(1-minute read)
In this gripping tale, the noble yet vulnerable Joseph, a youth of rare beauty and moral integrity, becomes the unwilling object of a powerful woman’s obsessive desire. Zelicah, the wife of Joseph’s master, is consumed by her passion for him, descending into lovesick despair when he steadfastly resists her seductive advances, day after day. Driven by his devotion to righteousness and loyalty to his master, Joseph refuses her temptations, but her unrelenting pursuit leads to a dramatic encounter where she traps him, threatening him with both violence and manipulation. When he narrowly escapes, Zelicah cunningly twists the truth, turning the household against him and setting the stage for Joseph’s tragic fall into wrongful accusation and punishment.
Major Characters
Minor Characters
Insignificant Characters
GENESIS
18%
JASHER
72%
JUBILEES
10%
Exposition
J: 46 | Y: 2232 | Benjamin marries Aribath
Jasher 45:22b
Rising Action
Zelicah asks Joseph to lie with her
Genesis 39:7, Jasher 44:15-25, Jubilees 39:5-7
Zelicah makes herself sick
Jasher 44:26-27
Zelicah has her servants prepare a banquet
Jasher 44:28
The women of Egypt lust for Joseph
Jasher 44:29-35
Zelicah continued to be sick for Joseph
Jasher 44:36-39
Climax
Zelicah attempted to take Joseph by force and manipulation
Jasher 44:40-43
Joseph refused her advances
Genesis 39:8-9, Jasher 44:44-46a
Zelicah doesn’t give up
Genesis 39:10, Jasher 44:46b, Jubilees 39:8
The celebration of the Nile causes Zelicah to be alone and Joseph arrives
Genesis 39:11, Jasher 44:47-50
Zelicah threatens Joseph with death
Jasher 44:51-53
Joseph leaves and left behind his garment
Genesis 39:12-13, Jasher 44:54, Jubilees 39:9
Zelicah acted cunningly
Jasher 44:55-56
Falling Action
Zelicah told the men of the house that Joseph attempted to rape her
Genesis 39:14-16, Jasher 44:57-59, Jubilees 39:10
Potiphar finds out what happened
Genesis 39:17-19, Jasher 44:60-61
Potiphar orders Joseph to be punished
Jasher 44:62-63
An 11-month-old child questions his actions
Jasher 44:64-68
Joseph is interrogated by the priests who were judges
Jasher 44:69-75
Joseph is sentenced to prison
Genesis 39:20, Jasher 44:76, Jubilees 39:11
Resolution
Zelicah continued to speak with Joseph while he was in prison
Jasher 44:77-80a
Jacob and his sons continue to mourn for Joseph
Jasher 44:80b
Joseph found favor with the chief prison guard
Genesis 39:21-23, Jubilees 39:12-13
Jubilee: 46
Year: 2232
Benjamin marries Aribath
Jasher 45:22b
22b and Benjamin went afterward and took for a wife Aribath, the daughter of Shomron, the son of Abraham, in addition to his first wife, and he was eighteen years old; and Aribath bare unto Benjamin Achi, Vosh, Mupim, Chupim, and Ord; five sons.
Zelicah asks Joseph to lie with heri
Genesis 39:7
7 And it came to pass after these things, that his master’s wife cast her eyes upon Joseph; and she said, Lie with me.
Jasher 44:15
15 At that time whilst he was in his master’s house, going in and out of the house and attending his master, Zelicah, his master’s wife, lifted up her eyes toward Joseph and she looked at him, and behold he was a youth comely and well favored.
Jubilees 39:5
5 And Joseph’s appearance was comely [and very beautiful was his appearance], and his master’s wife lifted up her eyes and saw Joseph, and she loved him and besought him to lie with her.
Jubilees 39:6-7
6 But he did not surrender his soul, and he remembered the Lord and the words which Jacob, his father, used to read from amongst the words of Abraham, that no man should commit fornication with a woman who has a husband; that for him the punishment of death has been ordained in the heavens before the Most High God, and the sin will be recorded against him in the eternal books continually before the Lord.
7 And Joseph remembered these words and refused to lie with her.
Jasher 44:16-25
16 And she coveted his beauty in her heart, and her soul was fixed upon Joseph, and she enticed him day after day, and Zelicah persuaded Joseph daily, but Joseph did not lift up his eyes to behold his master’s wife.
