Joseph: The Cat and Mouse in Potiphar’s House

In our previous episode, taken from Genesis 38, we were treated to a seriously disappointing character study of Judah, the son of Israel who had become the designated forerunner of the Messiah.  The fact that he was chosen for this role is truly amazing when we consider that…

• • It was Judah’s brilliant but merciless idea to sell his younger brother into slavery;
  • It was Judah who then proceeded to separate himself from his family and go live in a Canaanite settlement;
  • It was Judah who married a Canaanite woman there—a pagan who gave birth to and raised his three pagan sons—two of whom were so wicked that God killed them Himself;
  • It was Judah who reneged on his marriage contract with Tamar;
  • It was Judah who, thinking she was a prostitute from the local pagan temple, had sex with his own daughter-in-law; and,
  • It was Judah who, when he learned that she was pregnant, piously condemned her to be burned.

In our current episode, taken from Genesis 39, we will be returning to Egypt where we will be picking up the story of Joseph once again—a story in which the character and integrity displayed by Joseph stands in stark contrast to what we have so recently seen demonstrated by Judah. To help us get our heads back in the story at hand, here is the way Biopic #4 breaks down…

 

Episode #3 of Biopic #4
Cast:     Narrator     Potiphar’s Wife     Joseph

Narrator:  Now Joseph had been taken down to Egypt. And Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh, captain of the guard, an Egyptian, bought him from the Ishmaelites who had taken him down there.  The LORD was with Joseph, and he was a successful man; and he was in the house of his master the Egyptian.  And his master saw that the LORD was with him and that the LORD made all he did to prosper in his hand.  So Joseph found favor in his sight, and served him. Then he made him overseer of his house, and all that he had he put under his authority.  So it was, from the time that he had made him overseer of his house and all that he had, that the LORD blessed the Egyptian’s house for Joseph’s sake; and the blessing of the LORD was on all that he had in the house and in the field.  Thus he left all that he had in Joseph’s hand, and he did not know what he had except for the bread which he ate.

 

 

Now Joseph was handsome in form and appearance.  And it came to pass after these things that his master’s wife cast longing eyes on Joseph, and she said…

Potiphar’s Wife:  Lie with me.

Narrator:  But he refused and said to his master’s wife…

Joseph:  Look, my master does not know what is with me in the house, and he has committed all that he has to my hand.  There is no one greater in this house than I, nor has he kept back anything from me but you, because you are his wife. How then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?

Narrator:  So it was, as she spoke to Joseph day by day, that he did not heed her, to lie with her or to be with her.  But it happened about this time, when Joseph went into the house to do his work, and none of the men of the house was inside, that she caught him by his garment, saying…

Potiphar’s Wife:  Lie with me.

Narrator:  But he left his garment in her hand, and fled and ran outside.  And so it was, when she saw that he had left his garment in her hand and fled outside, that she called to the men of her house and spoke to them, saying…

Potiphar’s Wife:  See, he has brought in to us a Hebrew to mock us. He came in to me to lie with me, and I cried out with a loud voice.  And it happened, when he heard that I lifted my voice and cried out, that he left his garment with me, and fled and went outside.

Narrator:  So she kept his garment with her until his master came home. Then she spoke to him with words like these, saying…

Potiphar’s Wife:  The Hebrew servant whom you brought to us came in to me to mock me; so it happened, as I lifted my voice and cried out, that he left his garment with me and fled outside.

Narrator:  So it was, when his master heard the words which his wife spoke to him, saying, ‘Your servant did to me after this manner,’ that his anger was aroused.  Then Joseph’s master took him and put him into the prison, a place where the king’s prisoners were confined. And he was there in the prison.

But the LORD was with Joseph and showed him mercy, and He gave him favor in the sight of the keeper of the prison.  And the keeper of the prison committed to Joseph’s hand all the prisoners who were in the prison; whatever they did there, it was his doing.  The keeper of the prison did not look into anything that was under Joseph’s authority, because the LORD was with him; and whatever he did, the LORD made it prosper.

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Our Review

For our review, let’s consider…

The Most Important Points in this Episode—

— Down to Egypt—at this time, Egypt was already a very ancient nation.  When Abraham was there, many years before Joseph, it had been in existence for over a thousand years.  It was a highly civilized empire organized into an efficient bureaucracy, with its priests sitting at the top of the food chain.  Its religion was polytheistic, with over 2000 gods being worshipped, and with Pharaoh revered as god in the flesh.  Joseph would have been 18 when he was carried down to Egypt.

— Potiphar/an officer of Pharaoh, captain of the guard, an Egyptian—

Potiphar, to whom Joseph was sold, was captain of Pharaoh’s bodyguard, and also probably in charge of political executions ordered by Pharaoh.  He is also called an “officer” of Pharaoh, the Hebrew word being saris, meaning “eunuch,” or “chamberlain.”  It was evidently customary in ancient pagan countries, beginning with Sumeria, to require prominent officers associated closely with the king’s court to be castrated, perhaps to ensure full-hearted devotion to duties required of them and to minimize the possibility of their taking over the kingdom by military coup to establish a dynasty of their own.  Since Potiphar was a married man, it would seem either that Potiphar had consented to such an operation after he was married in order to acquire his high office or else that his wife had married him for political or financial reasons rather than for normal marital relations.  In either case, it is perhaps understandable, though hardly justifiable, that she would be prone to adulterous episodes from time to time.[1]

Three times, Potiphar is referred to as an Egyptian—in vv. 1,2,5—which is odd, given that this story is set in Egypt.  The reason that this distinction was made may have been because Pharaoh and most of the other members of his court were not Egyptians but were Hyksos—foreign invaders who had conquered Egypt about 1750 BC, and who were expelled later on, prior to Moses’ time.

