SCRIPTURE: GENESIS 39
BIBLE VERSES:
“So Potiphar left everything he had in Joseph’s care; with Joseph in charge, he did not concern himself with anything except the food he ate. Now Joseph was well-built and handsome, and after a while his master’s wife took notice of Joseph and said, “Come to bed with me!” But he refused. “With me in charge,” he told her, “my master does not concern himself with anything in the house; everything he owns he has entrusted to my care. No one is greater in this house than I am. My master has withheld nothing from me except you, because you are his wife. How then could I do such a wicked thing and sin against God?” And though she spoke to Joseph day after day, he refused to go to bed with her or even be with her. (Genesis 39:6-10)
“One day he went into the house to attend to his duties, and none of the household servants was inside. She caught him by his cloak and said, “Come to bed with me!” But he left his cloak in her hand and ran out of the house.” (Genesis 39:11)
“She kept his cloak beside her until his master came home. Then she told him this story: “That Hebrew slave you brought us came to me to make sport of me. But as soon as I screamed for help, he left his cloak beside me and ran out of the house.” When his master heard the story his wife told him, saying, “This is how your slave treated me,” he burned with anger. Joseph’s master took him and put him in prison, the place where the king’s prisoners were confined.” (Genesis 39:16-20)
“But while Joseph was there in the prison, the Lord was with him; he showed him kindness and granted him favor in the eyes of the prison warden. So the warden put Joseph in charge of all those held in the prison, and he was made responsible for all that was done there. The warden paid no attention to anything under Joseph’s care, because the Lord was with Joseph and gave him success in whatever he did.” (Genesis 39:21-23)
JOSEPH AND POTIPHAR’S WIFE (vs. 1-23)
Joseph was sold as a slave to Potiphar, an Egyptian who was one of the Pharaoh’s officials, the captain of the guard. While Joseph was in the house of the Egyptian master, the Lord was with him and gave him success in everything he did. Potiphar put him in charge of his household and entrusted everything he owned to his care.
Since Joseph was swell-built and handsome, the wife of Potiphar wanted to sleep with him but Joseph refused. One day, while JOseph was attending his duties, Potiphar’s wife caught him by his cloak and asked him to come to bed with her. Josephe left his cloak in her hand and ran out of the house. When the master came, his wife lied to him by showing Joseph’s cloak and told him that Joseph to sleep with her. When the master heard her story, he was furious. He took Joseph and put him in prison.
While Joseph was in prison, the Lord was with him. He showed him kindness and granted him favor in the eyes of the prison warden. So the warden put Joseph in charge of all those held in the prison. The Lord gave Joseph success in whatever he did.
THOUGHTS;
The good characters of Joseph:
- He did not yield to sexual temptation. He refused the advances of Potiphar’s wife and ran away from committing sin.
- He controlled his tongue from exposing the lies that Potiphar’s wife was spreading.
- He learned to be patient knowing that God was with him.
- He had a positive attitude while in prison by doing his duty diligently which enabled him to be promoted as prison administrator.