SCRIPTURE: GENESIS 39
IMPORTANT VERSE:
JOSEPH AND POTIPHAR’S WIFE (vs. 1-23)
Now Joseph had been taken down to Egypt. Potiphar, an Egyptian who was one of Pharaoh’s officials, the captain of the guard, bought him from the Ishmaelites who had taken him there.
The Lord was with Joseph and he prospered, and he lived in the house of his Egyptian master. When his master saw that the Lord was with him and that the Lord gave him success in everything he did, Joseph found favor in his eyes and became his attendant. Potiphar put him in charge of his household, and he entrusted to his care everything he owned. From time to time he put him in charge of his household and of all that he owned, the Lord blessed the household of the Egyptian because of Joseph. The blessing of the Lord was on everything Potiphar had, both in the house and in the field. So he left in Joseph’s care everything he had; 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 form me except you, because you are his wife. How then could I do such a wicked thing 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.
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.
When she saw that he had left his cloak in her hand and had run out of the house, she called her household servants. “Look,” she said to them, “This Hebrew has been brought to us to make sport of us! he came in here to sleep with me, but I screamed. When he heard me scream for help, he left his cloak beside me and ran out of the house.”
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.
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.
THOUGHTS: (From Life Application Study Bible)
Joseph was the servant of Potiphar, who was rich with elaborate homes and enjoy delicious meals. Potiphar’s wife tried to seduce Joseph but he resisted the temptation because it would be a sin against God. He refused her advances and finally ran from her. Sometimes, merely avoiding temptation is not enough. We must turn and run, especially when the temptations seem very strong such as sexual temptations.
Joseph was falsely accused by Potiphar’s wife. As a result, he was imprisoned awaiting for trial. May prisoners never made it to court because trials were held at the whim of the ruler. Joseph was in prison a long time before he appeared before Pharaoh and then he was called out to interpret a dream, not to stand trial.
As a prisoner and slave, Joseph could have seen his situation as hopeless. Instead, he di his best with each small task given him. His diligence and positive attitude were soon noticed by the warden, who promoted him to prison administrator. When you are facing a seemingly hopeless predicament, follow Joseph’s example by taking each small task and doing your best. Remember how God turned Joseph’s situation around. He will see your efforts and can reverse even overwhelming odds.