Indeed, wrongdoers will not succeed." This was preparing him to lead all of Egypt. Not only was she declaring to the other slaves that Joseph was a threat, but she catered to their ethnic pride and fear of foreigners. Santa Barbara, CA: David Guzik. Imagine how strange this was to Joseph. The Quran narrates the wife of Azizs treatment of Yusuf as follows: And when he reached maturity, We gave him judgement and knowledge. Ultimately, all sin is against God. This is a reason many people fall when temptation comes. All rights reserved worldwide. How commonly do we see successful pastors, athletes, businessmen, or government officials fall? When Joseph's master (Potiphar) heard her story, he became very angry. I have chosen Sforno's translation, since it's one of the more concise ones. Rightly, Joseph knew that being a boyfriend to another mans wife was a sin against God. [3] It could be argued that the woman is trying to assert herself as a person who makes her own choices instead of remaining an object owned by her husband, and invites Joseph to join her in this action which the narrative frames as a 'sin'. (3) Also, in Genesis 40:2-3, it appears that Joseph was imprisoned in a prison that was attached to Potiphars house. As he ran out, she held onto his coat. All rights reserved. He tried to have sex with me, but I screamed loudly. . (Rashi) Where was Potiphar when his wife was talking to him? 1. The judgment of Potiphar's wife was a story not found in the Bible, of course, and some contradictory traditions arose around it among ancient Christian commentators. All rights reserved. He owns many slaves. 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. Satans desire is that we worship anything or everything - except the one true God. Potiphar's wife is never named in the biblical passagemerely referred to as , "wife of his [Joseph's] master" (vv. 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.. He learned the Egyptian language and customs. In order to cover up for herself, accused of trying to commit . His name meant devoted to the sun, which demonstrated his pagan, religious background.1 He was captain of Pharaohs bodyguard, which was a prestigious position. There is no one greater in this household than I am. Bible Rape Let's assume that Joseph was totally blameless, that a rejected woman, in her anger, accused him falsely, and he was consequently thrown into prison. He gave him great success. For some, this reality might not mean much, but the more we get to know God and his grace, the more sinning against him will deter us. When Joseph is taken by slave traders to Egypt, he is purchased by a high official in Pharaohs court named Potiphar. You are his wife. Some Bible translations (such as NIrV) are very explicit in the wording of her offer. Application Question: What are some common costs of maintaining our integrity and conquering temptation? Used by permission. Mrs. Potiphar quickly went from humiliation to rageleading her to frame Joseph. Joseph's master saw that the Lord was with him. 3. 2. Joseph and Potiphar's Wife (Genesis 39) | Bible.org On the other hand, the future for Potiphars wife does not look promising. Potiphars wife knows the ancient Egyptian punishment for a woman committing adultery was to have her nose cut off. Personally, I always think about how spiritual failure would negatively affect my daughter for the rest of her life. However, what we see is that God was with Joseph. Thomas Nelson. - Genesis 39:3-6a. However, Christ says to be angry is morally equivalent to murder (Matt 5:21-22)! He put Joseph in charge of his house. Let it out! We are not to entertain sin through the radio or TVdeclaring how strong we are and how it doesnt affect us. What is the story of Joseph and Potiphar? | GotQuestions.org Application Question: In what ways have you seen people change negatively when they gain success or are put into authority positions? Everything that Joseph did prospered. She attempted to sleep with him many times, but Joseph continually refused. For other uses, see, Learn how and when to remove this template message, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Potiphar%27s_wife&oldid=1143418407, This page was last edited on 7 March 2023, at 16:09. He was in the midst of idolatry. 6 Guzik, D. (2013). Therefore, in order to conquer temptation, we must trust God and what his Word says. Paul relied on Gods grace to bring him strength and contentment in the most trying of circumstances (Philippians 4:11-13). There is no one greater in this household than I am. Say: As far as we know, Joseph was probably the only believer in the entire nation of Egypt! With that said, Josephs example also teaches a principle about how to go through trials and temptations. The Cross And Christs Suffering For Sins (1 Peter 3:18-22), 6. The answer is actually quite logical. Can a man walk on hot coals without scorching his feet? 