Genesis 39.1-23

Joseph and Potiphar’s Wife 39 1 Now Joseph had been brought down to Egypt, and l Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh, the captain of the guard, an Egyptian, m had bought him from the n Ishmaelites who had brought him down there. 2 o 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 p caused all that he did to succeed in his hands. 4 So Joseph q found favor in his sight and attended him, and he made him overseer of his house r 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 s 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 t handsome in form and appearance. 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 u 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 v sin against God?” 10 And as she spoke to Joseph day after day, he w would not listen to her, to lie beside her or to be with her. 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 x 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.” 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 y put him into the z prison, the place where the king’s prisoners were confined, and he was there in prison. 21 But a the Lord was with Joseph and showed him steadfast love b and gave him favor in the sight of the keeper of the prison. 22 And the keeper of the prison c 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 d the Lord was with him. And whatever he did, the Lord made it succeed.

Genesis 39:1-23

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39 1 וְיוֹסֵ֖ף הוּרַ֣ד מִצְרָ֑יְמָה וַיִּקְנֵ֡הוּ פּוֹטִיפַר֩ סְרִ֨יס פַּרְעֹ֜ה שַׂ֤ר הַטַּבָּחִים֙ אִ֣ישׁ מִצְרִ֔י מִיַּד֙ הַיִּשְׁמְעֵאלִ֔ים אֲשֶׁ֥ר הוֹרִדֻ֖הוּ שָֽׁמָּה ׃ 2 וַיְהִ֤י יְהוָה֙ אֶת ־ יוֹסֵ֔ף וַיְהִ֖י אִ֣ישׁ מַצְלִ֑יחַ וַיְהִ֕י בְּבֵ֥ית אֲדֹנָ֖יו הַמִּצְרִֽי ׃ 3 וַיַּ֣רְא אֲדֹנָ֔יו כִּ֥י יְהוָ֖ה אִתּ֑וֹ וְכֹל֙ אֲשֶׁר ־ ה֣וּא עֹשֶׂ֔ה יְהוָ֖ה מַצְלִ֥יחַ בְּיָדֽוֹ ׃ 4 וַיִּמְצָ֨א יוֹסֵ֥ף חֵ֛ן בְּעֵינָ֖יו וַיְשָׁ֣רֶת אֹת֑וֹ וַיַּפְקִדֵ֙הוּ֙ עַל ־ בֵּית֔וֹ וְכָל ־ יֶשׁ ־ ל֖וֹ נָתַ֥ן בְּיָדֽוֹ ׃ 5 וַיְהִ֡י מֵאָז֩ הִפְקִ֨יד אֹת֜וֹ בְּבֵית֗וֹ וְעַל֙ כָּל ־ אֲשֶׁ֣ר יֶשׁ ־ ל֔וֹ וַיְבָ֧רֶךְ יְהוָ֛ה אֶת ־ בֵּ֥ית הַמִּצְרִ֖י בִּגְלַ֣ל יוֹסֵ֑ף וַיְהִ֞י בִּרְכַּ֤ת יְהוָה֙ בְּכָל ־ אֲשֶׁ֣ר יֶשׁ ־ ל֔וֹ בַּבַּ֖יִת וּבַשָּׂדֶֽה ׃ 6 וַיַּעֲזֹ֣ב כָּל ־ אֲשֶׁר ־ לוֹ֮ בְּיַד ־ יוֹסֵף֒ וְלֹא ־ יָדַ֤ע אִתּוֹ֙ מְא֔וּמָה כִּ֥י אִם ־ הַלֶּ֖חֶם אֲשֶׁר ־ ה֣וּא אוֹכֵ֑ל וַיְהִ֣י יוֹסֵ֔ף יְפֵה ־ תֹ֖אַר וִיפֵ֥ה מַרְאֶֽה ׃ 7 וַיְהִ֗י אַחַר֙ הַדְּבָרִ֣ים הָאֵ֔לֶּה וַתִּשָּׂ֧א