Genesis 39
39
Joseph Succeeds in Adversity
1Now Joseph had been brought down to Egypt. Potiphar, an official of Pharaoh, commander of the bodyguards, bought him from the hand of the Ishmaelites, who had brought him down there.
2But Adonai was with Joseph. So he became a successful man in the house of his master, the Egyptian.
3His master saw that Adonai was with him and that Adonai made everything he set his hand to successful.
4Joseph found favor in his eyes, so he served him as a personal servant and he made him an overseer over his household; everything that was his he entrusted into his hand.
5From the time that he made him an overseer in his house and over everything that belonged to him, Adonai blessed the Egyptian’s house because of Joseph; Adonai’s blessing was on everything that belonged to him, in the house and in the field.
6So he released everything he owned into Joseph’s hand. With him in charge, he did not think about anything except the food he ate. Now Joseph was handsome in form and handsome in appearance.
7Now after these things, the master’s wife lifted up her eyes at Joseph and said, “Come, lie down with me!”
8But he refused. “Look,” he said to his master’s wife, “my master doesn’t think about anything in the house with me in charge, and everything that belongs to him he’s entrusted into my hand.
9No one in this house is greater than I, and he has withheld nothing from me—except you, because you are his wife. So how could I commit this great evil and sin against God?”
10So whenever she spoke to Joseph, day after day, he did not listen to her invitation to lie down beside her, to be with her.
11Now on one such day, he came into the house to do his work, and none of the people of the house were there in the house.
12Then she grabbed him by his garment saying, “Come, lie with me!” But he left his garment in her hand, fled and went outside.
13When she saw that he had left his garment in her hand and fled outside,
14she screamed to the men of her house and said to them, “Look! Someone brought a Hebrew man to us to fool with us. He approached me to lie with me so I screamed out loud.
15When he heard me raise my voice and scream, he left his garment with me, fled and went outside.”
16Then she kept the garment with her until his master came home.
17She spoke the same words to him saying, “The Hebrew slave that you brought us approached me to fool with me.
18When I raised my voiced and screamed, he left his garment with me and fled outside.”
19Now when his master heard the words his wife spoke to him saying, “Such are the things your slave did to me,” his anger burned.
20Then Joseph’s master took him and put him in prison, the place where the king’s prisoners were confined. So there he was, in the prison.
21But Adonai was with Joseph and extended kindness to him and gave him favor in the eyes of the commander of the prison.
22The commander of the prison entrusted into Joseph’s hand all the prisoners who were in the prison, so that everything that was done there, he was responsible for it.
23The commander of the prison did not concern himself with anything at all under his care, because Adonai was with him, and Adonai made whatever he did successful.
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Genesis 39: TLV
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Copyright © 2014 - Messianic Jewish Family Bible Society
Genesis 39
39
Joseph Serves Potiphar
1After the Ishmaelite traders brought Joseph down to Egypt, he was purchased by an Egyptian officer # 39:1 This is actually the Hebrew word for “eunuch.” In Egyptian culture, the key officials surrounding the king were made eunuchs to prevent them from having sons that would compete for the throne. This may help the reader understand why Potiphar’s wife chased after Joseph later in the chapter. of Pharaoh, the captain of the guard, whose name was Potiphar. # 39:1 Potiphar means “given by the sun-god Ra” or “one who belongs to the sun-god Ra.” 2Yahweh’s presence was with Joseph and he became successful # 39:2 Or “prosperous.” The implication is that Joseph excelled in everything. God’s presence and favor do more for us than our skill, intelligence, and cleverness could achieve. God had his hand in everything that happened to Joseph, and he has his hand in everything that happens to you (see Rom. 8:28). while living in the house of his Egyptian master. 3When his master realized that Yahweh’s presence was with Joseph # 39:3 The Talmud teaches that the Hebrew text should be translated as “Yahweh was continually on Joseph’s lips”; in other words, Potiphar noted that Joseph did everything as unto God and gave him the glory. There is something trustworthy about a person with no agenda other than to give God glory in everything. and caused everything he did to prosper, 4Joseph found favor with Potiphar. He was quickly promoted to become the overseer of Potiphar’s house and was put in charge of all that he had. 5From the moment Potiphar appointed Joseph over his household, Yahweh blessed the Egyptian’s affairs for Joseph’s sake. The blessing of Yahweh was upon everything Potiphar owned; his finances increased, his crops flourished, and his flocks and herds multiplied. # 39:5 Or “everything Potiphar owned, at home and in the field.” 6So Potiphar placed all that he owned under Joseph’s oversight. And with Joseph in charge, Potiphar had nothing to worry about, except deciding on what to eat! # 39:6 Or possibly a figure of speech for “his private affairs,” or euphemistically for “his wife.”
