This seems so unfair! She was used to getting her way, and she kept flirting with Joseph. Following this incident, her contemporaries no longer mocked her. God is with you. 7, 8), or , "his wife" (v. 19). Here is what we know about her life and what's been speculated about her personalities. Joseph lived in Potiphar's house. She goes by the moniker Potiphars wife, but she does not act like a godly wife, whose virtues are praised in Proverbs 31. It implies that Joseph had shown himself trustworthy, and therefore, Potiphar didnt have to worry about anything. All rights reserved worldwide. But he said no. An Egyptian named Potiphar, an official of Pharaoh and the captain of the guard, purchased him from the Ishmaelites who had brought him there. [3] McKinlay (1995) noted that Potiphar's wife is treated as an object in his master's possession (Gen 39:89), and the reason Joseph refuses is not because he doesn't want to have sex with her, but because it would violate his master's trust and be a sin against the God Yahweh. When things were bad, God moved in a special way in his life, even if Joseph was unaware of it. She is the wealthy seductress of young, rising star Joseph. Its the same lie Satan told Eve. He gave him great success. So his Lord responded to him and averted from him their plan. E39-2: What was the purpose of the bells attached to the hem of the High Priest's robe? Andrews speculates that Potiphar would rather have a new horse than a Minoanwife. Minoa was an ancient culture of Greece (and in the novel, Potiphars wifes original home, to which she longs to return). Do you think Joseph will be all alone this time? The chief jailer did not supervise anything under Joseph's charge because the LORD was with him; and whatever he did, the LORD made to prosper ( Genesis 39:19-23 ). - Genesis 39:8-9. Copyright 1995, 1996, 1998 by International Bible Society / Used by permission of IBS-STL. With that said, Joseph was willing to pay the cost for maintaining his integrityeven if it meant imprisonment. What Satan means for bad, God is going to use for your good (cf. Knowing right from wrong may not stop us from acting sinfully. First Corinthians 10:13 implies that we all will experience temptation and, at the same time, be provided a way of escape. He put Joseph in charge of all of the prisoners. Joseph had lost his masters respect and he was forced to become lower than a slave - he became a PRISONER. Do you allow the Holy Spirit to guide you? In all these temptations, God was faithful to provide ways of escape, and he does the same for us. Potiphar and His Wife - Bible Study - BibleWise The astrological calculations however were slightly off. And Joseph's master took him, and put him into the prison, the place where the king's prisoners were bound; and he was there in the prison. In the same way, Joseph had complete control over everything in Potiphars household - except for one thing, Potiphars wife. This is a discipline that we must always practice whenever we are tempted: we must seriously consider the consequences. Used by permission. How is it that no one spots Potiphar's wife's lie? It says, The captain of the guard appointed Joseph to be their attendant, and he served them. Why would Potiphar entrust Joseph with anything again if he had broken the ultimate trusttrying to rape his wife? (2) The consequence for adultery would normally be execution. If Potiphar's daughter is now marrying Joseph, Potiphar will be forced to support him. But Joseph was not alone! May be reproduced for personal, nonprofit, and non-commercial uses only. He owns many slaves. Zuleikha then reminded her friends that she had to see Joseph every day. They dont want to offend or lose someone who is tempting them (or leading them to areas where there is temptation)whether business associates, friends, a boyfriend or girlfriend, or even family. Essentially, temptation always says that taking part in it will satisfy us, and that the temptation is better than Gods will for us. Log in. (Rashi) Where was Potiphar when his wife was talking to him? This is the very reason many people cant get free from sin; they simply dont see it as bad. Joseph, we remember, is the future leader and current visionary of the Jewish people in bondage in Egypt. 35-6: What the ancients believed happened after death, 35-5: Reuben sleeps with his father's concubine in a sly move to gain family power, 35-4: Unearthing God's prophetic statements to Jacob that can ONLY be understood in Hebrew, 35-3: Deborah's death symbolizes Israel's complete severance from Mesopotamia. 