did potiphar believe his wife
According to the Quran, her name is Zuleika. What should we do when we cant avoid it entirely? Does that suggest anything about what was going through Potiphar's mind as he threw Joseph in "the prison where the king's prisoners were confined" (v.20)? How do we know this? All of his life, Joseph had believed in only one God. Do you follow God in everything you do? 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. How should Christians overcome this reprogramming? Without doubt, Joseph was aware that scorning Potiphars wife could have hazardous consequences. 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. By Gods grace, Joseph did not become bitter, holding onto his anger as his brothers had done. This is the very reason many people fall into temptation. Obviously, Potiphars wife wasnt used to being rejected and wouldnt take no for an answer. And thus We reward the doers of good. The Egyptians saw things that God made such as the sun, the moon, and animals, and believed that these amazing things must be gods. It is clear that Joseph trusted God and wasnt bitter towards him, which would have hindered Gods blessings. Ask: How many of you made a craft today? Do you think Joseph will be all alone this time? She lies to her husband, and when he throws Joseph in prison, she probably imagines it will be the end of Josephs life. 28. Also, Hebrews 12:5b-7 and 11 says. One day he went into the house to do his work when none of the household servants were there in the house. Potiphar's wife and her interactions with Joseph provide one of the most dramatic stories in the early Old Testament. Potiphar's wife is a figure in the Hebrew Bible and the Quran. How then could I do this most wicked thing and sin before God?" She may have lied in other areas to protect her high position. - Genesis 39:19b-20a. You cant hold it in. Satan spends his days and nights setting traps to distract people from the truth (1 Peter 5:8). Were creatures with needssleep, food, sex. Phil 4:6-7). For Joseph, it was probably initially intimidating working for Potiphar. Potiphar's wife, though unnamed, played a significant role in Joseph's journey from favored son to powerful leader in Egypt. During this trial, he was learning humility, as he was no longer Jacobs favored sonhe was now a slave. Remaining nameless might be something this devious woman desired! Joseph was a handsome young man, and he eventually caught the attention of Potiphar's wife. All rights reserved. He has withheld nothing from me except you because you are his wife. According to Genesis 39:1 (NKJV), Potiphar was "an officer of Pharaoh, captain of the guard, an Egyptian.". Your email address will not be published. The only thing Joseph is not in charge of is Potiphar's food. So they worshiped and served the things God created instead of the Creator Himself, who is worthy of eternal praise! (Romans 1:25 NLT). What Does the Bible Tell Us about the Prophet Daniel? But Joseph refused to spend any time with her. Joseph refuses, using a word that suggests the decision is difficult. 1S2-38: Only About Fifty Percent Of The New Testament Is God-Breathed. Potiphar's Wife KNOWN AS THE "NO-NAME WIFE" OF A BODY GUARD Genesis 39 IMAGINE: Being the rich Egyptian wife of the highest official to Pharaoh; but even so, choosing to set your sites on the well-built and handsome new household slave, only to have this Hebrew foreigner reject your advances. He told Joseph to take good care of everything he owned. By His grace, God gave Joseph the power to say NO to sin (Titus 2:11-12). Therefore, in order to conquer temptation, we must trust God and what his Word says. 3. Joseph, we remember, is the future leader and current visionary of the Jewish people in bondage in Egypt. In Genesis she is given no name, but in later medieval Jewish sources and Islamic tradition, she is identified as Zuleikha (/zulek/ zoo-LAY-kah; Hebrew: ; Arabic: , romanized:zulay). I imagine she rolled away from her husbands side, estranged from him by her deception. A story about Zuleikha is told in Sefer haYashar, where she was mocked by other aristocratic Egyptian ladies, her circle of friends, for being infatuated with a Hebrew slave boy. SNAP! . Ask: Do you think he felt afraid or lonely? Then you only have two choices. In his classic work All the Women of the Bible, Herbert Lockyer lists twice that many nameless women (many of them are groups of women, such as Solomons 300 wives). This is exactly how the world and Satan promote sin: It is not a great evil! Was Joseph wrong to marry the daughter of a pagan priest (Genesis 41)? It was the place where the king's prisoners were kept. One day, Joseph went to the house to take care of his duties. 32. After a while, Potiphars wife noticed Joseph. Another principle about conquering temptation that we can discern is the need to practice integrity in all areas of life. An Egyptian named Potiphar, an official of Pharaoh and the captain of the guard, purchased him from the Ishmaelites who had brought him there. Also, as well see later, Joseph needed to be put in prison in order to eventually interpret the dreams of Pharaoh and be exalted to second in command of Egypt (Gen 41). May be reproduced for personal, nonprofit, and non-commercial uses only. - Genesis 39:21a NLT, Attention teacher: The proposition of Potiphars wife to Joseph is very adult in nature. All rights reserved. What God does with people and how people react is unpredictable, though. 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. Do you allow the Holy Spirit to guide you? The Hebrew word for "official" is the same that is used for eunuch. With that said, Joseph was willing to pay the cost for maintaining his integrityeven if it meant imprisonment. She attempted to sexually assault Joseph who, as a slave, could never have truly consented. 