Now Joseph had been taken down to Egypt. Potiphar, an Egyptian who was one of Pharaoh's officials, the captain of the guard, bought him from the Ishmaelites who had taken him there. – Genesis 39:1

Today's Scripture Reading (October 20, 2024): Genesis 39

One of the people I have traced my lineage to is Sir William Atte Wode (c. 1270- c. 1346.) I was surprised when I discovered this guy hanging around in my family tree. Part of my surprise was that, as I started to research him, I found that he had his own Wikipedia page. Wikipedia was the first sign I had that William Atte Wode was someone significant. So, I read the short article that revealed that Atte Wode was the Captain of the King's Guard at the Palace of Westminster during the reign of King Edward III of England. The presence of my many great-grandfather in the employ of King Edward III has led to an interest in that era of history. Although we know very little about what came before William Atte Wode, there is evidence that Atte Wode might have been related to the King. However, I don't know if that is true.

Potiphar was the Captain of the King's Guard in the employ of the Pharaoh. Which Pharaoh is a matter of scholarly debate, but there is some evidence that it might have been Amenemhat III, who reigned for more than forty-five days in the latter portion of the 19^th Century B.C.E (1800s) and the early years of the 18^th century (1700s). It is important to note that this is more than 250 years earlier than the date given by the Jewish Calendar. Part of what makes Amenemhat III an attractive possibility is the length of his reign and the building program that took place during his time on the throne.

Regardless of who the Pharaoh might have been, Potiphar was an important official in the employ of the King. Because he was an official of the Pharaoh, it would seem likely that Potiphar was a eunuch, although we have no confirmation of that fact. But if he was, that might play a role in the seduction of Joseph by Potiphar's wife. (Luckily, that wasn't a requirement for the Captain of the Guard during the reign of Edward III, or I might not be here.) However, there is also a tradition that Potiphar had at least one child, a daughter, so if he was an eunuch, his child must have come in the years before Potiphar reached his privileged position in the King's employ.

Joseph was enslaved. The Ishmaelites could have sold him to anyone, but God orchestrated events so that he would be sold to Potiphar. Joseph would find himself in jail because of the incident with Potiphar's wife. Because of his jail connections, Joseph would come in contact with the Pharaoh and be given the opportunity to save Joseph's family, and Egypt would be saved from a coming famine. It was an unlikely string of events that could have only been orchestrated by the God that Joseph served.    

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Genesis 40