Joseph

     In our last study we learned that Jacob had twelve sons but he had a special love for his son Joseph. Joseph’s brothers responded to their father’s partiality by being jealous of Joseph and cruelly selling him to slave traders. Jacob didn’t know of their evil deed.

     Joseph was brought down to Egypt and Potiphar, an officer of the king, bought him. God was with Joseph and blessed him, and he prospered even though Joseph was a slave. Joseph’s master was impressed with his ability so he made him overseer of all that he had.  Joseph was liked by all who knew him.

     Potiphar’s wife liked Joseph too. She pleaded with him to show her immoral attention. She wanted to be unfaithful to her husband. Joseph refused her advances. He was righteous before God and honorable to Potiphar in the matter.   

      One day, as Joseph was attending to his business in his master’s house, there were none of the other servants there. Potiphar’s wife took advantage of their being alone in the house. She lied to her husband and said Joseph had tried to attack her while everyone was away. Potiphar was filled with rage, and he had Joseph imprisoned. The Lord continued to be with Joseph who found favor in the eyes of the prison keeper. Soon Joseph was over all the prisoners. Two of the prisoners were King Pharaoh’s butler and baker. They had angered the king and he sent them to prison. Each of those men had a dream that disturbed them. The Lord enabled Joseph to tell them the meaning of their dreams. The butler’s dream meant he would return to his service in the king’s court, and Joseph asked him to use his influence with the king to also free him from prison. The baker’s dream meant he would be hanged on a tree! Both dreams came to pass as Joseph had interpreted them.

     When the butler's circumstances improved, he forgot Joseph,  but after a while the king had mysterious dreams. Then the butler remembered Joseph and told the king about him. Pharaoh sent down to the prison for Joseph’s interpretation of his dreams.

     The king’s dreams meant that Egypt was going to have seven years of plentiful harvests followed by seven years of an extreme scarcity of food. Then Joseph suggested that the king appoint a man to oversee the storing of surplus food during the seven years of plenty. That food would be used during the seven poor years.

      The king was so impressed with Joseph that he appointed him as the new overseer of the food supplies. He gave Joseph great honors so that only the king was greater in Egypt. King Pharaoh gave Joseph his own ring, fine clothing and a gold chain to wear around his neck.

      Joseph was thirty years old when he was raised to power. He was given a wife, and they had two sons. More surprising events came upon Joseph and his father’s family.