1 Corinthians 10:13, written for early Christians centuries after the account of Potiphars wife and Joseph, states that we are not tempted beyond what God decides we can handle. Related Topics: Christian Life, Temptation, Greg Brown earned his MA in religion and MA in teaching from Trinity International University, a MRE from Liberty University, and a PhD in theology from Louisiana Baptist University. No one in this house is in a higher position than I am. His life was different; he was set apart from the ungodly. In this section of Josephs narrative, he experiences major temptations: He was tempted to be upset and bitter at his circumstance of being sold into slavery. And she, in whose house he was, sought to seduce him. (Genesis 39:7, 10, 12, 14). If we are going to conquer temptation, we must especially guard ourselves in times of promotion or success. And a witness from her family testified, "If his shirt is torn from the front, then she has told the truth, and he is of the liars. The Bible (Genesis 39:5-20) narrates her treatment of Joseph, slave to her husband Potiphar: And he left all that he had in Joseph's hand; and, having him, he knew not aught save the bread which he did eat. The warden did not concern himself with anything that was in Josephs care because the Lord was with him and whatever he was doing the Lord was making successful. Now Joseph had been brought down to Egypt. Mrs. Potiphar quickly went from humiliation to rageleading her to frame Joseph. But one of them has to be reconciliation and forgiveness. Say: The most important man in Egypt was Pharaoh. Say: Now Joseph was in a new land with different smells, different tastes, different people, a different language, and different gods. After being wrongly imprisoned, it is very possible that he was tempted towards hopelessness and despair. With Joseph in charge, he didn't have to worry about anything except the food he ate. Potiphars wife is one of 42 nameless women in the Bible, according to Lindsay Hardin Freeman in her book Bible Women: All Their Words and Why They Matter. When things were bad, God moved in a special way in his life, even if Joseph was unaware of it. They commonly harbor anger and bitterness for years after some traumatic event: They are angry at parents, the school system, government, or someone else who harmed them. And it came to pass, as she spoke to Joseph day by day, that he hearkened not unto her, to lie by her, or to be with her. So when she heard of their scheming, she sent for them and prepared for them a banquet and gave each one of them a knife and said [to Joseph], "Come out before them." No doubt, she not only spoke but probably tried to tempt him by wearing revealing clothing and alluring perfume. This is a reason many people fall when temptation comes. From the time Potiphar appointed him over his household and over all that he owned, the Lord blessed the Egyptians household for Josephs sake. Indeed, your plan is great [i.e., vehement]. All emphases in Scripture quotations have been added. Canaan. If we humble ourselves before God in our trials and temptations, he will lift us up as well. And if You do not avert from me their plan, I might incline toward them and [thus] be of the ignorant." Jacob was broken-hearted to lose his favorite son. 33. Joseph was doing an excellent job in Egypt, but not through his own strength. It is meant to develop righteousness in us and give us more peace, regardless of our circumstances. From that time on, the Lord blessed Potiphar's family and servants because of Joseph. She was the wife of Potiphar, the captain of Pharaoh's guard in the time of Jacob and his twelve sons. Getting angry is just self-expressionsharing whats on ones mind! Say: When Joseph arrived in Egypt, he was sold to a man named Potiphar who was the captain of the guards at Pharaohs palace. This biographical article about a person notable in connection with Judaism is a stub. In what ways, have you, at times, compromised out of fear of the cost? But this wasnt true of Joseph. - Genesis 39:1-2. 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.. In the same way, Joseph had complete control over everything in Potiphars household - except for one thing, Potiphars wife. Used by permission. (2) The consequence for adultery would normally be execution. Gods plans, though mysterious and unpredictable, are always good. So Potiphar was pleased with Joseph. So Potiphar left everything he had in Josephs care; he gave no thought to anything except the food he ate. 40-1: Was Joseph really kept in a "prison"? Its an alternative lifestyle. Interpretation Question: Did Potiphar believe his wifes accusations? This biographical article about a person notable in connection with Islam is a stub. He was learning administrative skills, as he led all of Potiphars household. An Egyptian named Potiphar had bought him from the Ishmaelite traders who had taken him there. [Joseph] said, "It was she who sought to seduce me." 27-4: Who are the descendants of Esau today? We all know how this works. Considering the consequences of our sin is a wise practice. [1][2], Rashi comments that the wife of Potiphar saw through astrology that she would have children through Joseph. Joseph had lost his masters respect and he was forced to become lower than a slave - he became a PRISONER. (Rashi) Where was Potiphar when his wife was talking to him? How did the Egyptians fall into this trap? 7 Hughes, R. K. (2004). But Joseph was not alone! He was in the midst of idolatry. But God was with Joseph in everything he did. The Egyptians had a long list of gods. 26. He didnt realize that Mrs. Potiphar was alone in the house. 1. p. 392, ed. When she saw that he had left his outer garment in her hand and had run outside, she called for her household servants and said to them, See, my husband brought in a Hebrew man to us to humiliate us. For Rumi, Zuleikha's obsession with Joseph is a symptom and manifestation of the soul's great deep longing for God. Do you realize your trials and temptations are just ways God is preparing you for more? Next week well see another twist in Gods incredible plan for Joseph. Big Question: What principles can we learn about conquering temptation from Josephs responses to various temptations in this narrative? When he became successful, undoubtedly, he experienced temptations towards pride and independence from God. 33-4: Jacob settles in the very same spot where Yeshua encountered the Samaritan woman, 33-3: Jacob tells Esau he will join him in Edom, but doesn't, 33-2: One advantage Asians have when reading the Bible, 32-5: The power in letting go and letting God, 32-4: Jacob's name is changed to Israel-One who trusts God. He was one of four men the Bible describes in this way, including Saul, David, and Absalom. grassroots elite basketball ; why does ted lasso have a southern accent . ; She said that Joseph came in to attack her, she screamed, and he ran away. And it came to pass after these things, that his master's wife cast her eyes upon Joseph; and she said: 'Lie with me.' It seems quite likely that Potiphar did not believe his wife. It is meant to mature us for our calling, as James said, and thats exactly what God was doing with Joseph. Some believers are just too strong to conquer temptation. When people look at the world around them, they can tell that there is a powerful God who created everything (Romans 1:20). She has also spent many years mentoring Middle School and High School girls. 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.
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