Bible Discussion Thread

Was Asenath (Joseph's wife) a black woman? The Bible says that she was an Egyptian

She may have been dark-skinned but the Bible does not say and it does not seem to matter. However, the Shunammite was black and was dearly loved by the Lord for her character, not her skin color.

Song of Solomon 1:4-6

King James Version

4 Draw me, we will run after thee: the king hath brought me into his chambers: we will be glad and rejoice in thee, we will remember thy love more than wine: the upright love thee.

5 I am black, but comely, O ye daughters of Jerusalem, as the tents of Kedar, as the curtains of Solomon.

6 Look not upon me, because I am black, because the sun hath looked upon me: my mother's children were angry with me; they made me the keeper of the vineyards; but mine own vineyard have I not kept.

Asenath was a high-born, aristocratic Egyptian woman. She was the wife of Joseph and the mother of his sons, Manasseh and Ephraim. There are two Rabbinic approaches to Asenath: One holds that she was an ethnic Egyptian woman that converted to marry Joseph.

There was no mention of her being black. You can read more on Google.

"Asenath, Bible, HISTORY"

Hi Sunita.

The scripture doesn't say.

Is there any significance?

Exactly S. Spencer, what difference does it make to us what color her skin was. Being Egyptian was mentioned for us to know she was not an Israelites. God thought that was all that was necessary for us to know.

Amen Gigi.

The key thing is Jacob blessed them as his sons. There is no virtue or lesson to be learned concerning their skin color.

And now thy two sons, Ephraim and Manasseh, which were born unto thee in the land of Egypt before I came unto thee into Egypt, are mine; as Reuben and Simeon, they shall be mine. Gen 48:5.

Yep, we should focus on the main lesson of the text and not on such things as skin color of people in a time where we cannot know. And even if we did know, your right, it is not significant to give much consideration.