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Old Testament Joseph, dealing with lust.

Old Testament Joseph, dealing with lust

Old Testament Joseph, dealing with lust:dealing with;.

By John Chopores

 

(Genesis 39:1-23 ASV)

(1) And Joseph was brought down to Egypt; and Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh's, the captain of the guard, an Egyptian, bought him of the hand of the Ishmaelites, that had brought him down thither. (2) And Jehovah was with Joseph, and he was a [1]prosperous man; and he was in the house of his master the Egyptian. (3) And his master saw that Jehovah was with him, and that Jehovah made all that he did to [2]prosper in his hand. (4) And Joseph [3]found favor in his sight, and he ministered unto 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 made him overseer in his house, and over all that he had, that Jehovah blessed the Egyptian's house for Joseph's sake; and the blessing of Jehovah 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 aught {that was} with him, save the bread which he did eat. And Joseph was comely, and well-favored. (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 knoweth not what is with me in the house, and he hath put all that he hath into my hand: (9) he is not greater in this house than I; neither hath he kept back anything 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 he went into the house to do his work; and there was none of the men of the house there within. (12) And she [4]caght him by his garment, [5]saying, [6]Lie with me: and he [7]left his garment in her hand, and [8]fled, and got him out. (13) And it came to pass, when she [9]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 a Hebrew unto us to [10]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 by me, and fled, and got him out. (16) And she laid up his garment by her, until his master came home. (17) And she spake unto him according to these words, saying, The Hebrew servant, whom thou hast [11]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 by me, and fled out. (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, the place where the king's prisoners were bound: and he was there in the prison. (21) But Jehovah was with Joseph, and showed kindness unto him, and gave him [12]favor 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 anything that was under his hand, because Jehovah was with him; and that which he did, Jehovah made it prosper.


Comments on the passage, as a whole:

1. God used the unjust treatment of Joseph as a way to glory. Cf. Gen.39:23-41:1&12. See also Heb.12:2.

2. Joseph carried and was a blessing wherever he went! Cf. Gen. 39:2,21-23. Like Jacob he had God's companionship.

3. Like Eve [Gen.3], Potiphar's wife passed the blame on to another. Cf. Gen. 39:14. "he hath brought in a Hebrew ... to mock us"
      Vs.17. "which thou"

4. The job in Potiphar's house was good training for the job under Pharaoh. God has a plan for each of His people!

5. Lust of the eyes [cf. 1 Jn.2:16;Gen.3:6;Mat.4:8-10.], is often the starting place of more lust.

      (a) Joseph tries to awaken her conscience. cf. vs. 9. He returns good for bad cf. Rom.12:17.

      (b) Joseph ran away, there is a time to talk and a time to run! cf.12. Cf.1 Thess.5:22.

      (c) Lust becomes anger, hatred and revenge. cf. vss. 14-20.

6. Potiphar could have had Joseph killed! [Please note that Potiphar was captain of the executioners]. However there was not a trial.

      (a)He was put in fetters. Cf. Psa. 105:17-18.

7. The keeper of the prison was a subordinate of Potiphar.

8. Joseph's reward in the outcome-

      (a) He was a better person.

      (b) Ruler over the land of Egypt.

 

 

Some other thoughts, on this passage-

1. When, Josaph, first came to  Potiphar's house, he brought the blessing of God, with him! (see, footnotes on the Hebrew, for this passage).

      a. It was a continuous blessing!

      b. It was observable! cf.vss. 3-5.

2. During, the temptation, Potiphar's wife, ordered Josaph, to "Lie" with her! See, footnote on Hebrew word for "Lie". There is a time to obey leaders, and a time, not to! Cf. Acts 5:29  Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men.

3. After, Josaph, left the house, she (Potiphar's wife) thought over carefully how to "get even" with Josaph! See footnotes on "saw" (in, vs. 13.).

