1 Now Joseph had been taken down to Egypt; and Potiphar, an Egyptian officer of Pharaoh, the captain of the bodyguard, bought him from the Ishmaelites, who had taken him down there.
2 The LORD was with Joseph, so he became a successful man. This should encourage us, since he was in captivity.
And he was in the house of his master, the Egyptian.
3 Now his master saw that the LORD was with him and how the LORD caused all that he did to prosper in his hand.
4 So Joseph found favor in his sight and became his personal servant; and he made him overseer over his house, and all that he owned he put in his charge.
5 It came about that from the time he made him overseer in his house and over all that he owned, the LORD blessed the Egyptian's house on account of Joseph; thus the LORD'S blessing was upon all that he owned, in the house and in the field.
6 So he left everything he owned in Joseph's charge; and with him there he did not concern himself with anything except the food which he ate. Those we influence may be blessed because of our relationship with the Lord. Those we live with, those we work with, our families, friends and neighbors.
Genesis 12: 2 states “And I will make you a great nation, And I will bless you, And make your name great; And so you shall be a blessing.” It’s about others, not about us.
Hebrew tends to be repetitious, to help us learn better.
Now Joseph was handsome in form and appearance.
7 It came about after these events that his master's wife looked with desire at Joseph, and she said, "Lie with me."
8 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.
9 "There is no one greater in this house than I (her?), 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?"
10 As she spoke to Joseph day after day, he did not listen to her to lie beside her or be with her.
11 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. This may have been where Joseph made a mistake. Perhaps he should have left until there was a witness. Billy Graham “says he has never been alone in a room with a woman who's not related to him.” www.usatoday.com/news/religion/2005-05-15-graham-cover_x.htm He vowed early on never to be alone in a room or a car with any woman other than Ruth. www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1633197,00.html We can learn from Graham’s wisdom.
12 She caught him by his garment, saying, "Lie with me!" And he left his garment in her hand and fled, and went outside.
13 When she saw that he had left his garment in her hand and had fled outside,
14 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.” She brought race into the situation and lied.
15 "When he heard that I raised my voice and screamed, he left his garment beside me and fled and went outside."
16 So she left his garment beside her until his master came home.
17 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."
19 Now when his master heard the words of his wife, which she spoke to him, saying, "This is what your slave did to me," his anger burned.
20 So Joseph's master took him and put him into the jail, the place where the king's prisoners were confined; and he was there in the jail. The SHU? ?
21 But the LORD was with Joseph and extended kindness to him, and gave him favor in the sight of the chief jailer.
22 The chief jailer committed to Joseph's charge all the prisoners who were in the jail; so that whatever was done there, he was responsible for it.
23 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. Once again we see that the Lord was still with Joseph, extending kindness and giving him favor. Joseph was able to lead other inmates and did not have to be closely watched. It is a similar thing here. If you are doing what you are supposed to be doing and living a Godly life, things may be easier for you here.
SUMMARY / ACTION POINTS / CONCLUSION
1. “The LORD was with Joseph, so he became a successful man.” This should encourage us, since he was in captivity. The Lord is also with us, so we can become successful as well, even here in prison.
2. Those we influence may be blessed because of our relationship with the Lord. Those we live with, those we work with, our families, friends and neighbors. It’s amazing what our prayers do fo
r them and us!
3. Genesis 12: 2 “And I will make you a great nation, And I will bless you, And make your name great; And so you shall be a blessing.” It’s about others, not about us.
4. We can learn from Graham’s wisdom. I try to do what he does. Not everyone agrees with this.
5. Potiphar’s wife brought race into the situation and lied. We need to be careful of these things as well.
Wesley’s Chapter Overview (www.biblemaster.com / Christian Classics Ethereal Library Website) At this chapter we return to the story of Joseph. We have him here,
I. A servant, a slave in Potiphar's house, verse 1. and yet there greatly honoured and favoured,
(1.) By the providence of God, which made him in effect a master, verse 2-6.
(2.) By the grace of God, which made him more than conqueror over a strong temptation, verse 7-12.
II. We have him a sufferer, falsely accused, verse 13-18.
Imprisoned, verse 19, 20.
And yet his imprisonment made both honourable and comfortable by the tokens of God's special presence with him, verse 21-23.
Verse 1 The Jews have a proverb, If the world did but know the worth of good men, they would hedge them about with pearls. Joseph was sold to an officer of Pharaoh, with whom he might get acquainted with public persons, and public business, and so be fitted for the preferment he was afterwards designed for. What God intends men for, he will be sure, some way or other, to qualify them for.
Verse 2 Those that can separate us from all our friends, cannot deprive us of the gracious presence of our God. When Joseph had none of his relations with him, he had his God with him, even in the house of the Egyptian: Joseph was banished from his father's house, but the Lord was with him. It is God's presence with us that makes all we do prosperous. Those that would prosper, must therefore make God their friend; and those that do prosper, must therefore give God the praise.
Verse 6 He knew not ought he had, save the bread which he did eat - The servant had all the care and trouble of the estate, the master had only the enjoyment of it; an example not to be imitated by any master, unless he could be sure that he had one like Joseph for a servant.
Verse 9 How can I sin against God - Not only how shall I do it and sin against my master, my mistress, myself, my own body and soul, but against God? - Gracious souls look upon this as the worst thing in sin, that it is against God, against his nature and his dominion, against his love and his design. They that love God, for this reason hate sin.
Verse 10 He hearkened not to her, so much as to be with her. Those that would be kept from harm, must keep themselves out of harm's way.
Verse 12 When she laid hold on him, he left his garment in her hand - He would not stay to parley with the temptation, but flew out from it with the utmost abhorrence, he left his garment as one escaping for his life.
Verse 20 Where the king's prisoners were bound - Potiphar, it is likely, chose that prison because it was the worst; for there the irons entered into the soul,
Psalms 105:18, but God designed it to pave the way to his enlargement. Our Lord Jesus, like Joseph was bound, and numbered with the transgressors.
Verse 21 But the Lord was with Joseph and shewed him mercy. God despiseth not his prisoners, Psalms 69:33. No gates nor bars can shut out his gracious presence from his people. God gave him favour in the sight of the keeper of the prison - God can raise up friends for his people even where they little expect them. The keeper saw that God was with him, and that every thing prospered under his hand, and therefore intrusted him with the management of the affairs of the prison.