17 And Zelicah said unto him, How goodly are thy appearance and form, truly I have looked at all the slaves, and have not seen so beautiful a slave as thou art; and Joseph said unto her, Surely he who created me in my mother’s womb created all mankind.
18 And she said unto him, How beautiful are thine eyes, with which thou hast dazzled all the inhabitants of Egypt, men and women; and he said unto her, How beautiful they are whilst we are alive, but shouldst thou behold them in the grave, surely thou wouldst move away from them.
19 And she said unto him, How beautiful and pleasing are all thy words; take now, I pray thee, the harp which is in the house, and play with thy hands and let us hear thy words.
20 And he said unto her, How beautiful and pleasing are my words when I speak the praise of my God and his glory; and she said unto him, How very beautiful is the hair of thy head, behold the golden comb which is in the house, take it I pray thee, and curl the hair of thy head.
21 And he said unto her, How long wilt thou speak these words? cease to utter these words to me, and rise and attend to thy domestic affairs.
22 And she said unto him, There is no one in my house, and there is nothing to attend to but to thy words and to thy wish; yet notwithstanding all this, she could not bring Joseph unto her, neither did he place his eye upon her, but directed his eyes below to the ground.
23 And Zelicah desired Joseph in her heart, that he should lie with her, and at the time that Joseph was sitting in the house doing his work, Zelicah came and sat before him, and she enticed him daily with her discourse to lie with her, or ever to look at her, but Joseph would not hearken to her.
24 And she said unto him, If thou wilt not do according to my words, I will chastise thee with the punishment of death, and put an iron yoke upon thee.
25 And Joseph said unto her, Surely God who created man looseth the fetters of prisoners, and it is he who will deliver me from thy prison and from thy judgment.
Zelicah makes herself sick
Jasher 44:26-27
26 And when she could not prevail over him, to persuade him, and her soul being still fixed upon him, her desire threw her into a grievous sickness.
27 And all the women of Egypt came to visit her, and they said unto her, Why art thou in this declining state? thou that lackest nothing; surely thy husband is a great and esteemed prince in the sight of the king, shouldst thou lack anything of what thy heart desireth?
Zelicah has her servants prepare a banquet
Jasher 44:28
28 And Zelicah answered them, saying, This day it shall be made known to you, whence this disorder springs in which you see me, and she commanded her maid servants to prepare food for all the women, and she made a banquet for them, and all the women ate in the house of Zelicah.
The women of Egypt lust for Joseph
Jasher 44:29-35
29 And she gave them knives to peel the citrons to eat them, and she commanded that they should dress Joseph in costly garments, and that he should appear before them, and Joseph came before their eyes and all the women looked on Joseph, and could not take their eyes from off him, and they all cut their hands with the knives that they had in their hands, and all the citrons that were in their hands were filled with blood.
30 And they knew not what they had done but they continued to look at the beauty of Joseph, and did not turn their eyelids from him.
31 And Zelicah saw what they had done, and she said unto them, What is this work that you have done? behold I gave you citrons to eat and you have all cut your hands.
32 And all the women saw their hands, and behold they were full of blood, and their blood flowed down upon their garments, and they said unto her, this slave in your house has overcome us, and we could not turn our eyelids from him on account of his beauty.
33 And she said unto them, Surely this happened to you in the moment that you looked at him, and you could not contain yourselves from him; how then can I refrain when he is constantly in my house, and I see him day after day going in and out of my house? how then can I keep from declining or even from perishing on account of this?
34 And they said unto her, the words are true, for who can see this beautiful form in the house and refrain from him, and is he not thy slave and attendant in thy house, and why dost thou not tell him that which is in thy heart, and sufferest thy soul to perish through this matter?
35 And she said unto them, I am daily endeavoring to persuade him, and he will not consent to my wishes, and I promised him everything that is good, and yet I could meet with no return from him; I am therefore in a declining state as you see.
Zelicah continued to be sick for Joseph
Jasher 44:36-39
36 And Zelicah became very ill on account of her desire toward Joseph, and she was desperately lovesick on account of him, and all the people of the house of Zelicah and her husband knew nothing of this matter, that Zelicah was ill on account of her love to Joseph.
37 And all the people of her house asked her, saying, Why art thou ill and declining, and lackest nothing? and she said unto them, I know not this thing which is daily increasing upon me.
