Free Bible Commentary
“Genesis 39:7-18”
Categories: Genesis“It came about after these events that his master’s wife looked with desire at Joseph, and she said, 'Lie with me.' But he refused and said to his master’s wife, 'Behold, with me here, my master does not concern himself with anything in the house, and he has put all that he owns in my charge. There is no one greater in this house than I, and he has withheld nothing from me except you, because you are his wife. How then could I do this great evil and sin against God?' As she spoke to Joseph day after day, he did not listen to her to lie beside her or be with her. Now it happened one day that he went into the house to do his work, and none of the men of the household was there inside. She caught him by his garment, saying, 'Lie with me!' And he left his garment in her hand and fled, and went outside. When she saw that he had left his garment in her hand and had fled outside, she called to the men of her household and said to them, 'See, he has brought in a Hebrew to us to make sport of us; he came in to me to lie with me, and I screamed. When he heard that I raised my voice and screamed, he left his garment beside me and fled and went outside.' So she left his garment beside her until his master came home. Then she spoke to him with these words, 'The Hebrew slave, whom you brought to us, came in to me to make sport of me; 18 and as I raised my voice and screamed, he left his garment beside me and fled outside.'”
---End of Scripture verses---
“Has Joseph's success corroded his moral fiber? His character is about to be put to the test. The picture of Joseph as it emerges from the pages of this narrative is far different from that of the boy back in his father's home. So skillfully is the story set forth that, in our sympathy and admiration for the hero's nobility of character, we forget those displeasing traits that alienated us at the outset. Joseph is now the unwitting instrument of God's providence, and his behavior in the face of temptation demonstrates his worthiness for the role.” (Nahum Sarna)
“It came about after these events that his master’s wife looked with desire at Joseph...” (verse 7) Verse 6 informed us that “Joseph was handsome in form and appearance.” He was young, good looking and had an impressive physique, and Mrs. Potiphar was very impressed and captivated. “She said, 'Lie with me.'” There was no beating around the bush with this “lady”. She knew what she wanted, she was used to getting her way, and she wasn't bashful about asking for (demanding!) it.
“But he refused...” (verse 8) Joseph was too righteous and wise to jeopardize his relationship with his earthly master and his heavenly Master to even consider such a foolish thing, so he was just as candid in his reply as she had been in her request. The answer was “No!” But even more shrewdly, Joseph explained his reasons for not complying with the wishes of the “lady” of the house, in the hopes of talking some reason into her. Joseph emphasized that her husband trusted him, and he would do nothing to violate that trust. “He has withheld nothing from me except you, because you are his wife.” With all the wealth and blessings that Joseph had at his disposal in that affluent house, why would he throw it all away by taking the one and only thing that was forbidden to him? He possessed the contentment and resolve that Adam and Eve were lacking.
“How then could I do this great evil and sin against God?'” (verse 8) But above and beyond defrauding his boss who valued and trusted him so greatly, Joseph made it clear to his seductress that he answered to the highest of all powers, and that he would not disobey and offend the Lord God Almighty. Joseph knew that the marriage covenant was a sacred union created and provided by the Lord, and not a thing to be violated and treated with such contempt and disregard. Every wrong-doing that a person commits against another person is ultimately and primarily a sin against God.
“As she spoke to Joseph day after day, he did not listen to her to lie beside her or be with her.” (verse 10) Mrs. Potiphar was obviously not one to be shamed into surrender or to take “No” for an answer. This had to be an unbearably difficult situation for Joseph to deal with every day and a powerful temptation for him to resist. In today's terms, she made for Joseph what would be considered a hostile work environment. She shamelessly harassed him day after day with every intention of wearing him down and luring him in. This was a tenacious woman with egomaniacal self-confidence and way too much idle time on her hands, and all that pent up passion was bound to burn her up and torch Joseph in the process.
“She caught him by his garment, saying, 'Lie with me!'” (verse 12) The moment finally came when Mrs. Potiphar could take no more, and Joseph was forced to either give in or pay the price. The master wasn't home, all the servants were away and it was just the two of them. The time for talk was over and things finally got physical when she seized upon the hour by snatching Joseph by his clothing. Joseph did what any wise and righteous man would do in such an untenable situation: He made a run for it! “And he left his garment in her hand and fled, and went outside.” “The first verb describes his spontaneous and abrupt withdrawal from the room; the second suggests the assumption of a normal gait, once outside, in order not to attract attention.” (Nahum Sarna) As much as he could look normal with part of his clothing missing. “Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body.” (1 Corinthians 16:18)
“She called to the men of her household and said to them, 'See, he has brought in a Hebrew to us to make sport of us; he came in to me to lie with me, and I screamed.” (verse 14) And Mrs. Potiphar did what any wicked, self-centered, lowlife would do in such a situation: She lied her face off! “Her feeling of anger and humiliation fueled a desire for revenge.” (Nahum Sarna) Notice also that she appealed to the prejudices of the native servants by drawing attention to the fact that Joseph was a “Hebrew” and a danger to everyone in the house. “So she left his garment beside her until his master came home.” (verse 16) She saved the “evidence” to show her husband when he got home what that wicked “Hebrew” had attempted to do to her innocent and vulnerable self. There was something about Joseph's apparel that seemed to keep getting him into trouble!
Please read Genesis 39:19-23 for tomorrow.
Have a great day!
-Louie Taylor