אֵֽשֶׁת ־ אֲדֹנָ֛יו אֶת ־ עֵינֶ֖יהָ אֶל ־ יוֹסֵ֑ף וַתֹּ֖אמֶר שִׁכְבָ֥ה עִמִּֽי ׃ 8 וַיְמָאֵ֓ן ׀ וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ אֶל ־ אֵ֣שֶׁת אֲדֹנָ֔יו הֵ֣ן אֲדֹנִ֔י לֹא ־ יָדַ֥ע אִתִּ֖י מַה ־ בַּבָּ֑יִת וְכֹ֥ל אֲשֶׁר ־ יֶשׁ ־ ל֖וֹ נָתַ֥ן בְּיָדִֽי ׃ 9 אֵינֶ֨נּוּ גָד֜וֹל בַּבַּ֣יִת הַזֶּה֮ מִמֶּנִּי֒ וְלֹֽא ־ חָשַׂ֤ךְ מִמֶּ֙נִּי֙ מְא֔וּמָה כִּ֥י אִם ־ אוֹתָ֖ךְ בַּאֲשֶׁ֣ר אַתְּ ־ אִשְׁתּ֑וֹ וְאֵ֨יךְ אֶֽעֱשֶׂ֜ה הָרָעָ֤ה הַגְּדֹלָה֙ הַזֹּ֔את וְחָטָ֖אתִי לֵֽאלֹהִֽים ׃ 10 וַיְהִ֕י כְּדַבְּרָ֥הּ אֶל ־ יוֹסֵ֖ף י֣וֹם ׀ י֑וֹם וְלֹא ־ שָׁמַ֥ע אֵלֶ֛יהָ לִשְׁכַּ֥ב אֶצְלָ֖הּ לִהְי֥וֹת עִמָּֽהּ ׃ 11 וַיְהִי֙ כְּהַיּ֣וֹם הַזֶּ֔ה וַיָּבֹ֥א הַבַּ֖יְתָה לַעֲשׂ֣וֹת מְלַאכְתּ֑וֹ וְאֵ֨ין אִ֜ישׁ מֵאַנְשֵׁ֥י הַבַּ֛יִת שָׁ֖ם בַּבָּֽיִת ׃ 12 וַתִּתְפְּשֵׂ֧הוּ בְּבִגְד֛וֹ לֵאמֹ֖ר שִׁכְבָ֣ה עִמִּ֑י וַיַּעֲזֹ֤ב בִּגְדוֹ֙ בְּיָדָ֔הּ וַיָּ֖נָס וַיֵּצֵ֥א הַחֽוּצָה ׃ 13 וַיְהִי֙ כִּרְאוֹתָ֔הּ כִּֽי ־ עָזַ֥ב בִּגְד֖וֹ בְּיָדָ֑הּ וַיָּ֖נָס הַחֽוּצָה ׃ 14 וַתִּקְרָ֞א לְאַנְשֵׁ֣י בֵיתָ֗הּ וַתֹּ֤אמֶר לָהֶם֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר רְא֗וּ הֵ֥בִיא לָ֛נוּ אִ֥ישׁ עִבְרִ֖י לְצַ֣חֶק בָּ֑נוּ בָּ֤א אֵלַי֙ לִשְׁכַּ֣ב עִמִּ֔י וָאֶקְרָ֖א בְּק֥וֹל גָּדֽוֹל ׃ 15 וַיְהִ֣י כְשָׁמְע֔וֹ כִּֽי ־ הֲרִימֹ֥תִי קוֹלִ֖י וָאֶקְרָ֑א וַיַּעֲזֹ֤ב בִּגְדוֹ֙ אֶצְלִ֔י וַיָּ֖נָס וַיֵּצֵ֥א הַחֽוּצָה ׃ 16 וַתַּנַּ֥ח בִּגְד֖וֹ אֶצְלָ֑הּ עַד ־ בּ֥וֹא אֲדֹנָ֖יו אֶל ־ בֵּיתֽוֹ ׃ 17 וַתְּדַבֵּ֣ר אֵלָ֔יו כַּדְּבָרִ֥ים הָאֵ֖לֶּה לֵאמֹ֑ר בָּֽא ־ אֵלַ֞י הָעֶ֧בֶד הָֽעִבְרִ֛י אֲשֶׁר ־ הֵבֵ֥אתָ לָּ֖נוּ לְצַ֥חֶק בִּֽי ׃ 18 וַיְהִ֕י כַּהֲרִימִ֥י קוֹלִ֖י וָאֶקְרָ֑א וַיַּעֲזֹ֥ב בִּגְד֛וֹ אֶצְלִ֖י וַיָּ֥נָס הַחֽוּצָה ׃ 19 וַיְהִי֩ כִשְׁמֹ֨עַ אֲדֹנָ֜יו אֶת ־ דִּבְרֵ֣י אִשְׁתּ֗וֹ אֲשֶׁ֨ר דִּבְּרָ֤ה אֵלָיו֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר כַּדְּבָרִ֣ים הָאֵ֔לֶּה עָ֥שָׂהּ 1 לִ֖י עַבְדֶּ֑ךָ וַיִּ֖חַר אַפּֽוֹ ׃ 20 וַיִּקַּח֩ אֲדֹנֵ֨י יוֹסֵ֜ף אֹת֗וֹ וַֽיִּתְּנֵ֙הוּ֙ אֶל ־ בֵּ֣ית הַסֹּ֔הַר מְק֕וֹם אֲשֶׁר ־ אסורי 1 הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ אֲסוּרִ֑ים וַֽיְהִי ־ שָׁ֖ם בְּבֵ֥ית הַסֹּֽהַר ׃ 21 וַיְהִ֤י יְהוָה֙ אֶת ־ יוֹסֵ֔ף וַיֵּ֥ט אֵלָ֖יו חָ֑סֶד וַיִּתֵּ֣ן חִנּ֔וֹ בְּעֵינֵ֖י שַׂ֥ר בֵּית ־ הַסֹּֽהַר ׃ 22 וַיִּתֵּ֞ן שַׂ֤ר בֵּית ־ הַסֹּ֙הַר֙ בְּיַד ־ יוֹסֵ֔ף אֵ֚ת כָּל ־ הָ֣אֲסִירִ֔ם אֲשֶׁ֖ר בְּבֵ֣ית הַסֹּ֑הַר וְאֵ֨ת כָּל ־ אֲשֶׁ֤ר עֹשִׂים֙ שָׁ֔ם ה֖וּא הָיָ֥ה עֹשֶֽׂה ׃ 23 אֵ֣ין ׀ שַׂ֣ר בֵּית ־ הַסֹּ֗הַר רֹאֶ֤ה אֶֽת ־ כָּל ־ מְא֙וּמָה֙ בְּיָד֔וֹ בַּאֲשֶׁ֥ר יְהוָ֖ה אִתּ֑וֹ וַֽאֲשֶׁר ־ ה֥וּא עֹשֶׂ֖ה יְהוָ֥ה מַצְלִֽיחַ ׃ ס