— The Lord was with Joseph—it doesn’t matter what our circumstances may be, the Lord is always with those who have put their trust in Him.  1 Corinthians 7:20-24.

— His master saw that the Lord was with him—Joseph’s witness and testimony was having an obvious impact upon Potiphar.

— All that he had he put under his authority—even as a slave, God was preparing Joseph to one day rule and reign.

— The Lord blessed that Egyptian’s house for Joseph’s sake—this hearkens back to the promises made to Abraham—that God would bless those who bless His people.

— After these things/lie with me—we are not told how long Joseph was in Potiphar’s house before his wife started harassing him.

— How can I do this great wickedness—Joseph refused her advances for two reasons:  one, her husband trusted him and, two, to do so would be a sin against God.

— Day by day—her sexual harassment of Joseph went on for some time and was relentless.

 

 

— He left his garment in her hand—this is the second time that Joseph has been stripped of his cloak/coat/outer garment.  On both occasions, it marked the beginning of a new chapter of humiliation for him.

— He has brought into us a Hebrew to mock us—or, to endanger all the women of the household.

— His anger was aroused—it doesn’t say if Potiphar’s anger was directed at Joseph or towards his wife.

— He put him in prison, a place where the king’s prisoners were confined—although Potiphar could easily have had Joseph put to death, the fact that he didn’t gives credence to his belief in Joseph’s innocence.  Further evidence of this can be seen in that he puts Joseph into the prison over which he has authority.   Later, in Genesis 40:3, we read that when Pharaoh put his butler and baker in prison…

…he put them in custody in the house of the captain of the guard, in the prison, the place where Joseph was confined.

— The Lord was with Joseph—it doesn’t matter whether we are slaves or in prison, the Lord remains with us, showing us mercy.

— The keeper of the prison committed to Joseph’s hand all the prisoners/under Joseph’s authority—even though Joseph was in prison, God could still use his time there to help prepare him for his coming destiny.

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In Summary

Some Questions to Consider—

1. 1. From what we have seen so far—and based upon the fact that the Lord has continued to bless him—Joseph appears to be a young man with a sterling character.  Why, then, do you think God allowed him to go through so much humiliation and suffering?

This process seems to have served at least two purposes: God has used these trials to help work the world and the flesh out of Joseph, while at the same time using them to prepare Joseph for his future of ruling and reigning over the world’s system of that day. And, since Joseph was meant to serve as an Old Testament type of Christ, it was essential that he be betrayed and suffer in ways similar to those of Christ. When reflecting upon the sufferings of Christ, we need to keep in mind that…

…though He [Christ] was a Son, yet He learned obedience by the things which He suffered. (Hebrews 5:8)

My son, do not despise the chastening of the LORD, nor be discouraged when you are rebuked by Him; for whom the LORD loves He chastens, and scourges every son whom He receives. If you endure chastening, God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom a father does not chasten? …Now no chastening seems to be joyful for the present, but painful; nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it. (Hebrews 12:6-7,11)

1. 2. What do you think were Joseph’s biggest character flaws—and, why did they have to go?

From what we can gather from this story so far, pride and privilege seem to have been Joseph’s besetting sins. His cockiness was certainly evident when he was relating his dreams to his brothers, and his father’s blatant partiality toward Joseph would certainly have fostered an attitude of superiority in him. Before God could use him in the way that He had planned, though, both of these flaws would have to dealt with—because…

​Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall. ​​Better to be of a humble spirit with the lowly, than to divide the spoil with the proud. (Proverbs 16:18-19)

… you younger people, submit yourselves to your elders. Yes, all of you be submissive to one another, and be clothed with humility, for ​​“God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”​ Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you. 1 Peter 5:5-6)

1. 3. In the process of working these flaws out of Joseph, what was God also working in him?

In addition to the humility and obedience that God was working into him, God was also putting Joseph into positions where he could develop the gifts of administration and wisdom that he would need later on. Although he didn’t know it at the time, Joseph was actually in a training program for his future job while he was overseeing Potiphar’s household and the prison where he was incarcerated.

1. 4. Why do you think Egypt is regarded as a type of the world throughout scripture?

Egypt provides us with a picture of the world because it is a place of bondage and slavery–one ruled over by a corrupt leader who thinks he is god. It is a place from which we cannot free ourselves–only God can do that and that is only through the blood of the Passover Lamb, Jesus Christ!

Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world. And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever. (1 John 2:16)

Be sure to join us for our next episode as we follow along with Joseph in prison in Dreams, Dreams, & More Dreams.

 

 

 

[1] Henry M. Morris, The Genesis Record (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Book House, 1976), 559.

Featured image of Joseph and Potiphar’s wife by Guido Reni provided by Wikimedia Commons at File:Guido Reni (Italian – Joseph and Potiphar’s Wife – Google Art Project.jpg – Wikimedia Commons.