Joseph and Potiphar’s Wife
Now Joseph was strikingly handsome, very good-looking, and well-built. # 39:6 No other man is described in these terms in the Bible; however the Hebrew phrase is nearly identical to the description of Rachel (see Gen. 29:17). 7It wasn’t long before his master’s wife # 39:7 Although unnamed, Hebrew tradition identifies Potiphar’s wife as Zuleika. As an Egyptian aristocrat, she was no doubt a beautiful woman. noticed Joseph. She demanded: “Come make love to me.”
8“Never!” Joseph replied. “Don’t you realize that my master has nothing to worry about with me in charge, for he has put everything he has under my care? 9There is no one greater in his household than me, # 39:9 Joseph understood the great favor shown to him and could not violate the trust of his master. He valued Potiphar’s trust in him. Joseph knew that he was elevated to a place of honor; nothing was held back from him. Joseph had self-respect and respected Potiphar’s wife. Though she was evil, he was honorable toward her. nor has he kept anything back from me except you, because you’re his wife. Why would I want to do such an immoral thing and sin against God?”
10Yet day after day, she was determined to seduce him. But Joseph continually refused her advances and would not even go near her. 11Then one day, when he had to go into the house to do his work and no one else was there, 12she grabbed him by his robe and said, “Come on, sleep with me!” But he abruptly ran out of the house, leaving his robe in her hands! # 39:12 Interestingly, the triliteral Hebrew root for “robe,” b-g-d, has a homonym meaning “marital fidelity.” There are times when running is the mark of a coward, and there are times when running is the mark of courage. Joseph would rather run in embarrassment than linger, falling into the trap of sexual promiscuity (see 1 Thess. 4:3–8). Self-control is a true sign of integrity. It is better to lose a good coat than a good conscience! He may have lost his coat, but Joseph kept his character. If the Lord has destined you for greatness, if God has a work for you to do, there should be no surprise when this kind of temptation comes to you. 13Realizing he had fled, and she was holding his robe in her hands, 14she called for her household servants and said to them, “See! My husband brings this Hebrew foreigner here to make fools of us! # 39:14 Or “to play with us,” a possible euphemism for having sex with them. He barged into my house and tried to have sex with me, and I screamed; 15and when he heard me scream for help, he ran out of the house and left his robe!”
16She kept the robe beside her until his master came home 17and she told him the same story: “This Hebrew foreigner you brought among us barged into the house and tried to violate me. 18As soon as I screamed out for help, he ran outside and left his robe here beside me.”
Joseph Goes to Prison
19When his master heard his wife’s account about how his servant had treated her, he became furious. # 39:19 The text does not say with whom Potiphar was furious. Perhaps he knew his wife’s promiscuous ways. He had Joseph only thrown into prison when a man with his authority could have had him killed. Perhaps he doubted the truth of her story, but to save face, he had Joseph imprisoned. According to the Yalkut Shimoni, Asenath, the daughter of Potiphar, did her best to convince her father of Joseph’s innocence and what really happened. Later, when Joseph was freed from prison, Asenath became Joseph’s wife. 20So Joseph’s master took him and threw him into prison, the place where the king’s prisoners are confined, and he was left there. # 39:20 In Ps. 105:17–18 we learn that Joseph’s feet were in chains and an iron collar was placed on his neck (or “his soul”). It would be hard to imagine a lower point in Joseph’s life. Betrayed by his brothers, sold as slave, and falsely accused, he suffered for a season until his time of deliverance arrived. As hard as it may seem, God may allow others to take advantage of us in order to carry out his secret will for our life. He will let us look like a fool in order to perfect our character. This is “the place where [our King’s] prisoners are confined” (Gen. 39:20; see Eph. 4:1)! 21But Yahweh was with Joseph and demonstrated to him his faithful love by giving him great favor in the sight of the warden. 22The warden put all the prisoners under Joseph’s care; he was placed in charge of all the prisoners and everything in the prison. 23The warden had no worries about the prison with Joseph in charge, because Yahweh’s presence was with Joseph and caused everything Joseph did to prosper. # 39:23 Joseph had a God-favored life. A study of the life of Joseph is a study of the favor of God. He was faithful as a son, a shepherd, and a servant. He was diligent in all that he did. Wisdom guided him, even in a strange land, and everything he did prospered (see Ps. 1:3)! He not only adjusted to living in Egypt but also flourished and became the personal attendant (administrator) of Potiphar’s affairs and eventually the supervisor of the penal system. Joseph would never have been given such an honor if he had not demonstrated a high degree of integrity and faithfulness. Everyone could see that God was with Joseph. He that was faithful over a few things was now being made a ruler over much. See Matt. 25:21.
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