1 “And Joseph was brought down to Egypt; and Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh’s, the captain of the guard, an Egyptian, bought him of the hand of the Ishmaelites, which had brought him down thither. 2 And the Lord was with Joseph, and he was a prosperous man; and he was in the house of his master the Egyptian. 3 And his master saw that the Lord was with him, and that the Lord made all that he did to prosper in his hand. 4 And Joseph found grace in his sight, and he ministered unto him; and he made him overseer over his house, and all that he had he put into his hand. 5 And it came to pass from the time that he made him overseer in his house, and over all that he had, that the Lord blessed the Egyptian’s house for Joseph’s sake; and the blessing of the Lord was upon all that he had, in the house and in the field. 6 And he left all that he had in Joseph’s hand; and he knew not aught that was with him, save the bread which he did eat. And Joseph was comely, and well favored. 7 And it came to pass after these things that his master’s wife cast her eyes upon Joseph; and she said, Lie with me. 8 But he refused and said unto his master’s wife, Behold, my master knoweth not what is with me in the house, and he hath put all that he hath into my hand; 9 there is none greater in this house than I; neither hath he kept back anything from me but thee, because thou art his wife; how then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God? 10 And it came to pass, as she spake to Joseph day by day, that he hearkened not unto her, to lie by her, or to be with her. 11 And it came to pass about this time, that he went into the house to do his work; and there was none of the men of the house there within. 12 And she caught him by his garment, saying, Lie with me; and he left his garment in her hand, and fled, and got him out. 13 And it came to pass, when she saw that he had left his garment in her hand, and was fled forth, that she called unto the men of her house, and spake unto them, saying, 14 See, he hath brought in an Hebrew unto us to mock us; he came in unto me to lie with me, and I cried with a loud voice; 15 and it came to pass, when he heard that I lifted up my voice and cried, that he left his garment by me, and fled, and got him out. 16 And she laid up his garment by her, until his master came home. 17 And she spake unto him according to these words, saying, The Hebrew servant, which thou hast brought unto us, came in unto me to mock me; 18 and it came to pass, as I lifted up my voice and cried, that he left his garment by me, and fled out. 19 And it came to pass, when his master heard the words of his wife, which she spake unto him, saying, After this manner did thy servant to me; that his wrath was kindled. 20 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. 21 But the Lord was with Joseph, and showed him kindness, and gave him favor in the sight of the keeper of the prison. 22 And the keeper of the prison committed to Joseph’s hand all the prisoners that were in the prison; and whatsoever they did there, he was the doer of it. 23 The keeper of the prison looked not to anything that was under his hand, because the Lord was with him; and that which he did, the Lord made it to prosper.
1 “And it came to pass after these things, that the butler of the king of Egypt and his baker offended their lord the king of Egypt. 2 And Pharaoh was wroth against his two officers, against the chief of the butlers, and against the chief of the bakers. 3 And he put them in ward in the house of the captain of the guard, into the prison, the place where Joseph was bound. 4 And the captain of the guard charged Joseph with them, and he ministered unto them; and they continued a season in ward. 5 And they dreamed a dream both of them, each man his dream, in one night, each man according to the interpretation of his dream, the butler and the baker of the king of Egypt, which were bound in the prison. 6 And Joseph came in unto them in the morning, and saw them, and, behold, they were sad. 7 And he asked Pharaoh’s officers that were with him in the ward in his master’s house, saying, Wherefore look ye so sadly to-day? 8 And they said unto him, We have dreamed a dream, and there is none that can interpret it. And Joseph said unto them, Do not interpretations belong to God? tell it me, I pray you. 9 And the chief butler told his dream to Joseph, and said to him, In my dream, behold, a vine was before me; 10 and in the vine were three branches; and it was as though it budded, and its blossoms shot forth; and the clusters thereof brought forth ripe grapes; 11 and Pharaoh’s cup was in my hand; and I took the grapes, and pressed them into Pharaoh’s cup, and I gave the cup into Pharaoh’s hand. 12 And Joseph said unto him, This is the interpretation of it: the 13 three branches are three days; within yet three days shall Pharaoh lift up thy head, and restore thee unto thine office; and thou shalt give Pharaoh’s cup into his hand, after the former manner when thou wast his butler. 14 But have me in thy remembrance when it shall be well with thee, and show kindness, I pray thee, unto me, and make mention of me unto Pharaoh, and bring me out of this house; 15 for indeed I was stolen away out of the land of the Hebrews; and here also have I done nothing that they should put me into the dungeon. 16 When the chief baker saw that the interpretation was good, he said unto Joseph, I also was in my dream, and, behold, three baskets of white bread were on my head; 17 and in the uppermost basket there was of all manner of bakemeats for Pharaoh; and the birds did eat them out of the basket upon my head. 18 And Joseph answered and said, This is the interpretation thereof: The three baskets are three days; 19 within yet three days shall Pharaoh lift up thy head from off thee, and shall hang thee on a tree; and the birds shall eat thy flesh from off thee. 20 And it came to pass the third day, which was Pharaoh’s birthday, that he made a feast unto all his servants; and he lifted up the head of the chief butler and the head of the chief baker among his servants. 21 And he restored the chief butler unto his butlership again; and he gave the cup into Pharaoh’s hand; 22 but he hanged the chief baker: as Joseph had interpreted to them. 23 Yet did not the chief butler remember Joseph, but forgat him.”