 

A Verse by verse look at the passage:

Verse 6. Joseph was a goodly person, and well favored.— hpy harm hpyw rat yepkeh thoar, vipheh mareh, beautiful in his person, and beautiful in his countenance. The same expressions are used relative to Rachel; see them explained Genesis 29:17. The beauty of Joseph is

celebrated over all the East, and the Persian poets vie with each other in descriptions of his comeliness. [ADAM CLARKE.].

Genesis 39:7 Vs. 7-12: Beauty either in men or women, often proves a snare both to themselves and others. This forbids pride in it, and requires constant watchfulness against the temptation that attends it. We have great need to make a covenant with our eyes, lest the eyes infect the heart. When lust has got power, decency, and reputation, and conscience, are all sacrificed. Potiphar’s wife showed that her heart was fully set to do evil. Satan, when he found he could not overcome Joseph with the troubles and the frowns of the world, for in them he still held fast his principle, assaulted him with pleasures, which have ruined more than the former. But Joseph, by the grace of God, was enabled to resist and overcome this temptation; and his escape was as great an instance of the Divine power, as the deliverance of the three children out of the fiery furnace. This sin was one which might most easily beset him. The tempter was his mistress, one whose favor would help him forward; and it was at his utmost peril if he slighted her, and made her his enemy. The time and place favored the temptation. To all this was added frequent, constant urging. The almighty grace of God enabled Joseph to overcome this assault of the enemy. He urges what he owed both to God and his master. We are bound in honor, as well as justice and gratitude, not in any thing to wrong those who place trust in us, how secretly soever it may be done. He would not offend his God. Three arguments Joseph urges upon himself. 1. He considers who he was that was tempted. One in covenant with God, who professed religion and relation to him. 2. What the sin was to which he was tempted. Others might look upon it as a small matter; but Joseph did not so think of it. Call sin by its own name, and never lessen it. Let sins of this nature always be looked upon as great wickedness, as exceedingly sinful. 3. Against whom he was tempted to sin, against God. Sin is against God, against his nature and his dominion, against his love and his design. Those that love God, for this reason hate sin. The grace of God enabled Joseph to overcome the temptation, by avoiding the temper. He would not stay to parley with the temptation, but fled from it, as escaping for his life. If we mean not to do iniquity, let us flee as a bird from the snare, and as a roe from the hunter.[MATTHEW HENRY.].

Verse 9. How then— űyaw veeik, and how? Joseph gives two most powerful reasons for his noncompliance with the wishes of his mistress: 1. Gratitude to his master, to whom he owed all that he had. 2. His fear of God, in whose sight it would be a heinous offense, and who would not fail to punish him for it. With the kindness of his master and the displeasure of God before his eyes, how could he be capable of committing an act of transgression, which would at once have distinguished him as the most ungrateful and the most worthless of men? [ADAM CLARKE.].

 

Genesis 39:9  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? (KJV)

she said, to him, in a bold and impudent manner, in plain words, having given signs and hints, and dropped expressions tending thereto before, as it is probable:

 

 lie with me; now directly, there being both opportunity and convenience, perhaps her chamber was near: this was a very great temptation to a young man in single life and living well, from his mistress, who had it greatly in her power to make him should he consent, or ruin him should he deny. [JOHN GILL.].

 

 

Genesis 39:12  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. (KJV)

 

Ver. 12. And she caught him by his garment, saying, lie with me, &c.] It is very probable that before this time, as soon as ever she began to speak to him, he got away as fast as he could, and would not hear her; wherefore she now laid hold on his garment, in order to detain him, that she might have time to parley with him, and so prevail:

 

 and he left his garment in her hand, and fled, and got him out; it was his outward loose garment she laid hold on, out of which he slipped himself, and so got clear of her, and ran away, and got out of the house as fast as he could: this he did, because he would not struggle with his mistress for his garment, which no doubt by his strength he could have got from her; and partly lest he should by handling of her have carnal desires excited in him, and so be overcome with her temptation. [John Gill].

