative (“He set him over all the land of Egypt.”). Pharaoh then speaks directly to Joseph about the authority Joseph will exercise.

Genesis 41:44 (WEB): “Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I am Pharaoh. Without you, no man shall lift up his hand or his foot in all the land of Egypt.””

Within that setting, Pharaoh assigns Joseph a new name and arranges a marriage for him. The verse explicitly identifies Zaphnath Paaneah as the name Pharaoh called Joseph.

Genesis 41:45 (WEB): “Pharaoh called Joseph’s name Zaphenath-Paneah. He gave him Asenath, the daughter of Potiphera priest of On as a wife. Joseph went out over the land of Egypt.”

Genesis 41:45 links three actions: the renaming (“Pharaoh called Joseph’s name Zaphenath-Paneah”), the giving of a wife (“He gave him Asenath, the daughter of Potiphera priest of On as a wife”), and Joseph’s ensuing activity (“Joseph went out over the land of Egypt”). The immediate continuation specifies Joseph’s age at the time he stood before Pharaoh and describes the start of his work across Egypt.

Genesis 41:46 (WEB): “Joseph was thirty years old when he stood before Pharaoh king of Egypt. Joseph went out from the presence of Pharaoh, and went throughout all the land of Egypt.”

The chapter’s narrative then turns to the agricultural conditions in Egypt and Joseph’s administrative response to abundance. It describes the land’s production and Joseph’s collection and storage of food in cities.

Genesis 41:47 (WEB): “In the seven plenteous years the earth produced abundantly.”

Genesis 41:48 (WEB): “He gathered up all the food of the seven years which were in the land of Egypt, and laid up the food in the cities. He stored food in each city from the fields around that city.”

In these verses, Zaphnath Paaneah functions as the formal Egyptian name for Joseph at the point when he is placed “over all the land of Egypt” and begins to act throughout the land, organizing the gathering and storage of food during years of abundance.

Name and Meaning

In Hebrew script the name is written צׇפְנַת פַּעְנֵחַ, transliterated Tsophnath Pa’neach, and pronounced “tsof-nath’ pah-nay’-akh.” A lexicon entry describes it as being of Egyptian derivation and identifies it as Joseph’s Egyptian name, corresponding to Pharaoh’s act of naming him “Zaphenath-Paneah” (Genesis 41:45).

Observation

The only biblical occurrence of the name places it at the moment Joseph is set “over all the land of Egypt” (Genesis 41:43) and authorized so that “Without you, no man shall lift up his hand or his foot in all the land of Egypt” (Genesis 41:44), after which “Joseph went out over the land of Egypt” (Genesis 41:45).

Frequently Asked Questions

What does the name Zaphnath Paaneah mean?

Zaphnath Paaneah means “Joseph’s Egyptian name.”

How many times does Zaphnath Paaneah appear in the Bible?

Zaphnath Paaneah appears 1 time.

Who was Zaphnath Paaneah?

Zaphnath Paaneah was the Egyptian name Pharaoh gave to Joseph (Genesis 41:45).

When was Joseph called Zaphnath Paaneah?

Pharaoh called Joseph’s name Zaphenath-Paneah in Genesis 41:45.

Explore Further

If you found this page about Zaphnath-Paaneah interesting and would like to discover more about other biblical characters, explore our comprehensive Encyclopedia of Biblical Characters. For those looking to delve deeper into the Greek origins of these names and terms, our Greek Lexicon is an invaluable resource.

Sources: Name and occurrence data from Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance and STEPBible reference data (CC BY). Scripture quotations from the World English Bible (public domain).