38 And all the women and her friends came daily to see her, and they spoke with her, and she said unto them, This can only be through the love of Joseph; and they said unto her, Entice him and seize him secretly, perhaps he may hearken to thee, and put off this death from thee.
39 And Zelicah became worse from her love to Joseph, and she continued to decline, till she had scarce strength to stand.
Zelicah attempted to take Joseph by force and manipulation
Jasher 44:40-43
40 And on a certain day Joseph was doing his master’s work in the house, and Zelicah came secretly and fell suddenly upon him, and Joseph rose up against her, and he was more powerful than she, and he brought her down to the ground.
41 And Zelicah wept on account of the desire of her heart toward him, and she supplicated him with weeping, and her tears flowed down her cheeks, and she spoke unto him in a voice of supplication and in bitterness of soul, saying,
42 Hast thou ever heard, seen or known of so beautiful a woman as I am, or better than myself, who speak daily unto thee, fall into a decline through love for thee, confer all this honor upon thee, and still thou wilt not hearken to my voice?
43 And if it be through fear of thy master lest he punish thee, as the king liveth no harm shall come to thee from thy master through this thing; now, therefore pray listen to me, and consent for the sake of the honor which I have conferred upon thee, and put off this death from me, and why should I die for thy sake? and she ceased to speak.
Joseph refused her advances
Genesis 39:8-9
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?
Jasher 44:44-46a
44 And Joseph answered her, saying, Refrain from me, and leave this matter to my master; behold my master knoweth not what there is with me in the house, for all that belongeth to him he has delivered into my hand, and how shall I do these things in my master’s house?
45 For he hath also greatly honored me in his house, and he hath also made me overseer over his house, and he hath exalted me, and there is no one greater in this house than I am, and my master hath refrained nothing from me, excepting thee who art his wife, how then canst thou speak these words unto me, and how can I do this great evil and sin to God and to thy husband?
46a Now therefore refrain from me, and speak no more such words as these, for I will not hearken to thy words.
Zelicah doesn’t give up
Genesis 39:10
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.
Jasher 44:46b
46b But Zelicah would not hearken to Joseph when he spoke these words unto her, but she daily enticed him to listen to her.
Jubilees 39:8
8 And she besought him for a year, but he refused and would not listen.
The celebration of the Nile causes Zelicah to be alone and Joseph arrives
Jasher 44:47-49
47 And it was after this that the brook of Egypt was filled above all its sides, and all the inhabitants of Egypt went forth, and also the king and princes went forth with timbrels and dances, for it was a great rejoicing in Egypt, and a holiday at the time of the inundation of the sea Sihor, and they went there to rejoice all the day.
48 And when the Egyptians went out to the river to rejoice, as was their custom, all the people of the house of Potiphar went with them, but Zelicah would not go with them, for she said, I am indisposed, and she remained alone in the house, and no other person was with her in the house.
49 And she rose up and ascended to her temple in the house, and dressed herself in princely garments, and she placed upon her head precious stones of onyx stones, inlaid with silver and gold, and she beautified her face and skin with all sorts of women’s purifying liquids, and she perfumed the temple and the house with cassia and frankincense, and she spread myrrh and aloes, and she afterward sat in the entrance of the temple, in the passage of the house, through which Joseph passed to do his work, and behold Joseph came from the field, and entered the house to do his master’s work.
Genesis 39:11
11 And it came to pass about this time, that Joseph went into the house to do his business; and there was none of the men of the house there within.
Jasher 44:50
50 And he came to the place through which he had to pass, and he saw all the work of Zelicah, and he turned back.
Zelicah threatens Joseph with death
Jasher 44:51-53
51 And Zelicah saw Joseph turning back from her, and she called out to him, saying What aileth thee Joseph? come to thy work, and behold I will make room for thee until thou shalt have passed to thy seat.
52 And Joseph returned and came to the house, and passed from thence to the place of his seat, and he sat down to do his master’s work as usual and behold Zelicah came to him and stood before him in princely garments, and the scent from her clothes was spread to a distance.
53 And she hastened and caught hold of Joseph and his garments, and she said unto him, As the king liveth if thou wilt not perform my request thou shalt die this day, and she hastened and stretched forth her other hand and drew a sword from beneath her garments, and she placed it upon Joseph’s neck, and she said, Rise and perform my request, and if not thou diest this day.
