http://www.biblestudyworkshop.org 1 Answers to Questions on Genesis 39:1-23 Genesis 40:1-23 Genesis 41:1-57 1. Give examples to show that Joseph s life was a series of ups and downs. A) Up. The favorite of Jacob s twelve (12) sons. B) Down. He was hated by his brothers and sold into slavery. C) Up. Potiphar, an Egyptian official, purchased Joseph to serve him. D) Down. He was falsely accused by Potiphar s wife and imprisoned. E) Up. He was placed in charge of the prisoners. F) Down. He was forgotten by Pharaoh s cup bearer. G) Up. He was second in command to Pharaoh. 2. Give examples of God s providential care in the life of Joseph.... and in your life. God was in control. He was not killed by his brothers, but thrown into a cistern. He was sold and taken to Egypt because God intended him to be there. He was purchased by Potiphar, an Egyptian official, instead of a slave master looking for laborers. He was wrongfully imprisoned, yet God provided a way out by using Pharaoh s cup bearer who recommended him to Pharaoh to interpret his dreams which so impressed Pharaoh, he made him second in command.
http://www.biblestudyworkshop.org 2 3. What were some of Joseph s finest qualities? A) Faithfully performed all duties assigned to him. B) Moral purity. C) Unwavering faith in God. D) Courage in adversity. Humility in success. E) Wisdom in administration of duties. F) Displayed integrity, honesty and dependability. G) Loyalty to God, Potiphar, Warden, Pharaoh and his family. 4. Who was Potiphar? Give as much information as possible. Potiphar was Egyptian, an officer of Pharaoh, the captain of the guard, and married. He may have been a Eunich. 5. What were Joseph s duties in the house of Potiphar? He was placed in charge of all that Potiphar owned, his household and his farm. 6. Potiphar s wife tried to seduce Joseph. Why did she do that? Joseph was young, well built, handsome and she desired him. Satan used her lust in an attempt to foil God s plan for Joseph. 7. How might Joseph s life have been different if he had yielded to this temptation? To yield to temptation would have shown Joseph was weak, could be tempted and lacked the character to be worthy of trust. Potiphar would not trust him, Pharaoh would not trust him and most importantly, God would not trust him. 8. What factors, considerations enabled Joseph to withstand this temptation? His moral character and trust in God enabled him to withstand temptation. 9. Of what sins was Potiphar s wife guilty? Describe her character. Her sins were attempting to commit adultery and making false accusations. She was a person of low moral character. She felt no guilt about being unfaithful to her husband or falsely accusing Joseph of attempted rape and having him imprisoned.
http://www.biblestudyworkshop.org 3 10. Relate two times when Joseph s coats had gotten him into trouble. Joseph s brothers were jealous of the favored status the coat symbolized, so they sold him into slavery to get rid of him. Potiphar s wife held on to Joseph s coat when he fled from her and she used that as evidence he had attempted to rape her. 11. Potiphar s wife told him lies about Joseph. Did he really believe her? Explain your reasoning. Potiphar may have had some doubts. Joseph had always been an honest and trustworthy worker. Note also that Potiphar did not execute Joseph, but placed him in the special prison for the king s prisoners. He was not confined with ordinary criminals. During his confinement, he was granted special considerations and favors by the warden. 12. What was prison like for Joseph initially? No doubt it was difficult. Prison confinement would be hard for anyone. 13. How many innocent people would you guess are in prison today? Was Joseph the last innocent person to be imprisoned? It is impossible to know how many innocent people are incarcerated today. Joseph was not the first or the last. 14. When you have been really down and out, have you ever lost faith in God, rebelled against God? Individual answers will vary. 15. Why did the warden entrust to Joseph all the prisoners who were incarcerated there? What were his duties? God was with Joseph and continued to bless him in all that he did, even his duties in prison. Genesis 39:20 states Joseph was responsible for,... all that was done there. 16. Why were the chief of the bakers and the chief of the butlers imprisoned? We are not told what they did, only that Pharaoh was angry with them.
http://www.biblestudyworkshop.org 4 17. Give details of the baker s dream. What did it mean? The baker was carrying on his head three (3) baskets of baked goods for Pharaoh. Birds were eating out of the baskets signifying in three (3) days the baker would be executed and birds would consume his flesh. 18. Give details of the butler s dream. What did it mean? He saw three branches that produced grapes which he squeezed into Pharaoh s cup and placed in Pharaoh s hand meaning in three (3) days the cup bearer would be reinstated to his former position in the court and would place the cup in Pharaoh s hand. 19. Does God communicate through dreams today? No. Give reasons for your answer. God does not reveal interpretations of dreams. He prohibited us from all practices of divination and omen reading in Deuteronomy 18:14, Those nations you are about to dispossess listen to omen readers and diviners, but the Lord your God has not given you permission to do such things. 20. What request did Joseph make of the butler? Did he comply? If so, when did he comply? Was the timing well chosen? Joseph only asked that the cup bearer speak of him to Pharaoh explaining Joseph was unjustly imprisoned. In hopes of being released, the cup bearer quickly forgot his request. Two (2) years passed then Pharaoh needed two (2) dreams interpreted. Then, the cup bearer remembered Joseph and his accurate dream interpretations. The dreams and the cup bearer s recollection of Joseph were timed by God according to his plan. 21. Give details of Pharaoh s first dream. What did this dream mean? In the first dream, seven (7) healthy cows came up from the Nile and grazed. Seven (7) scrawny, sickly cows followed and devoured the
http://www.biblestudyworkshop.org 5 fat, healthy cows. Egypt would have seven (7) years of plenty followed by seven (7) years of famine. 22. Give details of Pharaoh s second dream. What did this dream mean? Seven (7) heads of good, healthy grain were growing on a single stalk. Seven (7) other heads of grain sprouted, thin and scorched by the hot east wind. The thin heads of grain swallowed up the seven (7) healthy heads. The interpretation was the same; Egypt would have seven (7) years of plenty followed by seven (7) years of famine. 23. What was the point of duplication of dreams in Pharaoh s case?... in Joseph s case? Pharaoh s dream foretold two (2) separate aspects of the coming drought. The Nile would not be able to sustain the cattle and they would perish. Likewise, the crops would wither and die from lack of water. The doubling of Pharaoh s and Joseph s dreams attested to their validity. 24. When did the butler remember Joseph? How would you describe the butler s character? The cup bearer remembered how Joseph had correctly interpreted dreams for the baker and himself when he could use it to obtain personal favor with Pharaoh. He was selfcentered, selfish and ungrateful. 25. To what office did Pharaoh appoint Joseph? What were the responsibilities of this office? Joseph was second only to Pharaoh. He was placed in charge of Egypt, the people and the palace. He was to prepare the country for the impending crisis. 26. Why was Joseph re-named? What new name was given him? He was given the Egyptian name Zaphenath-Panaeh, meaning salvation of the world which was certainly fitting for Joseph. Name changes for Hebrews in captivity were common. Giving Joseph an Egyptian name would also give him more credibility among the Egyptian people.
http://www.biblestudyworkshop.org 6 27. Joseph married Asenath, daughter of Poitphera Priest of On (Heliopolis) which was located seven (7) miles from Cairo. To this union two sons, Ephriam and Manasseh, were born. 28. How well did Joseph discharge his official duties? Give details. Joseph was able to stockpile great quantities of grain, so much it could not be recorded. When the years of famine were upon them, they were able to supply the needs of the Egyptian people and sell grain to other countries. Joseph s stewardship saved not only Egypt, but other countries as well. 29. How widespread was this famine? This was a pandemic. It affected all the earth.