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Was Potipherah, priest of On, of the seed of Cain?

Dear Gramps,

Genesis 41:45,50 says that Pharaoh gave Asenath, the daughter of Potipherah priest of On, to Joseph for a wife and that Ephraim and Manasseh were born to this union. Abraham 1:21-27 explains that the Pharaoh could not hold the priesthood because of his lineage. Wilford Woodruff stated “Any man having one drop of the seed of Cain in him cannot receive the Priesthood…” I realize that a revelation was received in 1978 which reversed this situation. Joseph Smith was a descendant of the tribe of Ephraim and so am I. How do we know that Joseph’s wife Asenath was not of the same lineage as Pharaoh? If she was, then we would all have been barred from holding the priesthood and the Prophet Joseph Smith would not have held the priesthood in the restoration. Please explain.

MGL, from Idaho

Dear MGL,

Given all the above, there is only one possible conclusion that can be drawn. Potipherah, the priest of On, was not of the lineage of Cain, as was Pharaoh.

Gramps

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