At this chapter we return to the story of Joseph.
We have him here, I. A servant, a slave in Potiphar's house
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1 And Joseph was brought down to Egypt; and Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh, captain of the guard, an Egyptian, bought him of the hands of the Ishmeelites, 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 served 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 had 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 ought he had, save the bread which he did eat. And Joseph was a goodly person, and well favoured.
Here is, I. Joseph bought (
II. Joseph blessed, wonderfully blessed, even in the house of his servitude.
1. God prospered him,
2. His master preferred him, by degrees
made him steward of his household,
3. God favoured his master for his sake
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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 wotteth not what is with me in the house, and he hath committed all that he hath to my hand; 9 There is none greater in this house than I; neither hath he kept back any thing 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 Joseph went into the house to do his business; 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.
Here is, I. A most shameful instance of impudence and immodesty in Joseph's mistress, the shame and scandal of her sex, perfectly lost to all virtue and honour, and not to be mentioned, nor thought of, without the utmost indignation. It was well that she was an Egyptian; for we must have shared in the confusion if such folly had been found in Israel. Observe,
I. Her sin began in the eye: She cast
her eyes upon Joseph (
2. She was daring and shameless in the
II. Here is a most illustrious instance of virtue and resolved chastity in Joseph, who, by the grace of God, was enabled to resist and overcome this temptation; and, all things considered, his escape was, for aught I know, as great an instance of the divine power as the deliverance of the three children out of the fiery furnace.
1. The temptation he was assaulted with was
very strong. Never was a more violent onset made upon the fort of
chastity than this recorded here. (1.) The sin he was tempted to
was uncleanness, which considering his youth, his beauty, his
single state, and his plentiful living at the table of a ruler, was
a sin which, one would think, might most easily beset him and
betray him. (2.) The tempter was his mistress, a person of quality,
whom it was his place to obey and his interest to oblige, whose
favour would contribute more than any thing to his preferment, and
by whose means he might arrive at the highest honours of the court.
On the other hand, it was at his utmost peril if he slighted her,
and made her his enemy. (3.) Opportunity makes a thief, makes an
adulterer, and that favoured the temptation. The tempter was in the
house with him; his business led him to be, without any suspicion,
where she was; none of the family were within (
2. His resistance of the temptation was very brave, and the victory truly honourable. The almighty grace of God enabled him to overcome this assault of the enemy,
(1.) By strength of reason; and wherever
right reason may be heard, religion no doubt will carry the day. He
argues from the respect he owed both to God and his master,
(2.) By stedfastness of resolution. The
grace of God enabled him to overcome the temptation by avoiding the
tempter. [1.] He hearkened not to her, so much as to be with
her,
13 And it came to pass, when she saw that he had left his garment in her hand, and was fled forth, 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: 15 And it came to pass, when he heard that I lifted up my voice and cried, that he left his garment with me, and fled, and got him out. 16 And she laid up his garment by her, until his lord 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 with me, and fled out.
Joseph's mistress, having tried in vain to
make him a criminal, now endeavours to represent him as one; so to
be revenged on him for his virtue. Now was her love turned into the
utmost rage and malice, and she pretends she cannot endure the
sight of him whom awhile ago she could not endure out of her sight.
Chaste and holy love will continue, though slighted; but sinful
love, like Amnon's to Tamar, is easily changed into sinful hatred.
1. She accused him to his fellow servants (
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, a 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 mercy, and gave him favour 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 any thing that was under his hand; because the Lord was with him, and that which he did, the Lord made it to prosper.
Here is, 1. Joseph wronged by his master.
He believed the accusation, and either Joseph durst not make his
defence by telling the truth, as it would reflect too much upon his
mistress, or his master would not hear it, or would not believe it,
and there is no remedy, he is condemned to perpetual imprisonment,