SUGGESTIVE QUESTIONS.
(1) What did the Ishmaelites do with Joseph? Gen. 39:1. (2) What noted and special guest did Joseph have in this house? What effect did it have upon his work? What was his office? V. 2. (3) What discernment did his Egyptian master manifest? What did he do for Joseph? And from that time what did the Lord do for Potiphar? Vs. 3–5. (4) How far did this confidence in Joseph extend? What was Joseph’s outward appearance? V. 6. Note 1. (5) What was his appearance in the presence of Him who looketh upon the heart? Vs. 7–18. Note 1. (6) Notwithstanding the fact that Joseph lived as in the presence of God (verse 9), what happened to him? Vs. 19, 20. (7) Nevertheless, what special friend did Joseph have with him in prison? V. 21. Note 2. (8) What effect did this have upon the keeper of the prison? How far did his confidence in Joseph go? Vs. 22, 23. (9) After these things, what two noted persons were put into this prison? Gen. 40:1–3. (10) Who had charge of them? V. 4. (11) What experience did they both have in the same night? V. 5. (12) What effect did it have upon them? Who discerned it? What question did he ask them? Vs. 6, 7. (13) What did they answer? And what request did Joseph make? V. 8. (14) Relate the chief butler’s dream. Vs. 9–11. (15) What interpretation did Joseph give to him? Vs. 12, 13. (16) What request did Joseph make of him? What just reason did he give for this request? Vs. 14, 15. (17) Relate the chief baker’s dream. Vs. 16, 17. (18) What was its interpretation? Vs. 18, 19. (19) How were these dreams, with their interpretation, fulfilled? Vs. 20–22. (20) What ingratitude did the butler show? V. 23.
Suggestive Readings.—“Patriarchs and Prophets,” pages 213–219; “Spirit of Prophecy,” pages 129–135.
NOTES.
1. Joseph was comely, winsome, well-favored; but he did not exalt himself. In all Old Testament history there is no life more universally admired for its frank, open, humble simplicity, and the fragrant beauty of its purity; and, withal, in its growth more “strong in a strength not its own.” It was his upright and holy life that gave him power with God. But every young man and woman may, by following his example, be like him. “He [man] may be enlightened by science, ennobled by virtue, and make progress in mental and moral dignity, until he reaches a perfection of intelligence and a purity of character but little lower than the perfection and purity of the angels. With the light of truth shining upon the minds of men, and the love of God shed abroad in their hearts, we can not conceive what they may become, nor what great work they may do.”
2. The Lord was with Joseph.—What the Lord needs to-day is young men like Joseph and Moses in Egypt, Daniel and his fellows in Babylon, John the Baptist in Judea, and Paul in the civilized and heathen portions of the world. In order to be this, they must, like Joseph, have God with them in the prison; like Moses, endure as seeing Him who is invisible; like Daniel and his fellows, swerve not from duty, tho cast into the lions’ den, or into the fiery furnace; like John the Baptist, stand before and reprove kings; and, like Paul, pass undaunted through that long category of trial and persecution, counting it all joy that he is considered worthy to suffer for Christ’s sake.
ADDITIONAL STUDY.
(1) Make an outline of this lesson. (2) In what sense was Joseph a slave? In what sense were his brethren slaves? What is the only real freedom? (3) Consider the life of Potiphar; of Pharaoh. (4) Describe the jail in which Joseph was imprisoned. See Ps. 105:18–20. (5) What was the office relation between Potiphar and the keeper of the prison? (6) The interpretation of the dreams of the butler and the baker were fulfilled within three days. How was it with the interpretation of Joseph’s own dreams? (7) Trace the different steps in Joseph’s humiliation. Such an experience is a preparation for service. (8) What kept Joseph? What will keep us? Psalms 121, R.V.