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. We call this omni-present. How do we know this? Application Question: What are some common costs of maintaining our integrity and conquering temptation? To congregations struggling with persecution, Peter said this: Humble yourselves, therefore, under Gods mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. - Genesis 39:21a NLT, Attention teacher: The proposition of Potiphars wife to Joseph is very adult in nature. God is everywhere. It says she spoke to him day after day (v. 10). He was one of four men the Bible describes in this way, including Saul, David, and Absalom. Asenath, her daughter (by adoption, in some accounts) became the wife of Joseph and therefore the wife of Potiphar begot grandchildren (not children) through Joseph. Well need to guard our family moregreater responsibility and popularity means well have to say no more often, in order to spend time with our family. Its OK to cheat on a testEverybody else is doing it! they say. If Joseph had been cheating in business matters, such as stealing money from Potiphar or lying about certain things under his care, it would have been a lot easier to have an affair with Mrs. Potiphar. The Cross And Our Response to Trials (1 Peter 4:12-19), 8. She grabbed him by his outer garment, saying, Have sex with me! But he left his outer garment in her hand and ran outside. So he put Joseph in prison. Even when things got much worse, the Lord was with him. Its meant to be celebrated! It was the place where the king's prisoners were kept. 35. It says, We must not put Christ to the test, as some of them did and were destroyed by serpents, nor grumble, as some of them did and were destroyed by the Destroyer.. Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, Copyright 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. 35-2: Does the church today hold false beliefs about God as Jacob did in his time? 32-2: As Jacob faced Esau, so too must we reconcile with our past, 32-1: Jacob meets angels on his departure from and to the Promised Land, 31-5: Jacob and Laban enter into a peace treaty with each other, 31-4: Ideas of ritual impurity were prevalent 500 years before Moses, 31-3: God can and does speak to unbelievers, 31-2: The importance of the family gods in Mesopotamian tradition, 31-1: As Jacob separated from Laban, so must we separate from certain people in our lives, 1S4-9: Minus Gods Presence, The Ark Was Nothing But An Elaborate And Pricey Wooden Box, 1S4-3: The Danger Of Not Cutting Out Ungodly People & Things From Our Lives. 62 And Potiphar heard the words of his wife, and he ordered Joseph to be punished with severe stripes, and they did so to him. Gods plans, though mysterious and unpredictable, are always good. 39-3: Potiphar did NOT believe his wife's accusation about Joseph Unlike the previous narrative, where we learned from the failures of Josephs family (Gen 37), in this narrative, we learn from Josephs success in conquering temptation. This is repeated four times in verses 4 to 6 for emphasis. We must do whatever it takes to be holy. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. One day he went into the house to do his work when none of the household servants were there in the house. Were creatures with needssleep, food, sex. Josephs master took him and threw him into the prison, the place where the kings prisoners were confined. Rightly, Joseph knew that being a boyfriend to another mans wife was a sin against God. When he refused, she falsely accused him of attempted rape. He said, "My Lord, prison is more to my liking than that to which they invite me. (Nobody promotes a bitter, whiny, solemn person! Unless otherwise noted, the primary Scriptures used are taken from the NET Bible copyright 1996-2016 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. She may have lied in other areas to protect her high position. In a fascinating novel on Potiphars wife by Mesu Andrews based on Genesis 39, the author depicts Potiphars wife as the daughter of a king and the wife of a prince. You cant hold it in. Israel was tempted in the wilderness. He has withheld nothing from me except you because you are his wife. And she certainly determined [to seduce] him, and he would have inclined to her had he not seen the proof of his Lord. Joseph was good looking. Perhaps Mesu Andrews novel, Potiphars Wife,gives her a brighter future than I have predicted. Many fail to submit to God in the midst of their trials and temptations and instead succumb to them. In Genesis 39, we read the Hallmark Channel-worthy story of Potiphars wife making an attempt to seduce Joseph. The fact that he cast Joseph into a prison that he operated from home (40:3-4) indicates that he really didn't believe her tale. My master hasn't held anything back from me, except you. They trusted Satan when he accused God of holding back something good from them, so they took what was forbidden. According to the Quran, her name is Zuleika. All rights reserved. Deep down, we want things to be fair. "Zuleikha" redirects here. Say: Joseph went from being the favorite son to becoming a SLAVE! What Can Galileo Teach Us about Science and Faith? 2. According to the Book of Genesis, she falsely accused Joseph of attempted rape after he rejected her sexual advances, resulting in his imprisonment. If it means getting rid of the TV or cutting off the Wi-Fi in the house, so be it. 10 Things We Know About Potiphar: Titus said this, For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all people. Genesis 39: Hell Hath No Fury Like Mrs. Potiphar - ShegznStuff Say: Joseph didnt know anyone in this new country. So . When the Persian king put Daniel in prison, he knew that Daniel was righteous and had been framed by the other administrators; however, he had to obey the law. 26. It is meant to mature us for our calling, as James said, and thats exactly what God was doing with Joseph. They were having relations. As he ran out, she held onto his coat. First Corinthians 10:9-10 warns us about complaining like Israel did in the wilderness, because if we do, God will discipline us.