Welcome to my Hebrew reading & language series.

Genesis 39:6-9

source

We saw how Joseph started his stint as a slave in Egypt (Mitsraim) last week and that God had blessed all that Joseph touched. Now we see that everything Potiphar had was in Joseph's charge. I am pretty sure that did not include his wife though, besides, Joseph is just a slave.

As with many people, they see something they want and cannot resist. The wife of the house had no credit limit. Anything she wanted she could get. The text says that Joseph was handsome, the Hebrew says "y'feh" which means beautiful. Soon, the wife of Potiphar had spoken her desire aloud.

Her words, "Sheech'vah eemee" (lie with me), sparked a kvery long and detailed explanation of the way Joseph feels about being elevated above all other slaves into a the best job he could have imagined as a slave, how it is against the rules and for that reason he exclaimed, "How can I do this great wickedness and sin against God?"

I admire Joseph for this. I have had times when I make it to the top of a work environment and new temptations come to mind. It goes without saying that giving in to one of those evil temptations would end the current gig. That is how sin is presented to people. It comes as a thought that you think is your own.

Today's reading

English

So he left all that he had in Joseph's charge, and be- cause of him he had no concern about anything but the food he ate.

Now Joseph was handsome in form and appearance. And after a time his master's wife cast her eyes on Joseph and said, "Lie with me." But he refused and said to his master's wife, "Behold, because of me my master has no concern about anything in the house, and he has put everything that he has in my charge. He is not greater in this house than I am, nor has he kept back anything from me except you, because you are his wife. How then can I do this great wickedness and sin against God?"

Hebrew

The story continues next week as she yells "Rape!"...

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Shabbat Shalom