Daily Scripture Reading Genesis 39:1-20
When a person is faced with the temptation to commit sexual immorality, it might be desirable to avoid showing fear or weakness and rely on inner strength or self-discipline to do the right thing. In those cases a person may stay near the temptation, believing they are strong enough to resist the urge. However, the New Testament gives us a clear command what we are supposed to do in those situations; and today’s passage regarding Joseph illustrates the command for us.
The 37th chapter of Genesis records the early years of Joseph. Jacob loved Joseph more than the rest of his sons, so Joseph’s brothers hated Joseph. Then Joseph had dreams in which his brothers bowed down to him, so his brothers hated him even more. When Jacob sent Joseph to check on the welfare of his brothers while they were pasturing the flock at Shechem, the brothers saw their chance to get rid of Joseph. At first they were going to kill him, but then decided it was better to sell Joseph and gain some money. They sold him to some traders who were on their way to Egypt.
Gen. 39:1 ¶ Now Joseph was brought down to Egypt; and Potiphar, an Egyptian official of Pharaoh, the captain of the bodyguard, bought him from the Ishmaelites, who had brought him down there.
Since Joseph was sold to Pharaoh’s official, he was probably taken to the capital of Egypt. The location of the capital at that time is not certain, but it was likely south of Memphis. It was around 300 miles / 500 km from Dothan to the capital of Egypt. That journey would have taken at least 10 days.
Gen. 39:2 And Yahweh was with Joseph, so he became a successful man. And he was in the house of his master, the Egyptian.
Gen. 39:3 Now his master saw that Yahweh was with him and how Yahweh caused all that he did to succeed in his hand.
Look at the statement “Yahweh caused all that he did to succeed.” In any society there are people who run businesses and exercise power. Some people are more successful than other people. Humans have studied leadership and can often explain why some people succeed while others do not. There is truth to all the human studies and beliefs regarding management and the exercise of power; however, we should always keep in mind that it is possible that Yahweh is the one who is giving success to those who are successful.
Gen. 39:4 So Joseph found favor in his sight and attended on him; and he appointed him overseer over his house, and all that he owned he gave in his hand.
Joseph was owned by the captain of the bodyguard. Joseph was overseer of the captain’s house, which enabled the captain to focus his time and energy on exercising his duties as captain of the bodyguard.
Gen. 39:5 Now it happened that from the time he appointed him overseer in his house and over all that he owned, Yahweh blessed the Egyptian’s house on account of Joseph; thus the blessing of Yahweh was upon all that he owned, in the house and in the field.
The Israelites were God’s chosen people. The Egyptians were not. Yahweh blessed the Egyptian’s house on account of Joseph. This illustrates what God meant by the statement “I will bless those who bless you.”
Gen. 39:6 So he left everything he owned in Joseph’s hand; and with him there he did not concern himself with anything except the food which he ate. ¶ Now Joseph was beautiful in form and beautiful in appearance.
Gen. 39:7 ¶ And it happened after these events that his master’s wife set her eyes on Joseph and said, “Lie with me.”
Gen. 39:8 But he refused and said to his master’s wife, “Behold, with me here, my master does not concern himself with anything in the house, and he has given all that he owns into my hand.
Gen. 39:9 There is no one greater in this house than I, and he has withheld nothing from me except you, because you are his wife. How then could I do this great evil and sin against God?”
Notice the phrase “sin against God”. Joseph understood that adultery is not just an offense against a spouse, it is a sin against God Himself.
Gen. 39:10 So it happened that as she spoke to Joseph day after day, he did not listen to her to lie beside her or be with her.
Gen. 39:11 ¶ Now it happened one day that he went into the house to do his work, and none of the men of the household was there inside.
Gen. 39:12 Then she seized him by his garment, saying, “Lie with me!” And he left his garment in her hand and fled and went outside.
Look at the word “fled”. This illustrates a command found in the New Testament in 1Cor 6:18 which commands us to flee sexual immorality.
When a christian is in the same situation as Joseph, it might be tempting to stay on task and rely on inner strength or self-discipline to resist the temptation. However, the Bible commands us to flee sexual immorality, just as Joseph did.
Gen. 39:13 Now it happened, when she saw that he had left his garment in her hand and had fled outside,
Gen. 39:14 that she called to the men of her household and spoke to them, saying, “See, he has brought in a Hebrew to us to laugh at us; he came in to me to lie with me, and I screamed.
Gen. 39:15 Now it happened that when he heard that I raised my voice and screamed, he left his garment beside me and fled and went outside.”
Gen. 39:16 And she placed his garment beside her until his master came home.
Gen. 39:17 Then she spoke to him with these words, saying, “The Hebrew slave, whom you brought to us, came in to me to laugh at me;
Gen. 39:18 and as I raised my voice and screamed, he left his garment beside me and fled outside.”
This illustrates the fickle nature of humans. One minute the master’s wife wanted Joseph and desired him, but after he rebuffed her, she lied to her husband and accused Joseph of evil behavior which was sure to lead to Joseph’s punishment.
Gen. 39:19 ¶ Now it happened that when his master heard the words of his wife, which she spoke to him, saying, “This is what your slave did to me,” his anger burned.
Gen. 39:20 So Joseph’s master took him and put him into the jail, the place where the king’s prisoners were confined; and he was there in the jail.
When a Christian is in the same situation faced by Joseph, it might be tempting to stay on task and rely on inner strength or self-discipline to resist the temptation. There may be negative consequences for leaving work to get away from the temptation. It might be desirable to avoid showing fear or weakness. In those cases a person may stay near the temptation, believing they are strong enough to resist the urge.
However, the Bible commands us to flee sexual immorality. Sexual immorality is a sin against God, and we should avoid it at all costs.
What sexual immorality do you need to flee?
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“Scripture quotations taken from the (LSB®) Legacy Standard Bible®, Copyright © 2021 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Managed in partnership with Three Sixteen Publishing Inc. LSBible.org and 316publishing.com.”