Joseph leaves and left behind his garment
Genesis 39:12-13
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,
Jasher 44:54
54 And Joseph was afraid of her at her doing this thing, and he rose up to flee from her, and she seized the front of his garments, and in the terror of his flight the garment which Zelicah seized was torn, and Joseph left the garment in the hand of Zelicah, and he fled and got out, for he was in fear.
Jubilees 39:9
9 But she embraced him and held him fast in the house in order to force him to lie with her, and closed the doors of the house and held him fast; but he left his garment in her hands and broke through the door and fled without from her presence.
Zelicah acted cunningly
Jasher 44:55-56
55 And when Zelicah saw that Joseph’s garment was torn, and that he had left it in her hand, and had fled, she was afraid of her life, lest the report should spread concerning her, and she rose up and acted with cunning, and put off the garments in which she was dressed, and she put on her other garments.
56 And she took Joseph’s garment, and she laid it beside her, and she went and seated herself in the place where she had sat in her illness, before the people of her house had gone out to the river, and she called a young lad who was then in the house, and she ordered him to call the people of the house to her.
Zelicah told the men of the house that Joseph attempted to rape her
Genesis 39:14-15
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.
Jasher 44:57-59
57 And when she saw them she said unto them with a loud voice and lamentation, See what a Hebrew your master has brought to me in the house, for he came this day to lie with me.
58 For when you had gone out he came to the house, and seeing that there was no person in the house, he came unto me, and caught hold of me, with intent to lie with me.
59 And I seized his garments and tore them and called out against him with a loud voice, and when I had lifted up my voice he was afraid of his life and left his garment before me, and fled.
Jubilees 39:10
10 And the woman saw that he would not lie with her, and she calumniated him in the presence of his lord, saying ‘Thy Hebrew servant, whom thou lovest, sought to force me so that he might lie with me; and it came to pass when I lifted up my voice that he fled and left his garment in my hands when I held him, and he brake through the door.’
Genesis 39:16
16 And she laid up his garment by her, until his lord came home.
Potiphar finds out what happened
Jasher 44:60
60 And the people of her house spoke nothing, but their wrath was very much kindled against Joseph, and they went to his master and told him the words of his wife.
Genesis 39:17
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:
Jasher 44:61
61 And Potiphar came home enraged, and his wife cried out to him, saying, What is this thing that thou hast done unto me in bringing a Hebrew servant into my house, for he came unto me this day to sport with me; thus did he do unto me this day.
Genesis 39:18-19
18 And it came to pass, as I lifted up my voice and cried, that he left his garment with me, and fled out.
19 And it came to pass, when his master heard the words of his wife, which she spake unto him, saying, After this manner did thy servant to me; that his wrath was kindled.
Potiphar orders Joseph to be punished
Jasher 44:62-63
62 And Potiphar heard the words of his wife, and he ordered Joseph to be punished with severe stripes, and they did so to him.
63 And whilst they were smiting him, Joseph called out with a loud voice, and he lifted up his eyes to heaven, and he said, O Lord God, thou knowest that I am innocent of all these things, and why shall I die this day through falsehood, by the hand of these uncircumcised wicked men, whom thou knowest?
An 11-month-old child questions his actions
Jasher 44:64-68
64 And whilst Potiphar’s men were beating Joseph, he continued to cry out and weep, and there was a child there eleven months old, and the Lord opened the mouth of the child, and he spake these words before Potiphar’s men, who were smiting Joseph, saying,
65 What do you want of this man, and why do you do this evil unto him? My mother speaketh falsely and uttereth lies; thus was the transaction.
66 And the child told them accurately all that happened, and all the words of Zelicah to Joseph day after day did he declare unto them.
67 And all the men heard the words of the child and they wondered greatly at the child’s words, and the child ceased to speak and became still.
68 And Potiphar was very much ashamed at the words of his son, and he commanded his men not to beat Joseph any more, and the men ceased beating Joseph.
Joseph is interrogated by the priests who were judges
Jasher 44:69-75
69 And Potiphar took Joseph and ordered him to be brought to justice before the priests, who were judges belonging to the king, in order to judge him concerning this affair.
70 And Potiphar and Joseph came before the priests who were the king’s judges, and he said unto them, Decide I pray you, what judgment is due to a servant, for thus has he done.
