Bible Dictionary
Zaphnathpaaneah
Zaphnathpaaneah was the name Pharaoh gave Joseph when he made him ruler over Egypt. The name is probably Egyptian, though its exact meaning is uncertain.
Definition
Zaphnathpaaneah was the name Pharaoh gave Joseph when appointing him ruler over Egypt. The name is regarded as Egyptian, though its exact meaning is uncertain.
Biblical Usage
It identifies Joseph in the narrative of his appointment by Pharaoh.
Historical Background
The name has been interpreted as “revealer of a secret” and, from Coptic, as “preserver of the age.”
Scripture References
Related Figures
Historical Bible Dictionaries
Smith's Bible Dictionary
a name given by Pharaoh to Joseph. (Genesis 41:45) The rabbins interpreted Zaphnath-paaneah as Hebrew in the sense revealer of a secret . As the name must have been Egyptian, it has been explained from the Coptic as meaning the preserver of the age.