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. She said that Joseph came in to attack her, she screamed, and he ran away. God is working all things for our good and to make us into his Sons image (Rom 8:28-29). Potiphar believes his high-pedigree wife and throws Joseph in prison. The Cross And Unjust Suffering (1 Peter 2:19-25), The Bible Teachers Guide, Joseph: Trusting In Gods Sovereignty And Goodness, To Conquer Temptation, We Must Submit to Gods Discipline Instead of Becoming Bitter at It, To Conquer Temptation, We Must Practice Integrity in All Areas of Life, To Conquer Temptation, We Must Especially Guard Ourselves in Times of Success, To Conquer Temptation, We Must Seriously Consider the Consequences, To Conquer Temptation, We Must Recognize How Evil Sin Is, To Conquer Temptation, We Must Avoid It Persistently, To Conquer Temptation, We Must Be Willing to Pay the Cost, To Conquer Temptation, We Must Trust that Gods Plans Are Better. One day, Joseph went to the house to take care of his duties. Similarly, to not punish Joseph would have been an extreme loss of face for Potiphar and, obviously, would have further hurt his relationship with his wife. Remember that you are NEVER alone! The Lord was with Joseph. Unless otherwise noted, the primary Scriptures used are taken from the NET Bible copyright 1996-2016 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. 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. Satan spends his days and nights setting traps to distract people from the truth (1 Peter 5:8). Q. For example, he may offer you a scientific explanation for something that is against the Bible, or he may lead you to believe that you can run your own life without God. Its OK to illegally downloadThe product shouldnt cost that much anyway! Its OK to cheat on taxesThe government is taking too much money as it is! When Christians do this, they are preparing themselves to be unfaithful in other areas of their lives. She closed the doors and said, "Come, you." A former high school English teacher and editor, she works on writing projects from her home in West Michigan, where she enjoys woods, water, pets, and family. I dont see a happy, older woman. How else can you tell if youre compatible for marriage? Potiphar's wife accused him of raping her, so he did it to make his wife happy. That's a pretty sobering story. - Genesis 39:21a NLT, Attention teacher: The proposition of Potiphars wife to Joseph is very adult in nature. The warden put all the prisoners under Josephs care. -Genesis 39:19 So we're told that Potiphar's wife fell in lust with Joseph. JOSEPH and POTIPHAR'S WIFE: Joseph says NO to Adultery - Women In The Bible When he did, she sprung her trap. Jesus knows what it feels like to be attacked from the outside by Satan. Are you willing to trust what God says about your trialsthat he is using them for good? 40-4: How was Joseph able to remain so strong in his faith? Potiphar's wife is a figure in the Hebrew Bible and the Quran. According to the Book of Genesis, she falsely accused Joseph of attempted rape after he rejected her sexual advances, resulting in his imprisonment. So Potiphar left everything he had in Josephs care; he gave no thought to anything except the food he ate. First Corinthians 10:13 implies that we all will experience temptation and, at the same time, be provided a way of escape. What does this story tell us about the character of Joseph? (Nobody promotes a bitter, whiny, solemn person! Although we LOVE for teachers to read from their Bibles, and for children to read along in theirs, in this case, it is best to paraphrase her words, and not read directly from the scripture. Boldly ask for the grace to say NO to sin. How has God called you to at times pay a price for following God? He saw that the Lord gave Joseph success in everything he did. Thomas Carlyle, a Scottish historian, once wrote, Adversity is hard on a man; but for one man who can stand prosperity, there are a hundred that will stand adversity.4 Promotion and success open doors to more temptation: The more successful people become, the less they have others looking over their shoulders; the more freedoms and perks they receive, the more temptation they experience to abuse their power. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most. (NLT) Even though Satan is powerful, God is immeasurably more powerful. He or she hurts the workplace instead of making it more productive.) Potiphar's Wife Q&A - Part II (Truth, Facts, or Fiction) God gave him great leadership skills and other blessings. Joseph ran awayleaving his outer garment in her hand. Even while in prison, Joseph continues to rise to prominence. 7, 8), or , "his wife" (v. 19). How did the Egyptians fall into this trap?