71 And the priests said unto Joseph, Why didst thou do this thing to thy master? and Joseph answered them, saying, Not so my lords, thus was the matter; and Potiphar said unto Joseph, Surely I entrusted in thy hands all that belonged to me, and I withheld nothing from thee but my wife, and how couldst thou do this evil?
72 And Joseph answered saying, Not so my lord, as the Lord liveth, and as thy soul liveth, my lord, the word which thou didst hear from thy wife is untrue, for thus was the affair this day.
73 A year has elapsed to me since I have been in thy house; hast thou seen any iniquity in me, or any thing which might cause thee to demand my life?
74 And the priests said unto Potiphar, Send, we pray thee, and let them bring before us Joseph’s torn garment, and let us see the tear in it, and if it shall be that the tear is in front of the garment, then his face must have been opposite to her and she must have caught hold of him, to come to her, and with deceit did thy wife do all that she has spoken.
75 And they brought Joseph’s garment before the priests who were judges, and they saw and behold the tear was in front of Joseph, and all the judging priests knew that she had pressed him, and they said, The judgment of death is not due to this slave for he has done nothing, but his judgment is, that he be placed in the prison house on account of the report, which through him has gone forth against thy wife.
Joseph is sentenced to prison
Genesis 39:20
20 And Joseph’s master took him, and put him into the prison, a place where the king’s prisoners were bound: and he was there in the prison.
Jasher 44:76
76 And Potiphar heard their words, and he placed him in the prison house, the place where the king’s prisoners are confined, and Joseph was in the house of confinement twelve years.
Jubilees 39:11
11 And the Egyptian saw the garment of Joseph and the broken door, and heard the words of his wife, and cast Joseph into prison into the place where the prisoners were kept whom the king imprisoned.
Zelicah continued to speak with Joseph while he was in prison
Jasher 44:77-80a
77 And notwithstanding this, his master’s wife did not turn from him, and she did not cease from speaking to him day after day to hearken to her, and at the end of three months Zelicah continued going to Joseph to the house of confinement day by day, and she enticed him to hearken to her, and Zelicah said unto Joseph, How long wilt thou remain in this house? but hearken now to my voice, and I will bring thee out of this house.
78 And Joseph answered her, saying, It is better for me to remain in this house than to hearken to thy words, to sin against God; and she said unto him, If thou wilt not perform my wish, I will pluck out thine eyes, add fetters to thy feet, and will deliver thee into the hands of them whom thou didst not know before.
79 And Joseph answered her and said, Behold the God of the whole earth is able to deliver me from all that thou canst do unto me, for he openeth the eyes of the blind, and looseth those that are bound, and preserveth all strangers who are unacquainted with the land.
80 And when Zelicah was unable to persuade Joseph to hearken to her, she left off going to entice him; and Joseph was still confined in the house of confinement.
Jacob and his sons continue to mourn for Joseph
Jasher 44:80b
80b And Jacob the father of Joseph, and all his brethren who were in the land of Canaan still mourned and wept in those days on account of Joseph, for Jacob refused to be comforted for his son Joseph, and Jacob cried aloud, and wept and mourned all those days.
Joseph found favor with the chief prison guard
Genesis 39:21-23
21 But the LORD was with Joseph, and shewed him mercy, and gave him favour in the sight of the keeper of the prison.
22 And the keeper of the prison committed to Joseph’s hand all the prisoners that were in the prison; and whatsoever they did there, he was the doer of it.
23 The keeper of the prison looked not to any thing that was under his hand; because the LORD was with him, and that which he did, the LORD made it to prosper.
Jubilees 39:12-13
12 And he was there in the prison; and the Lord gave Joseph favour in the sight of the chief of the prison guards and compassion before him, for he saw that the Lord was with him, and that the Lord made all that he did to prosper.
13 And he committed all things into his hands, and the chief of the prison guards knew of nothing that was with him, for Joseph did every thing, and the Lord perfected it.
i. The year 2232 is calculated based on Jubilees 46:3 and Jasher 46:20 which states that Joseph was Potiphar’s slave for 10 years.
(29-minute read)
Exposition
J: 46 | Y: 2232 | Benjamin marries Aribath
Jasher 45:22b
Afterward, Benjamin married Aribath, the daughter of Shomron, the son of Abraham, in addition to his first wife. He was 18 years old at the time. Aribath gave birth to 5 sons: Achi, Vosh, Mupim, Chupim, and Ord.
