Joseph, son of Jacob, is in the hands of the Ishmaelites, sold because of the jealousy and hatred his older brothers held for him.

 The Ishmaelites traveled to Egypt and sold Joseph to the Pharaoh’s Captain of the Guard, Potiphar.   Joseph did very well and seemed to have the Lord’s blessing. Joseph was given the title of “attendant to the captain of the guard.” The house was running like clockwork. The house was blessed under Joseph’s watch.

While Potiphar was out and about Joseph was in charge. No problem right? WRONG! Seems Mrs. Potiphar had the hots for Joseph because according to the book Joseph was HOT! Not hot like coal, but hot like good looking.  Joseph, being the saintly person he was, took his job seriously and the misses, for him, was off limits. He wanted no part of the lady. She got him alone one day while she was on the prowl and made another pass at him. When she grabbed his coat for some loving, he wiggled out and ran. Feeling spurned, she made up this story that Joseph the Hebrew attacked her and made illicit passes. The nerve of this Hebrew! Waddabitch!

Potiphar of course believed her and placed Joseph in the Pharaoh’s jail.

While Joseph was in jail, the warden took notice of Joseph and saw how the Lord favored him.  He took a liking to Joseph and put him in charge of all those in the prison. The prison, under Joseph’s watch, ran smoothly.  Landed on his feet he did and kept running. Talk about grit. 

Sometime later the Pharaoh’s cupbearer and baker offended the Pharaoh and they were placed in jail and put under Joseph’s watch. They had this weird dream for which they could not decipher.  Joseph, being the dreamer he was, deciphered the dreams. One was good. One, not so good.  Basically, Joseph told them one would be back in the Pharaoh’s graces and the other would die.   

It happened as Joseph predicted. The Pharaoh released the cup bearer and the other one was killed for his indiscretions. The cupbearer was like, “Dude, you have a gift. I’ll remember this and pass a good word on to the Pharaoh.” He forgot and Joseph spent quite some time in the pokey.  

Two friggin’ years he was in jail before the cup bearer remembers Joseph.  Happens the Pharaoh had four dreams for which his advisors could not interpret.  The cup bearer told the Pharaoh about Joseph, and Joseph was brought before the Pharaoh to interpret the dreams.

Seven years of feast and seven years of famine were to fall upon the kingdom, is what Joseph told the Pharaoh.   Joseph also said to the Pharaoh he should look for a discerning and wise man and put him in charge of the land of Egypt. Let Pharaoh appoint commissioners over the land to take a fifth of the harvest of Egypt during the seven years of abundance, store the grain under the Pharaoh’s authority in the cities to be kept as reserves for the lean years ahead.  

            The Pharaoh asked his people if there was anyone like Joseph amongst his people who had the smarts and spirit of God in his favor. They did not and Joseph was put in charge of Egypt.  The Pharaoh’s right hand man. Number two, imagine that? In jail one day and overseer of all Egypt the next. Joseph was 30 years old.  Joseph was given the Pharaoh’s signet ring and dressed in the finest linen. Joseph was given a gold chain to be placed around his neck.

            Joseph was given a bride, Asenath and had two kids with her, Manasseh and Ephraim, who were born before the famine. Things happened as Joseph predicted. Seven years of plenty. They stocked up as Joseph ordered. When the famine hit it and spread over the whole country and neighboring lands, Joseph opens up the store houses and sells the grain to the people. All the countries came to Egypt to buy the grain and Egypt was prospering monetarily.

            Joseph’s father Jacob, heard about this and sent all but the youngest son Benjamin to buy some grain. Can you see where this is heading?