He would not offend his God. Three arguments Joseph urges upon himself. 1. He considers who he was that was tempted. One in covenant with God, who professed religion and relation to him. 2. What the sin was to which he was tempted. Others might look upon it as a small matter; but Joseph did not so think of it. Call sin by its own name, and never lessen it. Let sins of this nature always be looked upon as great wickedness, as exceedingly sinful. 3. Against whom he was tempted to sin, against God. Sin is against God, against his nature and his dominion, against his love and his design. Those that love God, for this reason hate sin. The grace of God enabled Joseph to overcome the temptation, by avoiding the temper. He would not stay to parley with the temptation, but fled from it, as escaping for his life. If we mean not to do iniquity, let us flee as a bird from the snare, and as a roe from the hunter. [Matthew H.].

 

Genesis 39:13  And it came to pass, when she saw that he had left his garment in her hand, and was fled forth, (KJV)


Genesis 39:13 Vs. 13-18: Joseph’s mistress, having tried in vain to make him a guilty man, endeavored to be avenged on him. Those that have broken the bonds of modesty, will never be held by the bonds of truth.

 

 

Verse 21. The Lord was with Joseph— It is but of little consequence where the lot of a servant of God may be cast; like Joseph he is ever employed for his master, and God honors him and prospers his work.

1. HE who acknowledges God in all his ways, has the promise that God shall direct all his steps. Joseph’s captivity shall promote God’s glory; and to this end God works in him, for him, by him. Even the irreligious can see when the Most High distinguishes his followers. Joseph’s master saw that Jehovah was with him; and from this we may learn that the knowledge of the true God was in Egypt, even before the time of Joseph, though his worship was neither established nor even tolerated there. Both Abraham

and Isaac had been in Egypt, and they had left a savor of true godliness

behind them.

2. Joseph’s virtue in resisting the solicitations of his mistress was truly exemplary. Had he reasoned after the manner of men, he might have soon found that the proposed intrigue might be carried on with the utmost secrecy and greatly to his secular advantage. But he chose to risk all rather than injure a kind benefactor, defile his conscience, and sin against God. Such conduct is so exceedingly rare that his example has stood on the records of time as almost without a parallel, admired by all, applauded by

most, and in similar circumstances, I am afraid, imitated by few. The fable of the brave and virtuous Bellerophon and Sthenobaea, wife of Proetus, king of the Argives, was probably founded on this history.

3. Joseph fled and got him out. To know when to fight and when to fly are of great importance in the Christian life. Some temptations must be manfully met, resisted, and thus overcome; from others we must fly. He who stands to contend or reason, especially in such a case as that mentioned here, is infallibly ruined. Principiis obsta, “resist the first overtures of sin,” is a good maxim. After-remedies come too late.

4. A woman of the spirit of Potiphar’s wife is capable of any species of evil. When she could not get her wicked ends answered, she began to accuse. This is precisely Satan’s custom: he first tempts men to sin, and then accuses them as having committed it, even where the temptation has been faithfully and perseveringly resisted! By this means he can trouble a tender conscience, and weaken faith by bringing confusion into the mind. Thus the inexperienced especially are often distracted and cast down;

hence Satan is properly called the accuser of the brethren, Revelation 12:10. [ADAM CLARKE.].

 

 

JOS 6:17-19.

17 ¶ And the city shall be accursed, even it, and all that are therein, to the LORD: only Rahab the harlot shall live, she and all that are with her in the house, because she hid the messengers that we sent.

 18  And ye, in any wise keep yourselves from the accursed thing, lest ye make yourselves accursed, when ye take of the accursed thing, and make the camp of Israel a curse, and trouble it.

 19  But all the silver, and gold, and vessels of brass and iron, are consecrated unto the LORD: they shall come into the treasury of the LORD.