Rising Action
Zelicah asks Joseph to lie with her
Genesis 39:7, Jasher 44:15-25, Jubilees 39:5-7
While Joseph was serving in his master’s house, coming and going and handling his duties, Zelicah—his master’s wife—noticed him. She looked at him and saw that he was a handsome and well-built young man. She said, “Lie with me.”
But Joseph didn’t give in. He remembered the Lord and the words his father Jacob used to read to him from the writings of Abraham, warning that no man should sleep with another man’s wife. Such an act was punishable by death, a judgment that had already been declared in heaven before the Most High God, and the sin would be recorded forever in the eternal books before the Lord. Remembering this, Joseph refused to lie with her.
Still, Zelicah couldn’t stop thinking about his beauty. Her heart was set on him, and every day she tried to tempt him. She kept trying to convince him, but Joseph never even lifted his eyes to look at her. Zelicah said, “Your looks and figure are incredible. I’ve seen all the slaves, and none are as beautiful as you.”
Joseph replied, “Surely, the One who created me in my mother’s womb created all of humanity.”
Then she said, “Your eyes are so beautiful—they’ve dazzled everyone in Egypt, men and women alike.”
He answered, “They may be beautiful now while I’m alive, but if you saw them in the grave, I’m sure you’d turn away from them.”
She continued, “All your words are so lovely and pleasant. Please, take the harp that’s in the house, play it, and let us hear your voice.”
He said, “My words are beautiful and pleasant when I speak of my God and His glory.”
She said, “Your hair is so lovely. Look, there’s a golden comb in the house—take it and curl your hair.”
He responded, “How long will you keep saying these things? Stop talking to me this way. Go take care of your housework.”
She replied, “There’s no one else in the house, and nothing to tend to except your words and your desires.”
Even with all this, she still couldn’t get Joseph to give in. He wouldn’t even look at her, keeping his eyes down to the ground. Zelicah longed for him to lie with her. One day, while Joseph was working inside the house, she sat in front of him and tried once again to persuade him to lie with her or even just to look at her—but Joseph refused to listen.
She said, “If you won’t do what I say, I’ll punish you with death and put an iron yoke on your neck.”
Joseph replied, “Surely the God who created man frees prisoners from their chains. He will deliver me from your prison and your judgment.”
Zelicah makes herself sick
Jasher 44:26-27
When she couldn’t convince Joseph, even though her heart remained fixed on him, her desire made her seriously ill. All the women of Egypt came to visit her and said, “Why are you wasting away like this? You lack nothing—your husband is a great and respected prince in the eyes of the king. Is there anything you want that you don’t already have?”
Zelicah has her servants prepare a banquet
Jasher 44:28
Zelicah answered them, “Today, you’ll find out what’s behind this condition you see in me.”
She ordered her maidservants to prepare food for all the women, and she hosted a banquet at her house. All the women came and ate together.
The women of Egypt lust for Joseph
Jasher 44:29-35
She gave each of them a knife to peel citrons to eat. Then she instructed her servants to dress Joseph in fine clothes and bring him in front of the women. When Joseph appeared, every woman stared at him, unable to look away. As they peeled the citrons, they all cut their hands without realizing it. The citrons they held became covered in blood. They were so fixated on Joseph’s beauty that they didn’t even notice what they’d done. Their eyes never left him.
Seeing this, Zelicah said, “What have you done? I gave you citrons to eat, and you’ve all cut your hands.”
The women looked down and saw their hands dripping with blood, staining their clothes. They said to her, “This slave in your house has overwhelmed us. We couldn’t take our eyes off him because of his beauty.”
She replied, “If this happened to you in just a moment of seeing him, and you couldn’t control yourselves, how can I be expected to resist when he’s in my house every day, coming in and going out? How can I keep from wasting away—or even dying—because of this?”
They said, “You’re right. Who could see such beauty in a house and resist? Isn’t he your slave, living here with you? Why don’t you just tell him how you feel? Why let yourself waste away over this?”
She answered, “I’ve been trying every day to win him over, but he won’t agree to anything I ask. I’ve offered him everything good, but he gives me nothing in return. That’s why I’m in this condition.”
Zelicah continued to be sick for Joseph
Jasher 44:36-39
Zelicah grew even sicker from her desire for Joseph. She was completely lovesick, but no one in her household—not even her husband—knew the real reason she was ill.
