POTIPHAR () or POTI-PHERAH (): Name of an Egyptian officer. The
form "Potiphar" is probably an abbreviation of "Potiphera"; the
two are treated as identical in the Septuagint, and are rendered
Πετρεφῆς or Πετεφῆς. "Poti-phera" is the Hebrew rendering of the
Egyptian "P'-di-p'-R'" = "He whom Ra [i.e., the sun-god] gave."
This name has not been found in Egyptian inscriptions; but names
of similar form occur as early as the twenty-second dynasty.
Potiphar was the Egyptian officer to whom Joseph was sold (Gen.
xxxvii. 36, xxxix. 1). He is described as a "saris" of Pharaoh,
and as "captain of the guard" (Hebr. ). The term "saris" is
commonly used in the Old Testament of eunuchs; but occasionally
it seems to stand in a more general sense for "court official,"
and sometimes it designates a military officer (II Kings xxv.
19; comp. ib. xviii. 17; Jer. xxxix. 3, 13). The second title,
"captain of the guard," is literally "chief of the
slaughterers," and is interpreted by some to mean "chief of the
cooks" (comp. I Sam.