On the Way to the Palace -Potiphar's house 1

“And the midianites sold him into Egypt unto Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh’s  and captain of the guard”-Genesis 37:36 KJV King James Version

“And Joseph was brought down to Egypt and Potiphar , an officer of Pharaoh ,captain of the guard ,an Egyptian ,bought him of the hands of the Ishaemelites which had brought him down thither”-  Genesis 39:1 KJV King James Version

So Joseph,our prototype for the man  on the Way to the Palace  got delivered and pulled out of the pit(Genesis 37:24,28) and just before he could give his testimony of deliverance, he meets yet another challenge. With utter disbelief, he is accosted with the fact that the reason why he was pulled out of the pit was not for rescue but to  be sold  into slavery(Genesis 37:28) .How could God have answered his prayers with such glaring contradiction.

 I believe that as Joseph was sold to the Ishaemelites ( Genesis 37:28) and money exchanged hands ,hot tears flowed freely down his cheeks while he pleaded with  his brothers for mercy. With their grim faces set on seizing the momentous opportunity of getting rid of Joseph and his dreams, they chose to be stone deaf to their younger brother’s cries. 

Wittingly Joseph’s brothers had thought things through and knew that with his coat of many colours in hand, their fabricated story about his possible whereabouts  would  be believed by their father ,Jacob(Genesis 37:31-34  ).They did not mind their father grieving due to heir false evidence(Genesis 37:35). Moreso ,Joseph was almost as good as dead. Out of the way, he finally would no longer serve  as a threat to their father’s love.

Joseph in Egypt

And so Joseph got sold  to Ishaemelites who were travelling down to Egypt. From Dotham to Egypt was approximately  300  miles and could have taken about 15 days. Surely this was not his idea of a visit to that country and not anything that looked like his previous dreams. As a slave, he lost the freedom of what to wear, when to eat, sleep .His position as the favoured son in his father’s house had changed dramatically. He perhaps witnessed some other fellow slaves with him not make it to the market place due to the harsh conditions..Thank fully, we are told he did and he was later bought by Potiphar(Genesis 37:36).

We are told some important facts about Potiphar. In the two verses where Potiphar is mentioned ( Gen 37:36& 39:1), the writer of Genesis is careful to let us know that he is linked to royalty .He was an officer of Pharaoh which was the title for the Egyptian ruler or king. Egypt  was the centre of civilization and Pharaoh was probably one of the most powerful men on the planet at that time. Potiphar was an officer and some translations tell us that he was an eunuch. He acquired Joseph in the slave market and took him home.

The Bible does not shield from  us the fact that men that God  used also had their share of trouble and trying times. On the Way to the Palace, we can expect trouble. James in his letter tells us to welcome trouble  as friends(James 1:2  J.B.Phillips).It is all part of the deal for the man on the Way to the Palace . In short,the Psalmist seemed acquainted with this when he said “The righteous person may have many troubles ,but the Lord delivers him from them all”.(Psalms 34:19 NIV ). God placed Joseph in the house of Potiphar strategically and he continues to do so for every man who will eventually get to the Palace.