The story of Joseph continues with him being pulled out of the pit/well and being sold to a man of high rank in Egypt. In the Quran 12:30 he is called Al-‘Aziz. My understanding is that this is a title and not his name. The notes in the A. Yusuf Ali translation show it meaning a nobleman or officer of the court of a high rank. He suggests the English equivalent would be “Excellency” or “Highness”.
I have seen traditions and references calling Potiphar Pharaoh’s body guard, the man overseeing the prisons, the overseer of the storehouses, a chief financial minister, the chief executioner, a high priest, and even captain of the cooks! As a side note, the word “officer” is the same word for “eunuch” in the Septuagint and Vulgate. I believe this has caused construed beliefs about Potiphar’s position including that because various ancient traditions had executioners that were sometimes eunuchs, it has lent credence to the chief executioner theory. But with a wife, that doesn’t seem too likely, although I suppose still technically possible. It might even explain Potiphar’s wife wanting Joseph! But this is now pure speculation. I bring up the eunuch theory though only to point out that all these positions has some basis in some particular translation, or from ancient Egyptian traditions and theology, or from Jewish or Islamic oral traditions. I personally would lean toward overseer of the storehouses, giving Joseph the apprenticeship he would make use of several years later. But this is also just speculation. What is important is that Potiphar was a man with responsibilities and of some rank in the land of Pharaoh.
My understanding is that the wife of Potiphar (Al-‘Aziz) is named Zulaikha according to Islamic tradition, so I will use that name here.
For more contextual background, very broadly, this probably took place somewhere between the 19th and 17th century B.C. A Bible chronology wold put it somewhere around 1750 B.C. I think most scholars agree it was a little later than 1750 BC, during the Hyksos Dynasty (the 15th Dynasty) ruling northern Egypt during the earlier part of the Egyptian Second Intermediate Period. This would also be around the time of Hammurabi with Babylon probably recently supplanting Thebes as the world’s largest city.
Let’s get to the actual texts….
Genesis, Chapter 37
The Quran, 12 Yusuf
20. And they sold him for a low price, – for a few Dirhams (i.e. for a few silver coins). And they were of those who regarded him insignificant.
21. And he (the man) from Egypt who bought him, said to his wife: “Make his stay comfortable, may be he will profit us or we shall adopt him as a son.” Thus did We establish Yusuf (Joseph) in the land, that We might teach him the interpretation of events. And Allah has full power and control over His Affairs, but most of men know not.
Genesis gives the name as Potiphar for the man in Egypt who bought Joseph. The Quran says “a few Dirhams” or a few silver coins, where Genesis says 20 “pieces of silver.” I have no idea what 20 pieces of silver and a few Dirhams are worth in comparison to each other or in today’s money, but the Quran points out it was a low price.
Where Genesis gives the detail of the name Potiphar and that he was a man with high position, even captain of the guard, the Quran tells us about his heart. “Make his stay comfortable” and “we shall adopt him as a son” shows Potiphar as a merciful man.
Genesis, Chapter 39
3. And his master saw that the Lord was with him, and that the Lord made all that he did to prosper in his hand.
4. And Joseph found grace in his sight, and he served him: and he made him overseer over his house, and all that he had he put into his hand.
5. And it came to pass from the time that he had made him overseer in his house, and over all that he had, that the Lord blessed the Egyptian’s house for Joseph’s sake; and the blessing of the Lord was upon all that he had in the house, and in the field.
6. And he left all that he had in Joseph’s hand; and he knew not ought he had, save the bread which he did eat. And Joseph was a goodly person, and well favoured.
The Quran, 12 Yusuf
The Quran gets to the point and talks more about the spiritual growth of Joseph. Genesis illustrates the prosperity given to Joseph and to all of Potiphar’s household. It shows the immense trust Potiphar had in Joseph as well, leaving everything to Joseph to oversee. The only thing Potiphar had to worry himself with was what he wanted to eat!
But then comes trouble….
Genesis, Chapter 39
8. But he refused, and said unto his master’s wife, Behold, my master wotteth not what is with me in the house, and he hath committed all that he hath to my hand;
9. There is none greater in this house than I; neither hath he kept back any thing from me but thee, because thou art his wife: how then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?
10. And it came to pass, as she spake to Joseph day by day, that he hearkened not unto her, to lie by her, or to be with her.
The Quran, 12 Yusuf
This is pretty much the same. Zulaikha tries to seduce Joseph and Joseph refuses to sin against both his master and his God. I think it is important to note that although Joseph was entrusted with everything, he still had no right to another man’s wife. Genesis shows it as an ongoing ordeal, and the Quran is more terse and to the point as usual. Although we will soon see the Quran has much more detail of the fallout of this episode than does Genesis.
