Joseph and Asenath 21

1And Joseph stayed that day with Pentephres, and he went not in to Asenath, for that he was wont to say: "It is not meet for a man who worshippeth God to sleep with his wife before his marriage."

2And Joseph rose early and departed to Pharaoh and said to him: "Give me Asenath, daughter of Pentephres, priest of Heliopolis, to wife."

3And Pharaoh rejoiced with great joy, and he saith to Joseph: "Lo! hath not this one been betrothed unto thee to wife from eternity?

4Accordingly let her be thy wife henceforth and unto time eternal."

5Then Pharaoh sent and called Pentephres, and Pentephres brought Asenath and set her before Pharaoh; and Pharaoh when he saw her marvelled at her beauty and said: "The Lord God of Joseph shall bless thee, child, and this thy beauty shall remain to eternity, for that the Lord God of Joseph chose thee as bride for him: for Joseph is as the son of the Most High, and thou shalt be called his bride henceforth and for ever."

6And after these things Pharaoh took Joseph and Asenath and set golden wreaths upon their heads, which were in his house from of old and from ancient times, and Pharaoh set Asenath at Joseph's right hand.

7And Pharaoh put his hands upon their heads and said: "The Lord God Most High shall bless you and shall multiply and magnify and glorify you unto time eternal."

8Then Pharaoh turned them round to face one another and brought them mouth to mouth, and they kissed one another.

9And Pharaoh made a wedding for Joseph and a great dinner and much drinking during seven days, and he called together all the rulers of Egypt and all the kings of the nations, having made proclamation in the land of Egypt, saying: "Every man who shall do work during the seven days of the wedding of Joseph and Asenath shall surely die."

10And, while the wedding was going on, and when the dinner was ended, Joseph went in to Asenath, and Asenath conceived by Joseph and bare Manasses and Ephraim his brother in Joseph's house.