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Genesis Chapter Thirty-nine
Preface
This chapter returns, after the interlude of chapter 38, to the life and ordeals of Joseph the 11th of Jacob’s (Israel’s) 12 sons, the first by Jacob’s favorite wife, Rachel. Whereas the previous chapter may have appeared of little value to the Christian reader, this chapter is more than redeeming in that it portrays part of the most lucid story within God’s Word demonstrating the truth of Romans 8:28:
And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.
As depicted in the testing of Job, there is a hedge around every child of God (Job 1:10) and nothing gets through it without God’s permission. And even when God allows Satan to pass through the hedge, such a trial is for the benefit and growth of God’s child.
My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. (James 1:2, 3; cf. Romans 5:3; 1 Peter 1:6; 4:13, 16)
The following excerpt from the Bible commentary, Thru the Bible by J. Vernon McGee, expresses this truth most eloquently:
There is no person in the Old Testament in whose life the purpose of God is more clearly seen than Joseph. The providence of God is manifest in every detail of his life. The hand of God is upon him and the leading of the Lord evident, but Joseph is the one patriarch to whom God did not appear directly, according to the text of Scripture. God appeared to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, but not to Joseph. Yet the direction of God in his life is more clearly seen than in any other. He is the Old Testament example of Romans 8:28 . . . Joseph himself expressed it . . . . At the death of their father, Joseph’s brothers felt that Joseph might turn on them, and they came to him asking for mercy. He told them that he held no grudge against them at all and said, “But as for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, in order to bring it about as it is this day, to save many people alive” (Genesis 50:20). Although everything seemed to go wrong for him and the outward aspect was dark . . . each event was a step bringing to fruition God’s purpose in this man’s life.
The other feature of Joseph’s life that is most encouraging to the Christian is that nowhere in Scripture does it say that he had a direct revelation from God. For most children of God who reside in His “direct will,” this is the case.
Even though there are “modern false prophets” who claim to the contrary, God conducts no special and personal revelations for and to His children today. Instead, He has given to them His completed written Word, the canon of Holy Scripture, which is His completed-revelation to each of them. It is for the believer’s encouragement that God did not appear to Joseph directly because by the record of Joseph’s life, each believer can know that God is leading and directing him even though he receives no direct revelation from God; that is, as long as his life mirrors God’s written Word.
Genesis 39:1-6 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. The LORD was with Joseph, and he was a successful man; and he was in the house of his master the Egyptian. And his master saw that the LORD was with him and that the LORD made all he did to prosper in his hand. 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. 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. 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. Now Joseph was handsome in form and appearance.
The plight of Joseph, which was left off in chapter 37, continues here. Joseph was sold by his brothers for 20 pieces of silver into the hands of the Ishmaelites who were a part of a caravan of nomads that was traveling to Egypt (Genesis 37:28). The price of a mature slave was eventually set at 30 pieces of silver (Exodus 21:32; cf. Leviticus 27:5). Joseph was 17 years old at this time.
It was noted in Genesis 37:36 that it was the Midianites that sold Joseph to Potiphar, where in 39:1 it specifically states that Potiphar purchased Joseph from the Ishmaelites. The Midianites and Ishmaelites were desert people who were so closely associated that it was difficult to distinguish them. Evidently all the exiled children of Abraham intermarried. The caravan that transported Joseph to Egypt was a composite of both Midianites and Ishmaelites.
Potiphar was an Egyptian who was one of Pharaoh’s officers, the captain of the guard. Though the reigning Pharaoh is not named, he probably was Sesostris III, who reigned from 1878 to 1843 B.C. See 1 Kings 6:1 and Exodus 12:40, which indicate that Joseph entered Egypt about 1875 B.C. Still, this is debatable. Many believe Joseph arrived during the period of the Hyksos rulers, foreigners who came from the region of Canaan. They invaded Egypt and controlled the land for almost 150 years. If Joseph arrived during their rule, it is easy to see why he was rapidly promoted up the royal ladder. Because the Hyksos were foreigners themselves, they would not hold this brilliant young foreigner’s ancestry against him. Various interpretations of the name Potiphar have been made; often it is translated “he whom Re has given.”
The term “Pharaoh” was the general name for the kings of Egypt. It was a title like “King” or “President” used to address the country’s leader. The Pharaohs in Genesis were different then those in Exodus.
