Genesis 39:1-23
1 And Joseph was brought down to Egypt; and Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh, captain of the guard, an Egyptian, bought him of the hands of the Ishmeelites, which had brought him down thither.
2 And the LORD was with Joseph, and he was a prosperous man; and he was in the house of his master the Egyptian.
3 And his master saw that the LORD was with him, and that the LORD made all that he did to prosper in his hand.
4 And Joseph found grace in his sight, and he served him: and he made him overseer over his house, and all that he had he put into his hand.
5 And it came to pass from the time that he had made him overseer in his house, and over all that he had, that the LORD blessed the Egyptian's house for Joseph's sake; and the blessing of the LORD was upon all that he had in the house, and in the field.
6 And he left all that he had in Joseph's hand; and he knew not ought he had, save the bread which he did eat. And Joseph was a goodly person, and well favoured.
7 And it came to pass after these things, that his master's wife cast her eyes upon Joseph; and she said, Lie with me.
8 But he refused, and said unto his master's wife, Behold, my master wotteth not what is with me in the house, and he hath committed all that he hath to my hand;
9 There is none greater in this house than I; neither hath he kept back any thing from me but thee, because thou art his wife: how then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?
10 And it came to pass, as she spake to Joseph day by day, that he hearkened not unto her, to lie by her, or to be with her.
11 And it came to pass about this time, that Joseph went into the house to do his business; and there was none of the men of the house there within.
12 And she caught him by his garment, saying, Lie with me: and he left his garment in her hand, and fled, and got him out.
13 And it came to pass, when she saw that he had left his garment in her hand, and was fled forth,
14 That she called unto the men of her house, and spake unto them, saying, See, he hath brought in an Hebrew unto us to mock us; he came in unto me to lie with me, and I cried with a louda voice:
15 And it came to pass, when he heard that I lifted up my voice and cried, that he left his garment with me, and fled, and got him out.
16 And she laid up his garment by her, until his lord came home.
17 And she spake unto him according to these words, saying, The Hebrew servant, which thou hast brought unto us, came in unto me to mock me:
18 And it came to pass, as I lifted up my voice and cried, that he left his garment with me, and fled out.
19 And it came to pass, when his master heard the words of his wife, which she spake unto him, saying, After this manner did thy servant to me; that his wrath was kindled.
20 And Joseph's master took him, and put him into the prison, a place where the king's prisoners were bound: and he was there in the prison.
21 But the LORD was with Joseph, and shewedb him mercy, and gave him favour in the sight of the keeper of the prison.
22 And the keeper of the prison committed to Joseph's hand all the prisoners that were in the prison; and whatsoever they did there, he was the doer of it.
23 The keeper of the prison looked not to any thing that was under his hand; because the LORD was with him, and that which he did, the LORD made it to prosper.
Genesis 39:1. Potiphar. What a providence, that Joseph was bought by a man in whom Pharaoh had placed very much confidence. Captain of the guard. He seems to have been a military superintendent of the butchers, bakers, and every other class of servants in the king's household.
Genesis 39:2. The Lord was with Joseph. The Targum reads, The Word of the Lord was Joseph's helper; that is, the Messiah.
Genesis 39:7. It came to pass. In the eleventh year of Joseph's servitude, when he was twenty-seven years of age, and well acquainted with the language and laws of Egypt.
Genesis 39:17. The Hebrew servant came in to mock me. The story of Hipponome, a beautiful youth, son of Glaucus, king of Epyrus or Corinth, found in pagan fable, seems to corroborate this part of the Mosaic history. Homer, bk. 6. Hipponome having killed his brother Beller, was surnamed Bellerophon; that is, murderer of Beller, fled to the court of Proëte, where the king received him with great hospitality. But the queen, Stenobœa or Antéè, falling passionately in love with him, assayed by all means to allure him to her desires; but unable to succeed, the tide of passion turned at length to hatred: she accused him to her husband, as having insulted her modesty. Proëte, unwilling to stain his asylum with blood, sent him with a sealed letter to his son-in-law, Jobates king of Lydia, containing proofs of his guilt, and commanding his execution. Jobates, however, having need of his services in his wars against the Solymonites, a warlike people of Asia, gave him a commission in his army. See Deuteronomy 33:16.