Genesis, Chapter 39
12. And she caught him by his garment, saying, Lie with me: and he left his garment in her hand, and fled, and got him out.
13. And it came to pass, when she saw that he had left his garment in her hand, and was fled forth,
14. That 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:
15. And 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.
16. And she laid up his garment by her, until his lord came home.
17. And 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:
18. And it came to pass, as I lifted up my voice and cried, that he left his garment with me, and fled out.
The Quran, 12 Yusuf
26. He [Yusuf (Joseph)] said: “It was she that sought to seduce me,” – and a witness of her household bore witness (saying): “If it be that his shirt is torn from the front, then her tale is true and he is a liar!
27. “But if it be that his shirt is torn from the back, then she has told a lie and he is speaking the truth!”
Things come to a head and a shirt is torn off. In Genesis, Zulaikha plots about the torn shirt, in the Quran Potiphar confronts the issue a bit more spontaneously. Either way, Zulaikha accuses Joseph of being the aggressor.
In the Quran Joseph gets to defend himself! Witnesses are brought forth and evidence is presented.
From the glimpses we know of Potiphar, we know he was a merciful man. Regardless of anything else, I imagine a slave being accused of sexually assaulting his master’s wife would have merited death. So sending Joseph to prison, even though innocent, was an act of mercy. We also know Potiphar had immense trust in Joseph. I imagine he would have at least wanted to hear Joseph’s side. I also imagine that if Potiphar was a good judge of character concerning Joseph then he probably wasn’t oblivious about his Zulaikha’s character as well.
Genesis, Chapter 39
The Quran, 12 Yusuf
29. “O Yusuf (Joseph)! Turn away from this! (O woman!) Ask forgiveness for your sin. Verily, you were of the sinful.”
I find it interesting that in Genesis it never says towards whom Potiphar’s wrath was kindled. Considering that in the Quran he ascertains his wife is at fault, I’m sure his wrath was kindled towards her and even asks Joseph to “turn away” or to look passed it, asking for forgiveness for the injuries caused to Joseph. Joseph would have at least three grievances. First is being sexually harrassed, second is being falsely accused, and third is being publicly embarrassed.
In Genesis Joseph now goes to prison, but in the Quran Zulaikha conducts another plot that leads to the imprisonment….
Genesis, Chapter 39
The Quran, 12 Yusuf
31. So when she heard of their accusation, she sent for them and prepared a banquet for them; she gave each one of them a knife (to cut the foodstuff with), and she said [(to Yusuf (Joseph)]: “Come out before them.” Then, when they saw him, they exalted him (at his beauty) and (in their astonishment) cut their hands. They said: “How perfect is Allah (or Allah forbid)! No man is this! This is none other than a noble angel!”
32. She said: “This is he (the young man) about whom you did blame me (for his love), and I did seek to seduce him, but he refused. And now if he refuses to obey my order, he shall certainly be cast into prison, and will be one of those who are disgraced.”
33. He said:”O my Lord! Prison is more to my liking than that to which they invite me. Unless You turn away their plot from me, I will feel inclined towards them and be one (of those who commit sin and deserve blame or those who do deeds) of the ignorants.”
34. So his Lord answered his invocation and turned away from him their plot. Verily, He is the All-Hearer, the All-Knower.
35. Then it appeared to them, after they had seen the proofs (of his innocence) to imprison him for a time.
Here we see gossip is spreading so Zulaikha invites the women of the city to a banquet. There she presents Joseph and apparently the women are so enamored by his beauty that they lose control and begin cutting themselves. Zulaikha seemingly emboldened first accuses her peers of hypocrisy, second she ridicules Joseph for his uprightness, and then third she lays a trap. As a slave Joseph must do as Zulaikha says or face prison. I suppose, now feeling justified in front of her friends she gives Joseph his final ultimatum.
At this point, Joseph turns to Potiphar for help. Joseph admits there is a temptation and at some point he fears he will yield. And now the temptation is not just coming from Zulaikha, but apparently may be coming from many women in high society now. Willingly going to prison accomplishes a couple of things. First, it allows Potiphar to save face from the scandal. Second, it removes Joseph from a temptation. It gives greater meaning to Genesis 39:12 where it says Joseph “fled, and got him out.” Willing to go to prison rather than commit sin shows the extreme lengths Joseph will go to so he remains pure before God.
I think the two accounts of Joseph in the household of Potiphar complement each other very well. Reading just one account on its own and the story is pretty fast and simple. Combining the narrative found in Genesis and the details found in the Quran gives a much more complex and fuller picture, which anything of this nature likely is. Humans are complex, and here we have several each with their own desires, morals, and agendas. It seems to me that the events took place over a period of time, with plots, gossip, rumors, lies, and confrontations until it all came to its inevitable end: Joseph in prison.