Everyone in the house asked, “Why are you so unwell and wasting away when you have everything?”
She said, “I don’t know what’s happening—it just keeps getting worse.”
All the women and her friends visited her daily and spoke with her. She finally said, “This can only be because of my love for Joseph.”
They said, “Try to seduce him and trap him in secret—maybe he’ll listen to you, and you’ll be spared from dying like this.”
But Zelicah’s love for Joseph only made her worse, and she kept declining until she barely had the strength to stand.
Climax
Zelicah attempted to take Joseph by force and manipulation
Jasher 44:40-43
One day, while Joseph was doing his master’s work inside the house, Zelicah came in quietly and suddenly grabbed hold of him. Joseph resisted her and, being stronger than she was, pushed her down to the ground. Zelicah began to weep, overwhelmed by her desire for him. Crying and pleading with him in deep anguish, she said, “Have you ever seen or heard of a woman as beautiful as I am, or better than me, who speaks to you every day, who’s wasting away from love for you, who’s honored you so much, and yet you still won’t listen to me? If you’re afraid your master will punish you, as surely as the king lives, no harm will come to you from him over this. So please, listen to me and agree to this out of respect for all the honor I’ve shown you. Spare me from dying over this—why should I die because of you?”
Then she stopped speaking.
Joseph refused her advances
Genesis 39:8-9, Jasher 44:44-46a
Joseph replied, “Stay away from me, and leave this matter to my master. Look, my master doesn’t concern himself with anything in the house, because he has entrusted everything he owns into my hands. How could I do this in his house? He has honored me greatly and made me overseer of everything he has. There’s no one in this house more powerful than I am, and the only thing he’s kept from me is you, because you are his wife. How can you say these things to me? How could I commit such a terrible sin against God and your husband? So stop speaking to me this way, because I will not listen to you.”
Zelicah doesn’t give up
Genesis 39:10, Jasher 44:46b, Jubilees 39:8
But Zelicah didn’t listen to Joseph’s words. Instead, she kept trying to seduce him every day for a year. Joseph never gave in—he wouldn’t lie with her or even be near her.
The celebration of the Nile causes Zelicah to be alone and Joseph arrives
Genesis 39:11, Jasher 44:47-50
Later, the river of Egypt overflowed its banks, and everyone in Egypt went out to celebrate. The king and the princes also joined in with music and dancing—it was a major celebration marking the flooding of the Sihor Sea, and they spent the whole day rejoicing.
As was their custom, everyone in Potiphar’s household went out to the river too. But Zelicah stayed behind, saying, “I’m not feeling well.”
She was left alone in the house, with no one else around. She got up and went into her private temple in the house, dressed herself in royal garments, placed on her head precious onyx stones set in silver and gold, and used all kinds of beauty treatments on her face and skin. She perfumed the temple and house with cassia and frankincense, then spread myrrh and aloes throughout. After that, she sat down at the entrance of the temple, near the hallway where Joseph would pass through to do his work.
When Joseph came in from the field and entered the house to continue his duties, he came to the hallway and saw what Zelicah had done—and he turned back.
Zelicah threatens Joseph with death
Jasher 44:51-53
Zelicah saw Joseph turn away and called out, “What’s the matter, Joseph? Come do your work—I’ll move aside so you can pass through to your seat.”
Joseph came back inside, passed through to his usual spot, and sat down to do his master’s work. Zelicah came over to him, dressed in royal clothes, and the scent of her perfume carried far. She quickly grabbed hold of Joseph and his clothes and said, “As the king lives, if you don’t do what I ask, you will die today.” Then she quickly pulled a sword from beneath her clothes and held it to Joseph’s neck. She said, “Get up and do what I want, or you die today.”
Joseph leaves and left behind his garment
Genesis 39:12-13, Jasher 44:54, Jubilees 39:9
Joseph was terrified by what she did and jumped up to run away. She grabbed the front of his clothes, and as he fled in fear, his garment tore. Joseph left the torn garment in Zelicah’s hand and ran outside.
Zelicah acted cunningly
Jasher 44:55-56
When Zelicah saw that the garment was torn and still in her hand, and that Joseph had fled, she became afraid that people would find out what had happened. So she acted cleverly—she took off her royal clothes and put on her regular ones. Then she placed Joseph’s garment beside her, returned to the spot where she had pretended to be sick earlier, and called a young boy who was still in the house. She told him to summon everyone from the household to her.
