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On (Heliopolis)
Landmark · On → northern Cairo, Egypt
A priestly city of the sun. Joseph married into its household while he governed Egypt.
People
- Joseph
- Potiphera
- Asenath
- Manasseh
- Ephraim
At a glance
- Realm
- Egypt (Lower Egypt)
- Role
- Priestly city of the sun
- Peoples
- Egyptians
- First mention
- Genesis 41 (On)
The story
On, which the Greeks called Heliopolis, was Egypt’s ancient city of the sun, famous for its priesthood and its tall stone obelisks. It was a centre of learning and worship at the edge of the delta.
When Pharaoh raised Joseph over Egypt he gave him Asenath, daughter of Potiphera the priest of On, to be his wife. From her were born Ephraim and Manasseh, so that two of the tribes of Israel came through the household of an Egyptian priest.