How long was Joseph in prison?

Answer

The Bible does not specify the duration of Joseph’s imprisonment in Egypt, but an approximate timeline can be inferred from the information provided in Scripture. Following his sale by his brothers to the Ishmaelites and subsequent journey to Egypt, Joseph was purchased by Potiphar, the captain of the guard, and placed in his service (Genesis 37:28;Genesis 39:1). After some time, Joseph was entrusted with overseeing everything in Potiphar’s household (Genesis 39:2-6). During this period, Potiphar’s wife attempted to seduce Joseph. When he rejected her advances, she falsely accused him of inappropriate behavior, leading to Joseph’s imprisonment (Genesis 39:7-20).

Joseph remained in prison long enough for significant events to unfold: he earned the favor of the prison warden, was placed in charge of the prison (Genesis 39:20-23), and encountered the pharaoh’s cupbearer and baker, interpreting their dreams (Genesis 40). Three days after Joseph provided his interpretations, the cupbearer was reinstated, while the baker was executed. Subsequently, two full years passed, and Joseph was still incarcerated (Genesis 40:23—41:1).

According to Scripture, Joseph was 17 years old when his brothers sold him to the Ishmaelites “These are the generations of Jacob. Joseph, being seventeen years old, was tending the flock with his brothers; and the young man was with the sons of Bilhah and the sons of Zilpah, his father’s wives. And Joseph brought a bad report of them to his father.”, (Genesis 37:2). By the time he was released from prison and appointed as head over Egypt, Joseph was 30 years old «And Joseph was thirty years old when he stood before Pharaoh king of Egypt. And Joseph went out from the presence of Pharaoh, and went throughout all the land of Egypt. », (Genesis 41:46). Therefore, thirteen years passed from the time Joseph was sold by his brothers to the time he left prison. Some of that time, Joseph was in Potiphar’s service before he was wrongly accused by Potiphar’s wife; the rest of the time, he was in prison.

Some Jewish commentators have written that Joseph was imprisoned for twelve years, being only one year in Potiphar’s service. These commentators point to the apocryphal Book of Jasher as evidence: “And Potiphar heard their words, and he placed him in the prison house, the place where the king’s prisoners are confined, and Joseph was in the house of confinement twelve years” Book of Jasher 44:76. It’s possible that Joseph was in prison for twelve years, but it’s also possible that he was in prison for much less time. There is just not enough biblical evidence to be conclusive.

God used the trials Joseph endured to bring about something good: “the saving of many lives,” including those of his brothers who had hated him so much «But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive. », (Genesis 50:20). We can learn a lot from the patient endurance of Joseph during the hardships he experienced in Egypt and trust that God is using all situations for His and our good see Romans 8:28.