saw that Joseph enjoyed the favor of the king. Furthermore,
Joseph received one hundred slaves from Pharaoh,
and they were to do all his bidding, and he himself acquired
many more, for he resided in a spacious palace. Three years
it took to build it. Special magnificence was lavished upon
the hall of state, which was his audience chamber, and upon
the throne fashioned of gold and silver and inlaid with
precious stones, whereon there was a representation of the
whole land of Egypt and of the river Nile. And as Joseph
multiplied in riches, so he increased also in wisdom, for God
added to his wisdom that all might love and honor him.[186]
Pharaoh called him Zaphenath-paneah, he who can reveal
secret things with ease, and rejoiceth the heart of man
therewith. Each letter of the name Zaphenath-paneah has a
meaning, too. The first, Zadde, stands for Zofeh, seer; Pe
for Podeh, redeemer; Nun for Nabi, prophet; Taw for
Tomek, supporter; Pe for Poter, interpreter of dreams; Ain
for Arum, clever; Nun for Nabon, discreet; and Het for
Hakam, wise.[187]

The name of Joseph's wife pointed to her history in the
same way. Asenath was the daughter of Dinah and Hamor,
but she was abandoned at the borders of Egypt, only, that
people might know who she was, Jacob engraved the story
of her parentage and her birth upon a gold plate fastened
around her neck. The day on which Asenath was exposed,
Potiphar went walking with his servants near the city
wall, and they heard the voice of a child. At the captain's
bidding they brought the baby to him, and when he read
her history from the gold plate, he determined to adopt her.