GENESIS 39

                                                       Literary Structure of Genesis 39

        A. Joseph in Potiphar's House (vv. 1-6a)

                B. Trouble with Potiphar's Wife (vv. 6b-18)

        A'. Joseph in Prison (vv. 19-23)

Not everyone sees these same divisions. For example, Ross divides the chapter into vv. 1-6, 7-20, and 21-23. But despite these differences with Figure 1, he does note, “The first and last sections are parallel and frame the account of the temptation. In the two framing sections the emphasis is on the Lord's presence with Joseph...”

Section A can be best characterized by the similar key wording shown in the two-part structure shown in Figure 2.

                                            Figure 2: Organization of Genesis 39:1-6b

                1. the LORD was with Joseph (v. 2a)

                        2. master (v. 2b)

                        2'. master (v. 3a)

                1'. the LORD was with him (v. 3b)

…........................

                        2''. He made him overseer in his house (v. 4a)

                                3. in charge of (v. 4b)

                                        4. all that he had (v. 4c)

                        2'''. He made him overseer in his house (v. 5a)

                                        4'. all that he had (vv. 5b,6a)

                                3'. in Joseph's charge (v. 6b)

The first half of these verses begins with Joseph being taken as a prisoner while the second half begins with him being made an overseer. And another way to see that change is illustrated by Joseph having a master in part 1 and being one himself in part 2. Further tying the two halves together are the repetition of the phrase “the Egyptian's house” in both v. 2 and v. 5.

Section B

Trouble begins with Joseph when his master's wife becomes sexually attracted to him. The action in this sub-section can also be divided into two halves, the first one between Joseph and his master's wife and the second one involving the whole household. The action in both of these sub-sections is carried along mainly through conversations.

                                        Figure 3: Organization of Genesis 39:6c-18

        1. Wife to Joseph: “Lie with me”

                2. Joseph to Wife: “How could I sin against God?”

                        3. He would not lie with her

        1'. Wife to Joseph: “Lie with me”

                2'. Joseph flees from the house, leaving his garment behind

------------------------

        1''. Wife to household: “My husband has brought a Hebrew to insult me”

                        3'. “He wanted to lie with me”

                                4. “I cried out”

                2.'' “He left his garment behind and fled”

        1'''. Wife to husband: “The Hebrew you brought insulted me”

                        (3''. “He wanted to lie with me”)

                                4'. “I cried out”

                2.''' “He left his garment behind and fled”

The only flaw in this otherwise symmetrical arrangement is the absence in the final comments to Potiphar of the specific charge of attempted rape. One wonders if the wife had by this time realized that she had gone a bit too far in her accusations and began to back-pedal slightly. Confirming that view is Hamilton's observation that in vv. 16-18 “her words shade into ambivalence, making room for more than one interpretation.”

Hamilton notes at the same time that the early manuscript Codex Andrinus provides the missing words “I will sleep with you” as do most early copies of the Greek Septuagint at v. 17.

Similarly, Wenham observes the subtle differences in wording the wife utilized in her last account of events. He states that “the wife is cunning enough to word the accusation in such a way that he [her husband] will be left the choice of taking it as a direct rebuke or only an implicit and mild one.”

Section A'

The third major sub-section in Genesis 39 is shorter, but still has its own literary structure. Note first the back-and-forth alternation between the words “prisoners” in 20a, “prison (5x in 20b-22a), “prisoners” in 22b, and “prison” in 22c. Then there is the repetition of the specific phrase “the LORD was with Joseph” in verses 21 and 23.

And Hamilton notes the three-fold use of the verb meaning 'placed.' It appears in v. 20 where Joseph is placed in jail, v. 21 in which Yahweh places Joseph in the chief jailer's favor, and in v. 22 where Joseph is put in charge of the other prisoners.

Sections A and A'

Finally, Figure 1 indicates that there is a strong correspondence between the first and final sections of this text. Confirming that supposition are the following parallels in language between A and A':

        “his master” (vv. 3, 19,20);

        “put him in charge” (v. 4), “in Joseph's charge” (v. 6), “committed to Joseph's care” (v. 22), “in Joseph's care” (v. 23)

        “he had no concern for anything” (v. 6) // “paid no heed to anything” (v. 23)

        “Joseph found favor in in his sight” (v. 4) // “He gave him favor in the sight of” (v. 21)

Lastly there are the following symmetrical occurrences:

        “The LORD was with Joseph” (v. 2)

                “The LORD was with him (v. 3)

        “The LORD was with Joseph (v. 21)

                “The LORD was with him (v. 23)

Longacre additionally notes that in a general way, “The closure of this episode is remarkably parallel to the recounting of Joseph's rise to prominence in Potiphar's house; just as Joseph had gone to the top in Potiphar's estate, he now rises to the position of first trustee in the jail, and everything prospers under his management (Gen 39:20b-23).”

Parallels Elsewhere in Scripture

Next is the question of intertextuality, i.e. the similarities in wording and theme with other portions of Scripture. Beginning with the general theme of Genesis 39, we have the comment of Wenham: “Joseph's unfair dismissal and imprisonment may be seen as typical of the suffering the righteous often must endure. 'For a righteous man falls seven times and rises again (Prov 24:16).' Moses, Job, Jeremiah, and the suffering servant of Isa 53 are examples of this career pattern in the OT, while Jesus is the supreme model in the NT.” The more specific parallels are given below in their order of appearance in the Bible.

“39:2-6 shows particularly clearly the meaning of blessing in the OT...the narrator simply assumes that the blessing on the one whom the LORD is with can overflow to a foreign people and adherents of a foreign religion because of God's presence with that person” (Westerman). Wenham adds, “Thus in Joseph's experience here we begin to see how all the families of the earth are to find blessing (cf. 12:3) in Abraham's descendants.”

