Genesis 37, 39, & 40
Chapter 37
Joseph's brothers really resented that their father Jacob favored Joseph over them. So when he came to them far away from home, they decided to get rid of him. When Reuben heard this he tried to rescue him from their hands. "Let's not take his life," he said. "Don't shed any blood (don't kill him). Throw him into this cistern here in the desert, but don't lay a hand on him." Reuben said this to rescue him from them and take him back to his father (vs. 21-22).
Then they sat down to eat the lunch Joseph had brought them! While they ate, they noticed a caravan passing by, headed to Egypt. Judah said to his brothers, "What will we gain if we kill our brother and cover up his blood? Come, let's sell him to these Ishmaelites and not lay our hands on him; after all, he is our brother, our own flesh and blood." His brothers agreed (vs. 26-27). Judah (the first Jew) had a profit motive. So they sold him into slavery for twenty silver shekels, and got rid of him.
Only these two brothers, Reuben and Judah, seemed to have any regard for their brother, or for their father's care for him. But neither did these two betray the secret they all kept about Joseph. They didn't turn in their brothers, even to ease Jacob's agonizing mourning for the loss of his dear son.
Meanwhile, the traders sold Joseph in Egypt to Potiphar, one of Pharaoh's officials, the captain of the guard (v. 36).
Chapter 39
He's working for Potiphar, and everything he does for him makes a profit, and Potiphar recognizes that God is blessing him for Joseph's sake, so he promotes him. Now he's working in his master's house, and the wife takes notice of how handsome and well-built he is, and starts to rag on him every day to have an affair with her. One day he went into the house to attend to his duties, and none of the household servants was inside (v. 11). Oh boy, this is a big red flag! She grabs him and tries to seduce him, but he gets away by "the skin of his teeth," leaving his robe clutched in her hot little hands. So she accused him of trying to rape her, and none of the other household servants that worked with Joseph, who had to have seen her coming on to him constantly, had the courage to speak up for him, possibly for fear of going to prison for insulting the wife.
So Potiphar, the captain of the guard, puts him into his prison, instead of executing him. Now Joseph is locked up, his situation has gone from bad to worse. But he hasn't given up on God. Now the warden notices how everything that Joseph does succeeds, and makes him a trustee, in charge of the other prisoners (vs. 21-23).
Chapter 40
Now it happened that Pharaoh's personal servants, his baker and his cupbearer, had offended their king and were in the prison with Joseph. One night they each had a dream, and they knew they meant something, but didn't know. Then Joseph told them that dream interpretations belonged to God, and got them to tell him their dreams, which both came true: in three days was Pharaoh's birthday, and he reviewed their cases; he hanged the baker, and restored the cupbearer to his job. When Joseph had told him he would be released, he asked him to speak to Pharaoh for him, but he forgot all about him (v. 23).
When Joseph thinks he'll finally get out of jail, he's still stuck there.
Don't worry, Joseph, My plan for you is more than just freedom; I'm giving you so much more!
Just wait, Bonnie, My plan for you will astound you!
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
