(Gen 37:36) Now the Midianites had sold him in Egypt to Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh and captain of the guard.

 

Notice how Chapter 39 begins by duplicating what we read at the end of chapter 37:

 

(Gen 39 NKJV)  "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. {2} The LORD was with Joseph, and he was a successful man; and he was in the house of his master the Egyptian. {3} And his master saw that the LORD was with him and that the LORD made all he did to prosper in his hand.

This had to be a very difficult time in Joseph’s life.  Try to picture being sold into slavery, by your own brothers, at the age of 17.  But there is a very important note here:  “The LORD was with Joseph.” (v. 2)  It is this fact that will make all the difference, and in course of time, make Joseph’s dreams come true.

 

This Psalm wasn’t written yet, but I think it is very fitting at this point in Joseph’s life:

 

(Psa 27:7-14 NKJV)  "Hear, O LORD, when I cry with my voice! Have mercy also upon me, and answer me. {8} When You said, "Seek My face," My heart said to You, "Your face, LORD, I will seek." {9} Do not hide Your face from me; Do not turn Your servant away in anger; You have been my help; Do not leave me nor forsake me, O God of my salvation. {10} When my father and my mother forsake me, [or in Joseph’s case, his brothers,] Then the LORD will take care of me. {11} Teach me Your way, O LORD, And lead me in a smooth path, because of my enemies.

(Psa 27:12) Do not deliver me to the will of my adversaries; For false witnesses have risen against me, And such as breathe out violence. {13} I would have lost heart, unless I had believed That I would see the goodness of the LORD In the land of the living. {14} Wait on the LORD; Be of good courage, And He shall strengthen your heart; Wait, I say, on the LORD!"

 

 

(Gen 39:4) 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. {5} 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. {6} 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.

(Gen 39:6b) Now Joseph was handsome in form and appearance.

 

I’m reminded of what the Bible says about his mother:  (Gen 29:17 NKJV)  “. . . Rachel was beautiful of form and appearance."

Physical beauty has it advantages, but also its problems.

 

(Gen 39:7) And it came to pass after these things that his master's wife cast longing eyes on Joseph, and she said, "Lie with me."

 

(Gen 39:7 NIV)  "and after a while his master's wife took notice of Joseph and said, "Come to bed with me!""

 

One verse!  That’s it, but look at all that is involved: From the purely physical standpoint, this would have had to be quite a temptation for a young man, all alone with this woman.  Approximately half of all young people today would apparently welcome such an opportunity.

 

(Gen 39:8) But he refused and said to his master's wife, "Look, my master does not know what is with me in the house, and he has committed all that he has to my hand. {9} "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?"

 

Joseph could have done a lot a rationalizing:

Who’s going to know?

I’m far from home, no body even knows if I am still alive.

I deserve a little enjoyment!  What else is there for a young man to do here in this house!

The rationalization could go on and on, but it didn’t go on at all, instead, this was his answer:

 

“How then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?"  He knew he was accountable to God, no matter what the circumstances were.

(Gen 39:10) 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.

 

At what point, can we be worn down?  “Oh, okay.”  And then what would we say, “Just this one time”?

 

But Joseph knew better! 

He knew what was right. 

He knew this was a very serious matter, and that “Just this one time,” or any other excuse would not make it right. 

Had he yielded, only God knows what might have resulted:

He might have been caught.

He might have been told on.

She might have become pregnant.

She may have simply wanted to continue this arrangement on a regular basis.

Regardless of all else, in Joseph’s mind, it was wrong, and that settled it.  But not in her mind!

She was not giving up!

 

 

(Gen 39:11) 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, {12} that she caught him by his garment, saying, "Lie with me." But he left his garment in her hand, and fled and ran outside.

 

Some have related this account to (2 Tim 2:22 NKJV)  "Flee also youthful lusts; but pursue righteousness, faith, love, peace with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart."

 

(Gen 39:13) And so it was, when she saw that he had left his garment in her hand and fled outside, {14} that she called to the men of her house and spoke to them, saying, "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. {15} "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."

 

 

(Gen 39:16) So she kept his garment with her until his master came home. {17} Then she spoke to him with words like these, saying, "The Hebrew servant whom you brought to us came in to me to mock me; {18} "so it happened, as I lifted my voice and cried out, that he left his garment with me and fled outside." {19} 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. {20} 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.

 

We are left with a lot of questions.

Did Potiphar really believe her?

Was he angry at Joseph, or angry with her?

Some have suggested that for that day and time Joseph received better treatment than he might have if Potiphar had fully believed the story.

These are questions we can ask, but cannot answer.

 

We do have this from the Psalms:

 

(Psa 105:17-24 NKJV)  "He sent a man before them; Joseph; who was sold as a slave. {18} They hurt his feet with fetters, He was laid in irons. {19} Until the time that his word came to pass, The word of the LORD tested him. {20} The king sent and released him, The ruler of the people let him go free. {21} He made him lord of his house, And ruler of all his possessions, {22} To bind his princes at his pleasure, And teach his elders wisdom. {23} Israel also came into Egypt, And Jacob dwelt in the land of Ham. {24} He increased His people greatly, And made them stronger than their enemies.

 Inspite of the suffering that he may have suffered in prison, we still read:

 

(Gen 39:21) But the LORD was with Joseph and showed him mercy, and He gave him favor in the sight of the keeper of the prison. {22} 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. {23} 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."

 

So what did we learn?

Sometimes we suffer even when we do what is right, but if we stay with God, in the end, we will win.  He will give us the victory.

 

In our next lesson, we plan to study Genesis 40:  The Butler and the Baker have a dream.

 

 

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