Joseph and Aseneth
The font Joseph and Asenath (also: Joseph and Asenath ) is one among the Pseudepigrapha to computing ancient Jewish double novella or novel. Main character is the Egyptian Asenath, the gene 41,45 EU as a wife of the patriarch Joseph calls.
Content
History of Asenats repentance (Chapter 1-21)
Asenath is the beautiful daughter of the high priest of On and lives with her seven maidens who were born on the same day as they are deposited and chaste in her parents' house. The action starts at the " fifth day of the second month, in the first year of the seven years of plenty " ( 1.1 ), as Joseph, became the second man after Pharaoh after his Interpretation of Dreams, coming to On. Asenats father decides to give him his daughter to wife. Asenath, which has already rejected the eldest son of Pharaoh, initially protested against marriage with a Hebrew shepherd, but when she sees Joseph, they fell in love with the " Son of God " ( 6:2). But Joseph, as virgin as Asenath, they want to look just as his sister. When she comes to greet the new ' brother ', he refuses it, an impure heathen to kiss, but blesses them (Chapter 8 ) and tells him to return in a week.
Asenath withdraws into her apartment. She smashes her idols and throwing their precious material out of the window to the poor. Then she puts on sackcloth and sprinkled ashes on her head, fast for seven days and asks the One God of Israel for his grace. It appears on her long prayer ( ch. 12-13) towards the Archangel Michael Joseph in shape. He bbeauftragt to replace the mourning with a white robe. When she returns, he praises them for their repentance, you proclaim God's forgiveness and gives her a new name - a city of refuge ( 15.7 ). Then he tells her a honeycomb, which is found by a miracle in their pantry ( ch. 14-17). By enjoying this heavenly honey she is blessed with immortality ( 16:14-16 ). Next, it is the Archangel from the comb bees were born, who settle on Asenath. Michael dismisses the bees and burn the honeycomb. Before he rides a chariot of fire to heaven, he also blesses her seven girlfriends.
Asenath applies to the instruction of the angel towards bridal jewelry. When Joseph returns, she engaged. " And Joseph kissed Asenath and he gave her life spirit. Then he gave her for the second and the wisdom mind. Thirdly, he kissed her gently and gave her the Spirit of truth. " ( 19:11) The Pharaoh directed them from the wedding.
Story of the rescue Asenats (Chapter 22-29 )
The second part of the story plays a few years later, "in the second year of famine, on the twenty-first of the second month " ( 22.2 ). Asenath has now had two sons, as Joseph's family is on the run from the famine to Egypt. While Asenath Joseph's father Jacob and his brother welcomed, she sees the once rejected Pharaoh 's son. He tried Joseph's brothers Simeon and Levi bribe to get revenge on Joseph and Asenath still win ), but Simeon and Levi are threatening to him to avenge Josef, as the inhabitants of Shechem in revenge for the rape of their sister Dinah exterminated ( ch. 23). The son of Pharaoh then brings four other half-brothers of Joseph, the sons of the concubines of Jacob, on his side ( Ch. 24). But the Prophet Levi sees in spirit the danger which threatens Asenath, and rushes her to the other brothers to help - while Joseph is dedicated to the particle size distribution. During the ensuing battle, the six brothers beat enemies alone in 2706 ( 27.6 ). The youngest, Joseph described as gottesfürchtigem heroes full brother Benjamin, manages the decisive stone's throw, which sets the pharaoh son out of action. On Asenats prayer towards the hostile brothers are disarmed. Then they reconciled the brothers together again (chapter 28) and get them to forgive even the Pharaoh 's son. However, this dies of his injury and the Pharaoh puts Joseph in his stead as the sole ruler. At the end of his life Joseph on the government gives the younger son of Pharaoh ( ch. 29).
Tradition
The title of Joseph and Asenath carries the story only since the 19th century. The oldest version of the story entitled The Story of Joseph the righteous and his wife Asenath is Syriac and dates from the 6th century. Overall, the story under different, often very detailed headings in 16 Greek manuscripts from the 10th to 19th centuries and seven translations from the 6th to the 18th centuries, including one each in Latin, Armenian and Middle English, survived. It is a long and a short version, none of which can be clearly identified as the older one. One these manuscripts underlying Greek base font could date from the 4th century.
The author is unknown. The first editor, Pierre Batiffol, Joseph and Asenath held for a Christian work of the 4th century, for which numerous motifs could talk about the mention of the bread of life, consecrated chalice and holy anointing oil (8.5, 15.5, 19.5 ) or sign of the cross, which in some manuscripts, including the oldest Syrian, draws on the honeycomb. the angel Today's researchers suspect a mostly Jewish origin. The milieu in greater detail to determine is difficult. A dating to the first century is regarded as probable. The vocabulary is strongly influenced by the Septuagint.
Theology and environment
Joseph and Asenath requires knowledge of the biblical story of Joseph (Gen 37, ff EU). The amendment explains why the patriarch Joseph, a pious Jew, contrary to applicable since Ezra and Nehemiah Jewish rules a Gentile, especially when the daughter of an idolatrous priest could marry. Asenath, becoming the prototype of a proselyte. Serve with her new name, city of refuge, the many nations shall take refuge in their God.
It is one of the few texts of this time, a woman who the main person. Joseph, though hailed as "Son of God ", pious and wise in the highest tones, appears rather as passive by- person. Verbose is their beauty - Asenath resembled in no way the Egyptian virgins; Rather, they resembled the daughters of the Hebrews everywhere; she was as slim as Sara, so flourishing as Rebecca, as beautiful as Rachel. (1.5 ) - described as well as their entire environment. This description bears witness not only a joy to decorate the scarce biblical basis, but is also strongly influenced by symbolic. So recalls the description of Asenats apartment (Chapter 2 ) to the description, Philo of Alexandria is of the human body, the house of the soul. Asenath is understood as an allegory for the soul, therefore, as the matriarchs in Philo. Even in other places, such as in Joseph's blessing or if the angel of the pure virgin as a man responds equal standing ( 15.1 ), there are strong echoes of Philo, which speaks to assign the font to Hellenistic Judaism, possibly in the Egyptian diaspora. The emphasis on piety, chastity, repentance, and love our enemies might also point to a formation in the environment of the Essenes.
Especially mysteriously appears the bees scene (chapter 16), which is reminiscent of an initiation into an ancient mystery cult. Maybe it is a Christian addition.
The amendment shows numerous similarities to the Hellenistic Testaments of the Twelve Patriarchs. Also there are lifted Joseph's chastity and brotherly love, while his half-brothers, the sons of the handmaids Bilhah and Zilpah, to be judged negatively.