Genesis 39:14
That she called unto the men of her house, and spake unto them, saying, 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: That she called unto the men of her house, and spake unto them, saying, 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:
Joseph served Potiphar amid Egyptian idolatry and vice while openly living as a worshiper of God in simplicity, fidelity, and purity, prospering under divine blessing until entrusted as steward over all his possessions. Potiphar's wife, unable to lead him astray, turned frustrated desire to hatred and revenge and called to the men of the house with the false claim that a Hebrew had been brought in to mock them and had come to lie with her while she cried out. Though innocent in virtue and strength of purpose, Joseph was treated as a criminal, his reputation temporarily damaged, and he was cast into prison. His unjust accusation was through no fault of his own and was not accidental but under Providence, for God watched over him and guarded him in affliction and in His own time turned the gloomy prison into the way to prosperity and honor in Egypt. His innocent suffering for righteousness illustrates Christ, who came to His own and was rejected and despised, with false witnesses testifying against Him, because His righteous acts and life rebuked sin. His course stands as a pattern that those closely connected with God may not prosper in this life but may be maligned, tried, and persecuted for preserving virtue and integrity, and are called to stand firm to principle and honor God in adversity without compromise.
Setting and False Charge
Joseph's ten years of service to Potiphar, captain of the king's guard in Egypt, unfolded in the midst of idolatry, surrounded by royal pomp, wealth, culture, and the sights and sounds of vice. There he preserved simplicity and fidelity to God, refusing to let his thoughts linger on forbidden subjects and refusing to conceal his principles to gain favor. He openly made known that he was a worshiper of Jehovah, and the Lord was with him so that through industry, care, and energy crowned with divine blessing everything placed under his care prospered. Potiphar therefore promoted him to steward with full control over all his possessions, and in purity and uprightness he stood in marked contrast to idol worshipers, the light of heavenly grace shining amid heathen darkness. In Egypt he was surrounded by idolaters, yet God did not forget him there.
The verse records Potiphar's wife publicly calling to the men of the house and falsely claiming that a Hebrew had been brought in to mock them and that Joseph came in to lie with her while she cried out with a loud voice. She made the charge after Joseph refused her advances, because she could not lead him astray or corrupt his virtue and integrity. Her frustrated desire turned to hatred and revenge, growing strong against the virtue she could not overcome, and she used her influence to blacken his reputation. Through that false charge Joseph, despite innocence, virtue, and strength of purpose, was treated as a criminal. His reputation was temporarily damaged, and he was cast into prison.
Providence and Christlike Suffering
Joseph's unjust accusation and imprisonment were through no fault of his own, yet he remained faithful to God, his purity of motive was made clear, and God guided him from prison to authority in Egypt, for his trials were under Providence and not accidental. The charge of sexual wrongdoing left him treated as a criminal despite his innocence, but he preserved his integrity in the fear of God while God watched his conduct and guarded him through affliction. His suffering came because he did what was right and because of his virtue and strength of purpose, yet it did not mean God had forsaken him, for God had victories in store for him even while he appeared to suffer.
He suffered calumny and false accusation through wicked revenge after resisting temptation and keeping his virtue and nobleness of character without taint by firm principle and unwavering trust in God. His accuser used her influence to blacken his reputation and have him imprisoned, yet his virtue and integrity remained unstained. Providence overrules all the enemy's devices for good and in His own time exalts those so debased as much higher as for a while they were brought low. The gloomy prison to which the false charge brings him becomes the way to prosperity and honor, because God uses temptation, adversity, and hardship to give the experience that prepares for an exalted position.
His integrity and virtue were fiercely assailed, and because his tempter could not prevail and could not corrupt his virtue and integrity, her hatred grew strong against him and turned against the virtue and integrity she could not corrupt. He was cast into prison because of his virtue, suffering because he was innocent and righteous. That innocent suffering for righteousness illustrates Christ, who came to His own and was rejected and despised because His acts were righteous, against whom false witnesses were likewise hired to testify, and who was hated because His righteous life rebuked sin.
Pattern for Faithful Living
Joseph in Egypt was a youth who was tried and proved and who stood firm to principle, worthy of imitation as a representative man and a pattern of integrity. His testing belongs to the account in Genesis 39, where his firmness under trial made him an example to follow.
His life shows how one taken captive could still represent God and bring blessing to others through the knowledge of Him, by honoring God in adversity without compromising faith. The outcry against him was maligning and persecution because he was determined to preserve his virtue and integrity, a false accusation suffered for doing what was right. It proves that those closely connected with God may not prosper in the things of this life but may often be sorely tried and afflicted. His experience stands as one instance of God's appointed witnesses exposing themselves to reproach and persecution for the truth's sake. It likewise shows followers of Christ led through trial to perfect trust, learning that in the world there is tribulation but in Christ there is peace, and that it is through much tribulation that entrance is gained into the kingdom of God.
His course shows that forming a character that will stand the test of the judgment is serious business for which each person is responsible. Each one is deciding his own eternal destiny in this probationary time of testing and proving by God, with no second probation to come.