Who Was Potiphar And What Happened To Him?
Bodie Hodge, M.Sc., B.Sc., PEI
Biblical Authority Ministries January 11, 2025
Many of us are familiar with Joseph—the son of Jacob
(Israel) who was sold into slavery in Egypt by his brothers. But what do we
know about the man who bought Joseph in Egypt?
Potiphar is mentioned a few times in the Genesis account. He
was an Egyptian officer of Pharaoh and the captain of the guard, making him a
prominent official in Pharaoh's court. His account is primarily connected to
Joseph (Genesis 37–50).
Potiphar Purchases Joseph
Potiphar purchased Joseph as a slave after Joseph was sold
by his brothers to Midianite traders (Genesis 37:36; 39:1), who were
intermingled with the Ishmaelites (Genesis 37:28; 39:1). The Midianites and
Ishmaelites were descendants of Joseph’s great uncles: Midian (son of Abraham
with Keturah) and Ishmael (son of Abraham with Hagar).
These traders were not mere strangers; they were also his
kin—cousins, in fact. We often think of Joseph’s brothers betraying him, but we
cannot overlook that his cousins were part of the plot to harm him as well.
Nevertheless, Potiphar, a high-ranking official for the king
of Egypt (Pharaoh) as the captain of the guard, purchased Joseph. Recognizing
Joseph's competence and integrity, Potiphar made him overseer of his household,
entrusting him with all his possessions (Genesis 39:3–4).
Potiphar Imprisons Joseph
God blessed Potiphar’s household because of Joseph, and
everything under Joseph's management prospered (Genesis 39:5–6). However, the
relationship between Joseph and Potiphar changed due to an incident involving
Potiphar’s wife. She attempted to seduce Joseph, but he refused, citing his
loyalty to Potiphar and his commitment to God (Genesis 39:7–9).
Angered by Joseph's rejection, she falsely accused him of
assaulting her. Potiphar, believing his wife's accusation, had Joseph
imprisoned (Genesis 39:10–20). It is worth noting that as captain of Pharaoh’s
guard, Potiphar likely oversaw certain military and security forces, making him
a powerful figure.
Potiphar’s Continued Involvement
Potiphar was likely involved in the imprisonment of the
baker and the cupbearer who shared space with Joseph in prison. The prison
where they were confined was at “the house of the captain of the guard”
(Genesis 40:3; 41:10), where the king’s prisoners were held (Genesis 39:20).
Potiphar may have been part of the investigation that cleared the cupbearer and
condemned the baker, as Joseph had predicted.
Although Potiphar's name does not appear in the narrative at
this point, his title does, and there is no reason to assume it was not still
Potiphar overseeing the prison (with keepers, guards, and so on working for
him). While the baker and cupbearer were imprisoned, the captain of the guard
assigned Joseph to care for them. This was likely Potiphar, who knew of
Joseph’s capabilities and the blessings he had brought to his household.
When the cupbearer finally mentioned Joseph’s ability to
interpret dreams to Pharaoh, he referred to Joseph as “a servant
of the captain of the guard” (Genesis 41:12), reinforcing the connection to
Potiphar. When Joseph was summoned to Pharaoh, it was likely Potiphar who
facilitated his release, as it was his dungeon at his house and he
was the captain of Pharaoh’s guard.
Joseph Becomes Second in Command
Through God’s providence, Joseph rose quickly to power in
Egypt under Pharaoh (Genesis 41:38–44). Joseph became second in command,
ranking above Potiphar, who was the captain of Pharaoh’s guard. Imagine the
reaction of Potiphar and his wife, who were now under Joseph’s authority.
Potiphar’s wife, in particular, likely faced immense stress knowing Joseph’s
elevated position.
As history unfolded during the seven years of plenty, Joseph
managed the storage and distribution of resources. During the subsequent seven
years of famine, events took an interesting turn. At one point, the Egyptians—this
would include Potiphar and his wife—sold all their possessions to Joseph on
behalf of Pharaoh (Genesis 47:20–21). Eventually, the Egyptian—once again
including Potiphar and his wife—even sold themselves into slavery to Pharaoh
through Joseph (Genesis 47:23–25).
Reflection on Potiphar
The Bible does not provide specific details about Potiphar’s
interactions with Joseph after these events. However, if Potiphar and his wife
were still alive during the famine, it must have been a humbling experience. If
they were still living, Joseph, whom they had wronged, was the one who
ultimately saved them.
Whether Potiphar ever learned the truth about his wife’s
false accusation is not disclosed. However, the Holy Spirit reveals in Genesis
what truly happened. Did Potiphar ever come to know the full truth? It remains
an unanswered question.
The irony in Potiphar’s life is profound. As an Egyptian
official, he purchased Joseph as a slave. Yet, in the end, he became a slave to
Pharaoh through Joseph, who turned out to be the greatest official Egypt ever
had.
