of Babylon’s ruins reported finding “quantities of porcupine quills.” Similarly, the reference to a voice “singing in the window” at desolated Nineveh can apply to any bird that might perch in a deserted window or even to the sound of the wind and need not apply to the porcupine. (Zeph. 2:14) As to the porcupine’s ‘spending the night among the pillar capitals [the top portion of the pillars],’ it must be remembered that the picture drawn is of a city in ruins. Hence, it is certainly possible that the pillars are here considered as fallen to the ground.

PORPHYRY

(porʹphy·ry).

A kind of stone usually dark red, purple or sometimes green and containing feldspar crystals. Together with marble and pearl, it was used as pavement in the Persian palace at Shushan in the days of King Ahasuerus.—Esther 1:6.

PORTENT

The English word “portent” (referring to something that presages future events or situations; also, a marvel) at times is an appropriate translation of the Hebrew moh·phethʹ and the Greek teʹras.

Moh·phethʹ generally carries the idea of a “miracle,” as in the miracles performed through Moses and Aaron in Egypt. However, in some cases the term is definitely used in the sense of a “portent,” as with regard to the prophet or dreamer who offers a sign or portent (to be fulfilled in the future) to lend support to his prophecy.—Deut. 13:1-3.

The portent (moh·phethʹ) might be a miraculous act manifesting divine power, as when the altar of Jeroboam was ripped apart by God, portending the still future and greater execution of his adverse judgment regarding that altar and those serving at it. (1 Ki. 13:1-5; compare the fulfillment some three hundred years later at 2 Kings 23:16-20.) Or it might be just an unusual action performed by someone, as when Isaiah went naked and barefoot to portend the circumstances due to come on Egypt and Ethiopia at the hands of the king of Assyria (Isa. 20:3-6), or Ezekiel’s making a hole in the wall (likely the wall of his residence) and taking out his luggage through it as a portent of the exile facing Judah.—Ezek. 12:5-11; compare 24:18-27.

Since a portent is a sign pointing to future things or circumstances, one writer may use the word moh·phethʹ (“portent” or “miracle”) while another uses ʼohth (“sign”) to describe the same thing. (Compare 2 Chronicles 32:24 with 2 Kings 20:8, 9.) A “sign” may serve as a guide or indicator for the present, as well as for the future, whereas a “portent” relates primarily to the future. The designating of something as a “sign” stresses that it has significance, whether for the present or the future. Its being called a “portent” stresses its significance as relating to the future.

Thus, when referring to Joel 2:30, which foretold “portents [plural of moh·phethʹ] in the heavens and on the earth,” the apostle Peter spoke of “portents [plural of teʹras] in heaven above and signs [plural of se·meiʹon] on earth” (Acts 2:14, 19), which is the way the text in Joel reads in the Greek Septuagint Version. In the Christian Greek Scriptures teʹras is consistently used in combination with se·meiʹon (“sign”), both terms being used in the plural form.—Acts 7:36; 14:3; 15:12; 2 Cor. 12:12.

Basically, teʹras refers to any act or thing exciting wonderment, hence it is properly translated “wonders” in some cases. (Matt. 24:24; John 4:48) Where the future is more clearly involved, “portent” is more appropriate. Serving as credentials that Jesus was God’s “Sent One” were the “powerful works and portents and signs that God did through him.” (Acts 2:22) The miraculous cures and resurrections he performed not only excited wonderment; they also portended what he would do on a greater scale in the future. (John 6:54; compare John 1:50, 51; 5:20, 28.) Some acts were portents of his future activity as God’s High Priest, forgiving sins and acting as Judge. (Matt. 9:2-8; John 5:1-24) Others served as evidence of his future authority and power to act against Satan and his demons, abyssing them. (Matt. 12:22-29; Luke 8:27-33; compare Revelation 20:1-3.) All such acts pointed forward to his Messianic Rule as God’s Anointed King.

Similarly, Jesus’ disciples, as witnesses of his teachings and resurrection, were backed up by God with “signs as well as portents and various powerful works.” (Heb. 2:3, 4; Acts 2:43; 5:12) These gave evidence of God’s dealings with the newly formed Christian congregation and portended his future use of that congregation to carry out his will and purpose.—Compare John 14:12.

As false prophets arose in Israel, so the foretold apostasy in the Christian congregation would produce a “man of lawlessness” whose presence would be evidenced by “the operation of Satan with every powerful work and lying signs and portents.” (2 Thess. 2:3-12) Thus, the evidence marshaled to support the apostate movement would not be weak or puny but would manifest Satan’s might. The portents would be lying ones, however, either fraudulent on their face or deceptive as to the conclusions to which they would lead. Appearing to manifest God’s benevolence and blessing, they would in reality divert persons from the source and path of life.—Compare 2 Corinthians 11:3, 12-15; see MIRACLES; POWER, POWERFUL WORKS; SIGN.

POT

See COOKING, COOKING UTENSILS.

POTIPHAR

(Potʹi·phar) [shortened form of Potiphera, he whom Ra gave].

An Egyptian court official and chief of Pharaoh’s bodyguard. He was Joseph’s master for a time and, it appears, was a man of wealth. (Gen. 37:36; 39:4) Potiphar purchased Joseph from the traveling Midianite merchants, and, observing what a good servant Joseph was, eventually put him in charge of his whole house and field, which establishment Jehovah blessed on Joseph’s account.—Gen. 39:1-6.

Potiphar’s wife was not as faithful to him as was his servant Joseph, however. She repeatedly endeavored to seduce Joseph and one day, when no other men were around, grabbed hold of him, but Joseph still refused and ran out. When Potiphar came home, he heard his wife’s frustrated barrage of false accusations. Instead of having Joseph executed, Potiphar angrily had him thrown into prison.—Gen. 39:7-20.

This prison seems to have been connected with Potiphar’s house or at least came under his jurisdiction as “chief of the bodyguard.” Thus, the record speaks of Pharaoh’s chief cupbearer and chief baker being thrown into this same jail, the “jail of the house of the chief of the bodyguard,” “the jail of [Joseph’s] master’s house.” (Gen. 39:1; 40:1-7) However, it seems unlikely that Potiphar is to be equated with the “chief officer of the prison house” who “gave over into Joseph’s hand all the prisoners who were in the prison house.” (Gen. 39:21-23) This officer was probably a subordinate of Potiphar.

Potiphar’s title “court official” translates the Hebrew word sa·risʹ, literally meaning “eunuch,” but which in its broader usage meant a chamberlain, courtier or trusted officer of the throne. The “court official [sa·risʹ] that had a command over the men of war” when Jerusalem fell in 607 B.C.E. was no doubt a high government official, not a castrated person lacking masculinity. (2 Ki. 25:19) So, also, Potiphar was a military man, chief of the bodyguard, as well as a married man, facts that militate against the idea that he was a eunuch in the more common sense.

POTIPHERA

(Pot·iʹphe·ra) [he whom Ra gave].

Joseph’s father-in-law, whose daughter Asenath bore Manasseh and Ephraim. (Gen. 41:45, 50; 46:20) Potiphera was the priest, likely of the sun-god Ra, officiating at On, a center of Egyptian sun worship. In the Cairo Museum there is a stele or funeral pillar discovered in 1935, that has on it the name, “Potiphare.”