Ver. 17. And the city shall be accursed, &c.] Or, be a "cherem", devoted to the Lord, as it follows:

 

 [even] it and all that [are] therein, to the Lord; the city and the inhabitants of it should be devoted to destruction, and the riches and spoil of it dedicated to sacred uses, and not become the property of the Israelites; for as this was the first city in the had of Canaan that was conquered, it was fit the firstfruits of the conquest should be the Lord's, as an acknowledgment of his gift of the land unto them, and that the conquest of it was owing to him; though it might be some mortification to the Israelites, and a trial of their faith and obedience, that the first and so fine a city should not become their habitation, but be utterly destroyed, and not to be built more; and all the riches of it either consumed, or converted to other uses, and not their own. This Joshua thought fit to declare to the Israelites, before the taking of the city, that they might know what they had to do.” [JOHN GILL.].

“#17-27 Jericho was to be a solemn and awful sacrifice to the justice of God, upon those who had filled up the measure of their sins. So He appoints, from whom, as creatures, they received their lives, and to whom, as sinners, they had forfeited them. Rahab perished not with them that believed not, #Heb 11:31. All her kindred were saved with her; thus faith in Christ brings salvation to the house, #Ac 14:31. She, and they with her, were plucked as brands from the burning.” [MATTHEW H.].

“17. Accursed — That is, devoted to utter destruction. This he speaks by direction from God, as is evident from 1 Kings 16:34. To the Lord — Partly because the first-fruits were appropriated to God; partly lest the soldiers being glutted with the spoil of the rich city, should grow sluggish

in their work; and partly to strike the greater terror into the rest of their enemies.” [WESLEY.].

 



[1]06743 tsalach {tsaw-lakh'} or tsaleach {tsaw-lay'-akh}

a primitive root; TWOT - 1916,1917; v

AV - prosper 44, come 6, prosperous 5, come mightily 2, effected 1,

     good 1, meet 1, break out 1, went over 1, misc 3; 65

1) (Qal) to rush

2) to advance, prosper, make progress, succeed, be profitable

   2a) (Qal) to prosper

   2b) (Hiphil)

       2b1) to make prosperous, bring to successful issue, cause to

            prosper

       2b2) to show or experience prosperity, prosper

08688 Stem  - Hiphil             See 08818

      Mood  - Participle         See 08813

      Count - 857
08813 Participle

1) The participle represents an action or condition in its unbroken

   continuity, and corresponds to the English verb, "to be" with the

   present participle. It may be used of present, past or future time.

   1a) present time

       what are you doing

   1b) past time

       "he was still speaking" when another came

   1c) future time

       we are destroying - e.g. are about to destroy

[2]08688 Stem  - Hiphil             See 08818

      Mood  - Participle         See 08813

      Count - 857
08813 Participle

1) The participle represents an action or condition in its unbroken

   continuity, and corresponds to the English verb, "to be" with the

   present participle. It may be used of present, past or future time.

   1a) present time

       what are you doing

   1b) past time

       "he was still speaking" when another came

   1c) future time

       we are destroying - e.g. are about to destroy

[3]04672 matsa' {maw-tsaw'}

a primitive root; TWOT - 1231; v

AV - find 359, present 20, find out 20, come 8, meet 5, befall 5,

     get 4, suffice 3, deliver 2, hit 2, left 2, hold 2, misc 24; 456

1) to find, attain to

   1a) (Qal)

       1a1) to find

            1a1a) to find, secure, acquire, get (thing sought)

            1a1b) to find (what is lost)

            1a1c) to meet, encounter

            1a1d) to find (a condition)

            1a1e) to learn, devise

       1a2) to find out

            1a2a) to find out

            1a2b) to detect

            1a2c) to guess

       1a3) to come upon, light upon

            1a3a) to happen upon, meet, fall in with

            1a3b) to hit

            1a3c) to befall
08799 Stem  - Qal                See 08851

      Mood  - Imperfect          See 08811

      Count - 19885

[4]08610 taphas {taw-fas'}

a primitive root; TWOT - 2538; v

AV - take 27, taken 12, handle 8, hold 8, catch 4, surprised 2, misc 4; 65

1) to catch, handle, lay hold, take hold of, seize, wield

   1a) (Qal)