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Notes

The LORD was with Joseph Intro : The LORD was with Joseph, twice - like the promise to Jacob Contrast to Judah in last chapter Joseph's three descents - into the pit, into Egypt, into prison. Whereas Judah's 'descent' - away from his brothers - was voluntary. What happens here in mini is what will happen in macro - J's rise as YHWH is with him. YHWH name only appears here in the J narrative, except once in 49. 1. The LORD was with Joseph in Potiphar's house (v1-6a) v4 found favour; v5 blessed; blessing comes from being associated with him; he prospered because of Joseph; like Laban and Jacob. Next to the spotlight. This is not to be understood as a 'midas touch', but rather that God worked exceptionally through his means of diligence on Joseph's part. Those trusted with little will be trusted with much 2. Joseph is mistreated again (v6b-20) Another Eden fall echo; seeing and wanting to take (cf Gen 3 , 6 , Shechem; Judah; now Potiphar's wife) v9 sin against God ( clear contrast to Judah.) ; v10 an example of fighting sin; 'even to be with her'. Unlike his father Jacob, Joseph is not passive in response. J is a model for us in purity. the 'cloak' motif of humiliation, suffering, loss Deceit again; Potiphar's wife deceives her household and her husband. She blames Potiphar; part of the deceit to draw attention away from herself (decoy). Flee temptation! Know this; some people will see you as a challenge, a project, an achievement. Sexual immorality has no place in the Kingdom of God [cf pornography] 3. The LORD was with Joseph in prison (v21-23) Why doesn't he demand J's death? Does he suspect his wife's behaviour, but has no choice but to go through with the process? v21 showed him hesed; again he is blessed, even in prison. Relentless blessing of God. v23 the LORD was with him; he made it succeed The start of what God had promised Abraham, that his offspring would be slaves in a foreign land cf Gen 15.13 and cf Psalm 105.17-18 Yet it is J at the very bottom when J comes into contact with people at the very top. Numbered among the transgressors. God's glory. In control of this whole situation to bless, protect, and ultimately raise up Joseph. He is clearly 'with' him. FCF . Selfish desire. We've just had Er, Onan, Judah, Tamar. Now Potiphar's wife. In contrast, purity and integrity out of reverence for God shown by Joseph. Again in P's wife's case the selfish desire leads to fear of man and deceit. In particular, Judah and Joseph contrast the fear of man and the fear of the LORD. Person of Jesus. He's a greater Joseph. He's the true Son. Jospeh prefigures the people of Israel; and ultimately he prefigures Jesus. He fights temptation with the fear of the LORD (cf in the wilderness, or in rebuking Peter). Blameless one who will be vindicated and raised up by God. Work of Jesus. He 'goes down' further, to death itself. He is not preserved, but fully numbered among the transgressors through the deceit of others. Yet he goes there voluntarily out of love. He is raised up, vindicated, declared righteous. Union with Jesus. If I am in Jesus, then I have been raised up, vindicated, declared righteous in Him. I have passed through death. Invitation . Flee temptation! Know this; some people will see you as a challenge, a project, an achievement. Those trusted with little will be trusted with much Confrontation . Sexual immorality has no place in the Kingdom of God [cf pornography] Consolation . Comfort for weary ones; weary at their own struggles with sin. The point is, Jesus has been found worthy and so therefore have we. We aren't needing to try and 'be' Joseph ourselves before God accepts us. His Spirit works with us as we fight sin. And comfort for those who have suffered terrible lies and injustices. God sees and he will write the rest of the story. Trust him. What it means for the LORD to be 'with' Joseph, and thus what is means for him to be 'with us always'. Wrap up: Surely I am with you always.

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