“But the Lord was with Joseph and showed him mercy, and He gave him favor in the sight of the keeper of the prison.”
—Genesis 39:21 (NKJV)
Introduction: When the Truth Doesn’t Seem to Matter
One of the most gripping narratives in the Old Testament is the life of Joseph. It’s a story filled with emotional highs and lows—betrayal, injustice, resilience, and, ultimately, redemption. In Genesis 39, we find Joseph in a foreign land, sold into slavery by his own brothers, and yet blessed by God in the midst of his suffering.
Joseph was purchased by Potiphar, a high-ranking Egyptian official. Though Joseph had no impressive resume—just the dirt of travel and betrayal on his back—Potiphar saw something in him. More accurately, Potiphar recognized that “the Lord was with him, and that the Lord made all he did to prosper in his hand” (v. 3). Joseph quickly rose to a position of great trust, becoming overseer of Potiphar’s entire household.
But then, everything changed. Genesis 39:6-10:
6 Now Joseph was handsome in form and appearance. 7 And it came to pass after these things that his master’s wife cast longing eyes on Joseph, and she said, “Lie with me.” 8 But he refused and said to his master’s wife, “Look, my master does not know what is with me in the house, and he has committed all that he has to my hand. 9 There is no one greater in this house than I, nor has he kept back anything from me but you, because you are his wife. How then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?” 10 So it was, as she spoke to Joseph day by day, that he did not heed her, to lie with her or to be with her.
Scripture tells us Joseph was “handsome in form and appearance” (v. 6), and Potiphar’s wife took notice. Her daily advances were persistent and direct. “Lie with me,” she said. But Joseph refused—not only because it would betray his master’s trust, but because it would be a sin against God (v. 9).
Her desire turned to fury when Joseph fled her final, forceful attempt. In his rush, he left his garment behind. She used it as false evidence, spinning a lie that would change Joseph’s life. Her accusation—that he tried to assault her—was believed. Joseph, though innocent, was thrown into prison.
A Story That Hits Close to Home
Have you ever been falsely accused? I have.
As a teenager, I came home one day with my mother to find a police car in our driveway. The officer approached with a stern expression and a heavy accusation: someone had used my name to make a prank call to the fire department, reporting a plane crash at the local airport. Emergency services had rushed to the scene, only to find nothing. It appeared I was the culprit.
Thankfully, I had an alibi—I had been at my guitar lesson during the call. Though I was cleared, I still remember the fear and helplessness I felt. What if I hadn’t been able to prove my innocence?
Wrongful Accusations in Today’s World
Joseph’s story is ancient, but the experience of false accusation is tragically modern. According to Prison Fellowship:
“Since 1989, DNA testing has exonerated over 225 innocent people in the United States—some of whom had spent years behind bars. At least 123 people have been released from death row since the 1970s. Wrongful convictions not only destroy lives—they allow the guilty to go free.”
Contributing factors include eyewitness misidentification, false confessions, and inadequate legal defense. Even today, thousands sit in prison cells for crimes they didn’t commit—just like Joseph.
Truth and Consequences
Potiphar believed his wife’s lie. I wonder how long it would have been before she tried the same thing again with another servant. But her slander had real consequences. And this kind of behavior—malicious lies, unfounded gossip, character assassination—remains dangerous.
Attorney David Goguen explains it this way:
“Libel and slander fall under defamation. Defamation is a false statement someone makes about you, which they present as fact, and which damages your reputation or causes emotional or financial harm.”
In today’s world, even idle gossip can do deep damage. Words matter. Lies—whether whispered behind backs or shouted from platforms—have the power to wound and destroy.
“But the Lord was with Joseph... and gave him favor in the sight of the keeper of the prison” (v. 21).
Joseph’s integrity remained intact, and over time, he was given authority even in prison. Eventually, he would rise to power beside Pharaoh himself.
Could he have done anything differently? Not likely. His only option in the face of temptation was to flee—and that was the right choice. Charles Spurgeon once wrote:
“In contending with certain sins there remains no mode of victory but by flight… A covenant must be made with our eyes not even to look upon the cause of temptation.”
The Lord Is With Us
Genesis 39 is not just a tale of injustice; it’s a declaration of God’s presence. Four times we are told: “The Lord was with Joseph.” This same truth applies to us. When we gather at the communion table, we do so in remembrance of Jesus—but also with the assurance of His ongoing presence.
He is with us.
In trials.
In temptations.
In accusations.
In prison cells.
And around the table.
Let us give God the praise, for He never leaves nor forsakes us. Amen.
Falsely Accused (Genesis 39:1–23) | Originally preached by Rev. Dr. Dennis Alan RobertsFulbright
Shubert Christian Church, June 23, 2024
Resources:
- Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset, and David Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible, vol. 1 (Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 1997), 39.
- Matthew Henry, Matthew Henry’s Commentary on the Whole Bible: Complete and Unabridged in One Volume (Peabody: Hendrickson, 1994), 79.
- Robert D. Bergen, “Genesis,” in CSB Study Bible: Notes, ed. Edwin A. Blum and Trevin Wax (Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers, 2017), 68.
- “Wrongful Convictions.” Prison Fellowship, July 20, 2022.
- Goguen, David. 2023. “What Is Defamation of Character?” June 9, 2023.
- William Pratney, Steve Hill, and Tamara S. Winslow, eds., The Revival Study Bible (Singapore: Genesis Books, 2010), 60.