Hamilton echoes the above thought: “Yahweh prospers (salah) Joseph (vv. 2-3), but he blesses (barak) Potiphar and his household because of his good treatment of Joseph. This verse [v. 5] must be read as fulfillment of 12:3a, 'I will bless those who bless you.' Just as Yahweh blessed Laban because of Jacob (30:27,30), he now blesses Potiphar because of Joseph.”

“As at Sodom [Gen. 13], the worst crimes seem to be sexual. Such breaches subvert the family in a culture that defines itself entirely by bonds of kinship. A similar importance is assumed in Joseph's refusal of Potiphar's wife in urban Egypt (Gen 39:9).” (Fleming)

McKnight states that “ 'et ('with') evokes the regular presence of the Lord with the patriarchs (cf. Gen 21:20; 26:24; 39:2).”

In 39:6b we are informed that Joseph was handsome. “The description reminds the reader of the appearance of Sarai and Rebekah (12:11 and 26:7) that make them susceptible to the sexual advances of potentates, an Egyptian in the case of Sarai, and then Abimelech a Philistine.” (Ross)

Pratt says, “The story of Judah and Tamar (Genesis 38:1-30)...reports an event that took place in Canaan near the time Joseph was in Potiphar's house...These stories have been juxtaposed to develop the theme of patriarchal morality. Judah fell into sin and suffered severely. Joseph remained pure and God rewarded his righteousness. This topical connection is vital to understanding why these chapters appear together.”

Ciampa and Rosner also note that Gen. 39 forms a contrast to Tamar's prostitution in Gen. 38 while garments play key roles in both stories as forms of evidence. And Payne adds, “The attempted seduction of Joseph (6-12) contrasts with Tamar's successful seduction of Judah in ch. 38. Judah had voluntarily deposited with Tamar certain personal objects (38:18); involuntarily, Joseph left hs cloak with Potiphar's wife (12). Both women made the fullest use of these items.”

“Esther shares many thematic and structural similarities with the narratives of Joseph in the foreign court...Verbal similarities include: “'And though she spoke to Joseph day after day, he refused to go to bed with her or even be with her' (Gen 39:10) and 'Day after day they spoke to him but he refused to comply' (Esth 3:4a). The most significant comparison between Joseph and Esther relates to divine providence. Genesis says things like 'Yahweh was with him' (Gen 39:3,21), but readers of Esther are left to imagine potential invisible divine causality in the face of striking 'coincidences.'” (Schnittjer)

Postell sees parallels between the affair of David and Uriah's wife and the events in this chapter. But as Schnittjer points out, this theory is based almost entirely on common phrases such as 'laid with her' (II Samuel 11:4 // Genesis 39:7) and 'house of your / his lord' (II Samuel 12:8; Genesis 39:2). He concludes: “The overlap seems more like similar type-scenes than an exegetical allusion.”

As commentators note, Psalm 105:16-22 is a brief retelling of Joseph's career, as Kselman says, “With significant variants.” You might want to compare those two passages for yourself some time.

Ross says, “As von Rad had pointed out, the passage [i.e. Gen. 39:7] recalls the warning of Proverbs about the seductress who casts her eyes on the young man and invites him to take his fill of love with her because her husband is away (Prov. 7:6-27).”

“The parable of the Faithful and Prudent Manager in [Luke] 12:42-46 possibly alludes to Gen. 39:4-5...The words of 12:42 are often quoted in Jewish writings about Joseph...Key words of 12:42 are prominent in the traditions about Joseph: ho kyrios, 'the master' (e.g. Gen. 39:3-4); phronimos, 'prudent' (cf. Gen 41:33,39...); doulos, 'servant' (cf. Gen. 39:17)...Biblically informed readers of Luke's Gospel would find in Joseph an example of a faithful servant who is eventually rewarded, the antithesis of the servant in the parable who reasons that since his master is delayed in coming, he can begin 'to beat the other slaves, men and women, and to eat and drink and get drunk.” (Pao and Schnabel)

Stephen recites the story of Joseph to the hostile crowd in Acts 7:9-10. Hill comments that “the story of Joseph, betrayed by his jealous brothers, but raised to high distinction by the hand of God has always been seen by Christian writers as a foreshadowing of the experiences of Christ.”

Despite the suggestion that Paul in I Corinthians 6:18-20 may have been quoting directly from Genesis 39, Ciampa and Rosner feel instead that Paul may have been quoting from the apocryphal writing Testament of Reuben 5, which was itself based on Genesis 39.

Extra-biblical Parallels

Matthews: “The Egyptian Tale of Two Brothers, echoing the sentiments expressed by Joseph to Potiphar's wife (Gen 39:8-9), calls adultery a 'great crime,' which is not even to be considered by an honest man or woman. This was an attack on a man's household, stealing his rights to procreate and endangering the orderly transmission of the estate to his heirs (see Ex 20:14).”

Hamilton states in this regard, “These parallels...may be purely coincidental, or they may lend credence to the view that the Joseph story was in the process of formation as early as the 15^th century B.C.”

And Payne says, “The stories are by no means identical, however, and few recent writers are inclined to make one dependent on the other. Seduction, attempted seduction, and false accusations are age-old human misdeeds, and it would have been surprising if there were no parallels to Gen. 39.”

The Joseph story is later re-told in the apocalyptic book of Jubilees (ca. 175 B.C.). In it Potiphar's wife is said to have begged Joseph to lie with her for a whole year.