       1a1) to lay hold of, seize, arrest, catch

       1a2) to grasp (in order to) wield, wield, use skilfully

   1b) (Niphal) to be seized, be arrested, be caught, be taken, captured

   1c) (Piel) to catch, grasp (with the hands)
08799 Stem  - Qal                See 08851

      Mood  - Imperfect          See 08811

      Count - 19885
08811 Imperfect

The imperfect expresses an action, process or condition which is

incomplete, and it has a wide range of meaning:

1a) It is used to describe a single (as opposed to a repeated) action

    in the past; it differs from the perfect in being more vivid and

    pictorial. The perfect expresses the "fact", the imperfect adds

    colour and movement by suggesting the "process" preliminary to its

    completion.

     he put forth his hand to the door

     it came to a halt

     I began to hear

1b) A phrase such as "What seekest thou?", refers not only to the

    present, but assumes that the search has continued for some time.

     Why do you weep?

     Why refuse to eat?

     Why are you distressed?

   These relate not so much as to one occasion, as to a

   continued condition.

2) The kind of progression or imperfection and unfinished condition

   of the action may consist it its frequent repetition.

    2a) In the present:

        it is "said" today

        a wise son "maketh glad" his father

    2b) In the past:

        "and so he did"        -  regularly, year by year

        a mist "used to go up"

        the fish which "we used to eat"

        the manna "came down"  - regularly

        he "spoke"             - repeatedly

3) The imperfect is used to express the "future", referring not only

   to an action which is about to be accomplished but one which has

   not yet begun:

    3a) This may be a future from the point of view of the real

        present; as:

          Now "shalt thou see what I will do"

          "We will burn" thy house

    3b) It may be a future from any other point of view assumed; as:

          he took his son the "was to reign"

          she stayed to see what "should be done"

4) The usage of 3b may be taken as the transitive to a common use of

   the imperfect in which it serves for an expression of those shades

   of relation among acts and thoughts for which English prefers the

   conditional moods. Such actions are strictly "future" in reference

   to the assumed point of relation, and the simple imperfect

   sufficiently expresses them; e.g.

       of every tree thou "mayest eat"

       "could we know"

       he "would" say

5a) The imperfect follows particles expressing "transition",

    "purpose", "result" and so forth as, "in order that", "lest"; e.g.

       say thou art my sister, "that it may be well with thee"

       let us deal wisely with the nation, "lest it multiples"

5b) When however there is a strong feeling of "purpose", or when it

    is meant to be strongly marked, then of course the moods are

    employed; e.g.

       raise me up "that I may requite them"

       who will entice Ahab "that he may go up"

       what shall we do "that the see may be calm"

    The moods are also employed to express that class of

    future actions which we express in the "optative"

       "may I die"

       "may" the LORD "establish" his word

       "may" the child "live"

[5]0559 'amar {aw-mar'}

a primitive root; TWOT - 118; v

AV - said 4874, speak 179, answer 99, command 30, tell 29, call 7,

     promised 6, misc. 84; 5308

1) to say, speak, utter

   1a) (Qal) to say,  to answer, to say in one's heart, to think,

       to command, to promise, to intend
08800 Stem  - Qal                See 08851

      Mood  - Infinitive         See 08812

      Count - 4888

[6]07901 shakab {shaw-kab'}

a primitive root; TWOT - 2381; v

AV - lie 106, sleep 48, lie down 43, rest 3, lien 2, misc 10; 212

1) to lie down

   1a) (Qal)

       1a1) to lie, lie down, lie on

       1a2) to lodge

       1a3) to lie (of sexual relations)

       1a4) to lie down (in death)

       1a5) to rest, relax (fig)

   1b) (Niphal) to be lain with (sexually)

   1c) (Pual) to be lain with (sexually)

   1d) (Hiphil) to make to lie down

   1e) (Hophal) to be laid
08798 Stem  - Qal                See 08851

      Mood  - Imperative         See 08810

      Count - 2847
08810 Imperative

This verb class indicates an order or a command.