Genesis 39:20. Put him into the prison. That grace which softened Reuben's heart to save his brother, now softened Potiphar's to mitigate Joseph's punishment. What has the man to fear who trusts in God? If God abase him for a moment, it is to exalt him for ever.
Genesis 39:22. The keeper. We find Joseph prosperous in his master's house; we find him prosperous in prison; and by and by we find him steward of the whole kingdom. God never lost sight of the dreams he gave his servant: not only the sheaves and stars, but Egypt must bow down to the man whom God exalts.
REFLECTIONS.
When God is about to do some great and good thing for the church, he has but to draw the instruments from the treasury of his providence. He was now about to instruct the nations in righteousness, and to multiply the Hebrew family, that they might possess the promised land. With these wise and holy purposes he first humbled and then exalted Joseph. Let us therefore in a series of events keep our eyes on this most hopeful branch, and mark how it flourished and grew, being watered and defended by the special care of heaven.
He was a youth of early piety, and designated by his father to serve at the altar. How lovely it is for youth to be waiting in the church, for the future unfoldings of the divine pleasure. Being honoured as a prophet with early dreams, the hatred of all his brothers was excited. It was hatred that rose to the intention of murder; the murder of an unoffending brother, from whose youth, as yet, they could fear no supremacy. Oh the heart, the deceitful heart of man!
We see Joseph removed from being a son in his father's house, to be a servant and a slave in the house of Potiphar. Well: let no man be depressed by reverses in life, while he has a God rich in resources. But oh slavery! that bitter word, and galling yoke! We see no remedy, but in the overspreading of the christian religion, which knows neither bond nor free in Christ Jesus, but a new creature. To ask the planter to emancipate his slave, is like asking the wolf to resign his prey.
Joseph, the best of sons and of brothers, became the best of servants in his new and humble situation, for God was with him in counsel and in divine support. The Lord blessed the master for the servant's sake. What a model for others in the like situation. Such faithful domestics generally receive a reward in this world, and their fidelity is crowned with the approbation of the Lord.
But the faith and piety of Joseph, long inured to adversity, though supported with the hallowed hope, that the sheaves should bow with repentance at length, must next be tried from another quarter, and equally unsuspected. His mistress, utterly forgetful of consequences, spread her net for his feet from day to day. Unable to fly from his master's house, his virtue recoiled at the atrocity of the crime against the best of masters, who had raised him to be steward of all his estate. He dreaded to sin against God by violating one of the first laws of society. While guilt would plead for secresy, he pleaded the divine omniscience, and the vengeance of his arm. He did more: in the crisis of temptation he fled from a woman, whose ebb of passion would ruin innocence to cover guilt. Oh how happy is the man who adheres to the morality of our Saviour, “If thy right hand cause thee to offend, cut it off, and cast it from thee.” Virtue does not dare to contemplate the character of this woman, except in the shades of horror. And if the consequences were so serious where one only was guilty, what must they eventually be when both become the victims; how will they meet each other beyond the shades of death!
Joseph was dragged to prison; his brilliant virtues covered with obloquy and a cloud. But his hands were clean, and he had the approbation of God, whose sunbeams are sure to shine out, how long soever the lowering cloud may obscure his cheering rays. What a time to exercise faith in a God unseen; to walk in darkness, and have no light! The good man who groans under oppression, who cries out of wrong, and is not heard, shall surely be heard in the issue. A worm shall feed on the guilty conscience, while the ever faithful God shall prepare a crown of righteousness for the man that endureth temptation.
But let the good man who groans like Joseph under a complication of wrongs, and is carried away with the impetuous torrent of adversity, repose on the providence of God. He shall be landed on a safe and peaceful shore. Let oppressed innocence, and reproached virtue, rest the issues on this rock, and wait in hope. God may have causes for his conduct which future years shall unfold. Soon or late he will deliver: and the lustre of righteousness shall be the greater after a cloud. A viper shall riot on the evil conscience, and the lying tongue in cries for mercy, or in cries of vengeance shall be constrained to speak the truth, and give glory both to God and man.