The Shalvi/Hyman Encyclopedia of Jewish Women

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Angela Standhartinger

Angela Standhartinger is Professor for New Testament studies at the University of Marburg. She has written a book and many articles on the Jewish novel Joseph and Aseneth and worked among other subjects on Philo of Alexandria, Jewish Hellenistic Literature, and Gender Studies.

Articles by this author

A painting depicting Joseph meeting Asenath

Asenath: Bible

The minor character Asenath, mentioned in the Bible as Joseph’s wife and mother of Manasseh and Ephraim, became the heroine of an ancient Jewish novel written between 100 BCE to 200 CE, likely in Egypt. In the text, the daughter of an Egyptian priest falls in love with Joseph, turns to the God of Israel, marries Joseph, and is saved by God and some of Joseph’s brothers from attack by Pharaoh’s son.