Genesis 39:13-2013And it came to pass, when she saw that he had left his garment in her hand, and was fled forth, 14That she called unto the men of her house, and spake unto them, saying, See, he hath brought in an Hebrew unto us to mock us; he came in unto me to lie with me, and I cried with a loud voice: 15And it came to pass, when he heard that I lifted up my voice and cried, that he left his garment with me, and fled, and got him out. 16And she laid up his garment by her, until his lord came home. 17And she spake unto him according to these words, saying, The Hebrew servant, which thou hast brought unto us, came in unto me to mock me: 18And it came to pass, as I lifted up my voice and cried, that he left his garment with me, and fled out. 19And 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. 20And Joseph's master took him, and put him into the prison, a place where the king's prisoners were bound: and he was there in the prison. (Genesis 39:13‑20)
Satan was by no means going to give up his attack on Joseph, even though he had resisted temptation and fled from it. Using Potiphar’s evil wife as his tool, he next sought to inflict a mortal wound in the young man’s testimony through treachery. Angered by Joseph’s refusal to be a party to her proposals she determined to avenge herself by harming him and robbing him of all that he had thus far gained in his faithful service to her husband.
Waiting for Potiphar’s return to his home she plotted her evil scheme. On his arrival she told him: “The Hebrew servant, which thou hast brought unto us, came in unto me to mock me: and it came to pass, as I lifted up my voice and cried, that he left his garment with me, and fled out.” We can readily see the difficulty for Joseph’s master created by his wife’s unfaithfulness. On the one hand was the proven unimpeachable trustworthiness of Joseph; on the other his wife whose true character must have long betrayed itself in many ways. Still she was his wife; and “his wrath was kindled” against Joseph. Joseph might have escaped his wrath had he spoken in self defense and told Potiphar the true story. But he was careful not to wound his master by the proof of his wife’s guilt. Here then we have the holy youth resisting the tempter, and enduring grief, suffering wrongfully.
Two thousand years later when Satan was again defeated in his efforts to tempt our Lord Jesus, he then resorted to false witnesses to accuse the holy and sinless One; but at the trial of Jesus “He answered nothing” to His false accusers. Pilate was amazed at His silence, “Hearest Thou not how many things they witness against Thee?” he asked. But Jesus “answered him to never a word.” Matt. 27:12-1412And when he was accused of the chief priests and elders, he answered nothing. 13Then said Pilate unto him, Hearest thou not how many things they witness against thee? 14And he answered him to never a word; insomuch that the governor marvelled greatly. (Matthew 27:12‑14).
Joseph in his silence is a type of the blessed Lord, whose silence was a fulfilling of Isaiah’s prophecy: “He was oppressed, and He was afflicted, yet He opened not His mouth: He is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so He openeth not His mouth.” Isa. 53:77He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth. (Isaiah 53:7).
“And Joseph’s master took him, and put him into the prison, a place where the king’s prisoners were bound: and he was there in the prison.” v. 20. “Whose feet they hurt with fetters: he was laid in iron.” Ps. 105:18.
Joseph in prison is again, in type, Christ in death. His feet were put in cruel irons—the hands and feet of Jesus pierced by cruel nails. Both were put aside by the very ones whom they had benefited most. Potiphar lost the most valuable servant he ever had and no doubt his prosperity suffered as well. When the Jews “denied the Holy One and the Just” and put away their Messiah, how great was their loss. The entire nation was cut off in their relationship with God, in which state they must remain until the times of restitution.
ML 03/26/1967