  Go up to the city.

  Wash yourself.

[7]05800 `azab {aw-zab'}

a primitive root; TWOT - 1594,1595; v

AV - forsake 129, leave 72, leave off 4, faileth 2, fortify 2, help 2,

     committeth 1, destitute 1, refuseth 1, surely 1; 215

1) to leave, loose, forsake

   1a) (Qal) to leave

       1a1) to depart from, leave behind, leave, let alone

       1a2) to leave, abandon, forsake, neglect, apostatise

       1a3) to let loose, set free, let go, free
08799 Stem  - Qal                See 08851

      Mood  - Imperfect          See 08811

      Count - 19885

[8]05127 nuwc {noos}

a primitive root; TWOT - 1327; v

AV - flee 142, flee away 12, abated 1, displayed 1, flight 1, hide 1,

     flee out 1, lift up a standard 1, variant 1; 161

1) to flee, escape

   1a) (Qal)

       1a1) to flee

       1a2) to escape

       1a3) to take flight,m depart, disappear

       1a4) to fly (to the attack) on horseback
08799 Stem  - Qal                See 08851

      Mood  - Imperfect          See 08811

      Count - 19885

[9]07200 ra'ah {raw-aw'}

a primitive root; TWOT - 2095; v

AV - see 879, look 104, behold 83, shew 68, appear 66, consider 22,

     seer 12, spy 6, respect 5, perceive 5, provide 4, regard 4,

     enjoy 4, lo 3, foreseeth 2, heed 2, misc 74; 1313

1) to see, look at, inspect, perceive, consider

   1a) (Qal)

       1a1) to see

       1a2) to see, perceive

       1a3) to see, have vision

       1a4) to look at, see, regard, look after, see after, learn

            about, observe, watch, look upon, look out, find out

       1a5) to see, observe, consider, look at, give attention to,

            discern, distinguish

       1a6) to look at, gaze at
08800 Stem  - Qal                See 08851

      Mood  - Infinitive         See 08812

      Count - 4888
08840 Piel

a) Piel usually expresses an "intensive" or "intentional" action.

   Qal                  Piel

   he broke             he broke to pieces, he smashed

   he sent              he sent away, he expelled

 

   he completed         he paid, he compensated

   he learned           he taught

   to become great      to make great

[10]06711 tsachaq {tsaw-khak'}

a primitive root; TWOT - 1905; v

AV - laugh 6, mock 4, sport 2, play 1; 13

1) to laugh, mock, play

  ...

   1b) (Piel)

       1b1) to jest

       1b2) to sport, play, make sport, toy with, make a toy of

[11]0935 bow' {bo}

a primitive root; TWOT - 212; v

AV - come 1435, bring 487, ... in 233, enter 125, go 123, carry 17,

     ...down 23, pass 13, ...out 12, misc 109; 2577

1b) (Hiphil)

       1b1) to lead in

       1b2) to carry in

       1b3) to bring in, cause to come in, gather, cause to come,

            bring near, bring against, bring upon

       1b4) to bring to pass
08689 Stem  - Hiphil             See 08818

      Mood  - Perfect            See 08816

      Count - 2675
08818 Hiphil

a) Hiphil usually expresses the "causative" action of Qal - see 08851

   Qal                Hiphil

   he ate             he caused to eat, he fed

   he came            he caused to come, he brought

   he reigned         he made king, he crowned

[12]02580 chen {khane}

from 02603; TWOT- 694a; n m

AV - grace 38, favour 26, gracious 2, pleasant 1, precious 1,

     wellfavoured + 02896 1; 69

1) favour, grace, charm

   1a) favour, grace, elegance

   1b) favour, acceptance

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