What can we learn from the account of Potiphar’s wife?

Response

The narrative of Joseph and Potiphar’s wife in Genesis 39 offers clear lessons on loyalty when faced with sexual temptation, as well as subtle insights into God’s faithfulness. The account is compelling: Joseph, the son of Jacob, serves in Egypt as Potiphar’s trusted overseer. Potiphar’s wife, noticing Joseph’s attractiveness, propositions him, saying, “Lie with me!” (Genesis 39:6-7).

Despite Potiphar’s wife’s persistent advances, Joseph adamantly rejects her, stating, “My master has entrusted everything to me except you, because you are his wife. How then could I commit such a great evil and sin against God?” «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? », (Genesis 39:9). Joseph remains faithful to both Potiphar and God. Undeterred, Potiphar’s wife persists, but Joseph resists her advances, refusing to be alone with her (verse 10).

A pivotal moment arises when Joseph finds himself alone with Potiphar’s wife: “One day he went into the house to attend to his duties, and none of the household servants were inside. She caught him by his cloak and said, ‘Lie with me!’ But he left his cloak in her hand and ran out of the house” (Genesis 39:11-12). Frustrated, Potiphar’s wife seizes Joseph’s cloak and devises a vengeful scheme, calling her servants and saying, “Look,” she said.

To them, ‘this Hebrew . . . came in here to sleep with me, but I screamed. When he heard me scream for help, he left his cloak beside me and ran out of the house’” (verses 14–15).

When Potiphar came home, his wife showed him Joseph’s cloak and repeated the lie: “As soon as I screamed for help, he left his cloak beside me and ran out of the house. . . . This is how your slave treated me” (Genesis 39:18-19). Potiphar, outraged at Joseph’s supposed betrayal, put him in prison (verse 20).

There is much in the story of Potiphar’s wife about resisting sexual temptation. A brash woman overtly tempts a man, pulling on his clothes and saying, “Lie with me.” The man flees from her so suddenly that he actually leaves his garment in her hand. Joseph doesn’t stand there, gazing at the woman, considering whether or not he should sleep with her. He immediately gets out of there «Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body. », (see 1 Corinthians 6:18).

Joseph’s wise handling of the situation with Potiphar’s wife directly contrasts the foolhardy actions of the simple man in Proverbs. Solomon sees a fool walking toward the house of an adulterous woman «Passing through the street near her corner; And he went the way to her house, », (Proverbs 7:8). When the fool drew near, “she took hold of him and kissed him . . . with a brazen face” (verse 13). Rather than run away like Joseph, the foolish man stayed to listen to her: “With persuasive words she led him astray; she seduced him with her smooth talk” (verse 21). And he paid a high price for his foolishness: “All at once he followed her like an ox going to the slaughter” (verse 22). One could argue the Joseph

, too, paid a high price—his virtue landed him in prison—but one has only to read the rest of Genesis to see the blessings God had in store for Joseph.

It is interesting to note that Genesis 39 does not mention Joseph’s feelings for Potiphar’s wife: was he attracted to her? Did he find her beautiful or interesting? How long did they have a perfectly normal and friendly relationship—servant and mistress—before she chose to attempt a seduction? None of this is detailed. The heart of the issue is this: Potiphar’s wife promised happiness and sensual satisfaction, but Joseph saw sin for what it is, refusing to commit “this great wickedness” «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? », (Genesis 39:9, ESV). Joseph feared God, knowing that all sin is ultimately against Him see Psalm 51:4. By saying “no” to Potiphar’s wife, Joseph showed himself to be wise: “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; all who follow his precepts have good understanding” «The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: A good understanding have all they that do his commandments: His praise endureth for ever.», (Psalm 111:10).

The incident with Potiphar’s wife is surrounded by two passages that talk about God’s love and blessing to Joseph. Joseph found favor in the eyes of the Egyptians among whom he lived and rose to a position of prominence in the house of Potiphar (Genesis 39:1-6). Joseph’s success and position were the direct result of God’s blessing (verses 2–3). When Joseph was wrongly accused and sent to prison, God remained faithful. God “showed [Joseph] kindness and granted him fFavor in the eyes of the prison warden” (verse 21). Soon, the keeper of the prison had put Joseph in charge of the other prisoners and trusted him so fully that he no longer paid attention to anything that was under Joseph’s control (verses 22–23). Everything Joseph did succeeded because “the Lord was with Joseph” (verse 23).

The story of Potiphar’s wife is about loyalty as much as it is about resisting temptation. Potiphar’s wife was disloyal to her husband, but Joseph was loyal both to Potiphar and to God. God shows us amazing loyalty and faithfulness. It is part of His character. He is “compassionate and gracious . . . slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness” «And the LORD passed by before him, and proclaimed, The LORD, The LORD God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth, », (Exodus 34:6). “For the word of the LORD is right and true; he is faithful in all he does” «For the word of the LORD is right; And all his works are done in truth. », (Psalm 33:4). Joseph’s desire to be faithful and loyal to Potiphar was in response to God’s faithfulness to Him; Joseph was reflecting God’s character, which is what the godly do. “Whoever claims to live in him must live as Jesus did” «He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked. », (1 John 2:6).

When Potiphar’s wife stirred her husband’s jealousy and made him throw Joseph in prison unjustly, God was still there, comforting and blessing Joseph. From this we can learn that, even if we are treated unfairly in this life, God will never forsake His servants «Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. »

, (Hebrews 13:5).