Ancient Egypt was a land of great contrasts. People were either rich beyond measure or poverty stricken. There wasn’t much middle ground. Joseph found himself serving Potiphar, an extremely rich officer in Pharaoh’s service. Rich families like Potiphar’s had elaborate homes two or three stories tall with beautiful gardens and balconies. They enjoyed live entertainment at home as they chose delicious fruit from expensive bowls. They surrounded themselves with alabaster vases, paintings, beautiful rugs, and hand-carved chairs. Dinner was served on golden tableware, and the rooms were lighted with gold lampstands. Servants, like Joseph, worked on the first floor, while the family occupied the upper stories. (Life Application Bible, Tyndale house Publishers, Inc. and Zondervan Publishing House, 1991)
Immediately God favored Joseph, so much so that Potiphar recognized that all that Joseph touched prospered. This led Potiphar to place Joseph in charge of all that Potiphar owned and had authority over. In fact he so trusted Joseph that he never required an accounting from him regarding his estate. And not only was Joseph prosperous in all his activities, but he was also a very handsome young man.
Genesis 39:7-15 And it came to pass after these things that his master's wife cast longing eyes on Joseph, and she said, “Lie with me.” 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. 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?” 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. 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, that she caught him by his garment, saying, “Lie with me.” But he left his garment in her hand, and fled and ran outside. And so it was, when she saw that he had left his garment in her hand and fled outside, 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. 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.”
Joseph’s good-looks did not go unnoticed by Potiphar’s wife, who attempted to seduce him on several occasions. But at every encounter Joseph refused her advances, opting rather (1) to maintain his moral standard and (2) not to violate the trust of his master.
But even more noteworthy, Joseph viewed a lapse in moral character by giving into these sexual advances as a “sin against God.” Sexual sin is not just between two consenting adults; it is an act of disobedience against God. Joseph avoided Potiphar’s wife as much as possible. He refused her advances and finally ran from her. Sometimes merely trying to avoid temptation is not enough. Sometimes a Christian must turn and run, especially when the temptation seems very strong, as is often the case in sexual situations.
Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob repeatedly fell short of God’s expectations, though, of course, they continued to have faith in God. Joseph, however, is a striking example of one who always responds in total trust and obedience to the will of God. The Joseph narratives give expression to that part of the promise found in 18:19: “that they may do righteousness and justice so that the Lord may fulfill what He has promised to Abraham” (pers. tr.). There was a human part to be played in the fulfillment of God’s plan. When God’s people respond as Joseph responded, then their way and God’s blessing will prosper. Significantly, in all the book of Genesis only Joseph is described as one who was filled with the Spirit of God (41:38). In fact, the narrative is explicit in its emphasis on his total uprightness throughout the attempted seduction by the Egyptian’s wife. (NIV Bible Commentary, Volume 1: Old Testament, Zondervan Publishing House, 1994)
But after several failed attempts of seduction and being sufficiently rebuffed, Potiphar’s wife decided to appease her anger by hatching a diabolical scheme against Joseph, accusing him of attacking (attempting to rape) her but then running off when she cried out.
Genesis 39:16-20 So she kept his garment with her until his master came home. 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; so it happened, as I lifted my voice and cried out, that he left his garment with me and fled outside." 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. 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.
It is understandable that Potiphar, having heard the report from his wife that Joseph attempted to rape her, reacted as he did; yet, because he did not have Joseph executed, it is entirely possible that he did not entirely believe his wife’s account. Still, to save face and maintain harmony within his home, he committed Joseph to prison.
From historical accounts, Egyptian prisons were grim places with vile conditions. They were used to house forced laborers or, like Joseph, the accused who were awaiting trial. Prisoners were guilty until proven innocent, and there was no right to a speedy trial. Many prisoners never made it to court, because trials were held at the whim of the ruler. Joseph spent approximately two years in prison.
He sent a man before them—Joseph—who was sold as a slave. They hurt his feet with fetters, He was laid in irons. Until the time that his word came to pass, the Word of the LORD tested him. (Psalm 105:17-19)
Genesis 39:21-23 But the LORD was with Joseph and showed him mercy, and He gave him favor in the sight of the keeper of the prison. 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. 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.
Once again, under dire circumstances, Joseph rose above his surroundings. Why? It was because “the LORD was with Joseph.” If the truth be known, it was not so much that God was on the side of Joseph, but that Joseph was on the side of God. And this is the key for every Christian in every miserable circumstance that Satan can throw his way. Just like Potiphar, the “keeper of the prison” elevated Joseph to a position of authority and placed all his affairs under Joseph’s watchful care. As stated in Romans 8:28, everything was working “for good” toward God’s purpose for Joseph in his life. And this will be seen in greater detail in following chapters. |