Lesson 82 Genesis 39- The Challenge of Living in Potiphar's House

The Saga of Joseph and Egypt. 39:1-6

English Standard Version (Chapter 39)

39 Now Joseph had been brought down to Egypt, and Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh, the captain of the guard, an Egyptian, had bought him from the Ishmaelites who had brought him down there. 2 The LORD was with Joseph, and he became a successful man, and he was in the house of his Egyptian master.

3 His master saw that the LORD was with him and that the LORD caused all that he did to succeed in his hands. 4 So Joseph found favor in his sight and attended him, and he made him overseer of his house and put him in charge of all that he had.

5 From the time that he made him overseer in his house and over all that he had, the LORD blessed the Egyptian’s house for Joseph’s sake; the blessing of the LORD was on all that he had, in house and field. 6 So he left all that he had in Joseph’s charge, and because of him he had no concern about anything but the food he ate.Now Joseph was handsome in form and appearance

The key verse to understanding the character of Joseph is verse 3. “ His master saw that the LORD was with him and that the LORD caused all that he did to succeed in his hands. “

Can we just take some time to think about the life of a spoiled child like Joseph? He goes from favored status to slavery and in a short time he is once again favored. Not to mention he is probably brilliant and filled with the Spirit of God. To top it all off, he has the looks and physique to go with success in a foreign land(vs. 6- handsome in form and appearance.) The time frame is right in the middle of chapters 37 and 38. In chapter 37, the Midianites are known as the ones who brought him to Egypt, and in 39 they are Ishmaelites. One name refers to a more ancient connection that implies a stressful relationship between Ishmael and Israel. Midianite is like a reference to a distant estranged family who live in neighboring areas. Ishmaelites cover the term from a distance in time. Midianites is more current. Neither are desirable to Israel. We know how to react to them, but we go out of our way to not have contact (unless of course we are going to sell a brother into slavery.) By the way, Ishmael’s descendants have been in the slave trade as long as anybody on the Earth. That may be some of the distaste of doing business with them. They were apparently among the first human traffickers, even with family members.

Let’s think some more about the success of a man who goes from a “life of Riley” to forced labor. It seems he would have a tough time of coping! Apparently his father and household leaders taught him well about running a household. The brothers took care of the flocks and he helped run the show at home. Today give the state of the American family, we could use a few more Joseph’s on the scene. Catch this:

The LORD was with Joseph, and he became a successful man, and he was in the house of his Egyptian master. 3 His master saw that the LORD was with him and that the LORD caused all that he did to succeed in his hands

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), Ge 39:2–3.

The Lord God of Israel has a special interest in peoples homes today, just like back then. He greatly desires that we help our people over us to be successful and in turn he does the same for our own homes. Our hands become the multipliers of blessing and success. The next verses show us that this is a sign of favor, or God’s grace. Grace is that which gives us the opportunity/strength/wisdom to do the impossible. Joseph was doing just that. If he had been raised to just exist, he would have failed. But being raised in a purposeful manner, he was able to see purpose and plan in the place God had allowed him to work and serve.

English Standard Version (Chapter 39)

7 And after a time his master’s wife cast her eyes on Joseph and said, “Lie with me.” 8 But he refused and said to his master’s wife, “Behold, because of me my master has no concern about anything in the house, and he has put everything that he has in my charge. 9 He is not greater in this house than I am, nor has he kept back anything from me except you, because you are his wife. How then can I do this great wickedness and sin against God?” 10 And as she spoke to Joseph day after day, he would not listen to her, to lie beside her or to be with her

Potiphar, the Egyptian master of Joseph, was extremely important in the land. He had put everything in his house under Joseph’s blessed control. He trusted him so much so that he did not even care about what amounts of food was the in the house. He paid no bills, Joseph did. Likewise with everything else. That way Potiphar could contend with what Pharaoh wanted. He did not want house problems to to derail his success. Potiphar means “belonging to the Sun (god) with contrasts nicely with the state of the believer in his household, who belongs to the Son.

There was one thing in Potiphar’s household that wanted to jump out of his control and into the arms of Joseph: his wife. She is known only by that name, Potiphar’s wife. She wanted Joseph to jump into bed with her and sin against the Lord and Potiphar. But Joseph refused her advances. He even refused to be alone with her. Joseph refused to sin against God. That is a really strong man. He had the guts to say no. Not many men could withstand this kind of daily spiritual and moral attack.

English Standard Version (Chapter 39)

11 But one day, when he went into the house to do his work and none of the men of the house was there in the house, 12 she caught him by his garment, saying, “Lie with me.” But he left his garment in her hand and fled and got out of the house.

13 And as soon as she saw that he had left his garment in her hand and had fled out of the house, 14 she called to the men of her household and said to them, “See, he has brought among us a Hebrew to laugh at us. He came in to me to lie with me, and I cried out with a loud voice.

15 And as soon as he heard that I lifted up my voice and cried out, he left his garment beside me and fled and got out of the house.” 16 Then she laid up his garment by her until his master came home,

17 and she told him the same story, saying, “The Hebrew servant, whom you have brought among us, came in to me to laugh at me. 18 But as soon as I lifted up my voice and cried, he left his garment beside me and fled out of the house.”

One day, the conditions were ripe for Potiphar’s wife to get the upper hand and she caught some of Joseph’s clothes as he was fleeing. This is the occasion for the accusation against him.

And as soon as he heard that I lifted up my voice and cried out, he left his garment beside me and fled and got out of the house.

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), Ge 39:15.

She presented the clothes she had snatched from Joseph and made the accusation against him. She made it sound like it was a big joke(to laugh) and that he had attacked her to lie with her. Look out scandal!

English Standard Version (Chapter 39)

19 As soon as his master heard the words that his wife spoke to him, “This is the way your servant treated me,” his anger was kindled. 20 And Joseph’s master took him and put him into the prison, the place where the king’s prisoners were confined, and he was there in prison.

21 But the LORD was with Joseph and showed him steadfast love and gave him favor in the sight of the keeper of the prison. 22 And the keeper of the prison put Joseph in charge of all the prisoners who were in the prison. Whatever was done there, he was the one who did it.

23 The keeper of the prison paid no attention to anything that was in Joseph’s charge, because the LORD was with him. And whatever he did, the LORD made it succeed.

Potiphar is no doubt aware of his wife’s badgering of Joseph, but because of his anger and his importance, he can not act like nothing happened. Potiphar put him in prison with the king’s/pharaoh's prisoners. No doubt a place of special treatment or special torture, depending on the situation. Once gain, Joseph thrives in prison. Joseph is put in charge of everything in short order. The Life of a blessed man of God is the key to success. Saying “no” to sin may not always be the comfortable or easiest thing to say, but it reaps rewards of success no matter what platform on which you serve.