Falling Action
Zelicah told the men of the house that Joseph attempted to rape her
Genesis 39:14-16, Jasher 44:57-59, Jubilees 39:10
When they arrived, Zelicah began yelling and crying loudly to the men of the house. She falsely accused Joseph, saying, “Look at the Hebrew your master brought into our home! Today he came to lie with me. While you were all gone, he came into the house and, finding no one else around, grabbed me and tried to force himself on me. I grabbed his clothes and tore them, and I screamed loudly. When he heard me cry out, he got scared, left his garment behind, and ran away.”
She kept his garment with her until her husband came home.
Potiphar finds out what happened
Genesis 39:17-19, Jasher 44:60-61
The men of the house said nothing, but they were furious with Joseph. They went to Potiphar and told him everything Zelicah had said.
When Potiphar got home, he was angry, and his wife cried out, saying, “What have you done to me, bringing a Hebrew servant into my house? Today he came to mock me and try to take advantage of me! When I screamed, he left his garment and ran off.”
When Potiphar heard what his wife said—”This is what your servant did to me”—his anger burned.
Potiphar orders Joseph to be punished
Jasher 44:62-63
Potiphar believed his wife’s words and ordered Joseph to be severely beaten, and the men did as he commanded. While they were striking him, Joseph cried out loudly and looked up to heaven, saying, “O Lord God, you know I’m innocent of all this. Why should I die today because of lies, at the hands of these wicked, uncircumcised men that you know so well?”
An 11-month-old child questions his actions
Jasher 44:64-68
As Joseph was being beaten and weeping, there was a child there who was only 11 months old. The Lord opened the child’s mouth, and he spoke to the men beating Joseph, saying, “What are you doing to this man? Why are you doing this wrong to him? My mother is lying—this is what really happened.”
The child then clearly explained everything that had happened and told them all of Zelicah’s daily advances toward Joseph. The men were astonished by what the child said, and when he finished speaking, he became silent again.
Potiphar was deeply ashamed by his son’s words and ordered the men to stop beating Joseph, and they obeyed.
Joseph is interrogated by the priests who were judges
Jasher 44:69-75
Potiphar took Joseph and had him brought before the priests, who also served as the king’s judges, so they could rule on the matter. Potiphar and Joseph stood before them, and Potiphar said, “Please decide what judgment is appropriate for a servant, because this is what he has done.”
The priests asked Joseph, “Why did you do this to your master?”
Joseph replied, “My lords, that’s not how it happened. This is the truth.”
Then Potiphar said to Joseph, “I trusted you with everything I own. I didn’t hold anything back from you except my wife. How could you commit this evil?”
Joseph responded, “Not so, my lord. As surely as the Lord lives and as surely as your soul lives, what your wife told you is not true. Here’s what really happened today. I’ve been in your house for a year—have you seen any wrongdoing in me, or anything that would make you want to take my life?”
The priests said to Potiphar, “Please send for Joseph’s torn garment and bring it to us. Let us examine the tear. If the tear is in the front of the garment, then it means his face was toward her and she must have grabbed him to pull him to her. In that case, your wife spoke deceitfully.”
So they brought Joseph’s garment to the priests who were judges, and when they examined it, they saw that the tear was in the front. All the priests understood then that she had grabbed him and was the one pressing him. They said, “This servant does not deserve the death penalty, because he’s done nothing wrong. But because of the accusation made against your wife, his sentence is to be placed in the prison house.”
Joseph is sentenced to prison
Genesis 39:20, Jasher 44:76, Jubilees 39:11
When Potiphar heard their decision, he put Joseph in the prison house—the place where the king’s prisoners were confined. Joseph remained in the house of confinement for 12 years.
Resolution
Zelicah continued to speak with Joseph while he was in prison
Jasher 44:77-80a
Even after this, his master’s wife wouldn’t leave him alone. She kept talking to him day after day, trying to get him to listen to her. After 3 months, Zelicah kept coming to Joseph in the prison every day, trying to persuade him to listen to her. She said to Joseph, “How long will you stay in this place? Just listen to me now, and I’ll get you out of here.”
Joseph replied, “I’d rather stay in this house than listen to you and sin against God.”
She said to him, “If you won’t do what I ask, I’ll gouge out your eyes, put shackles on your feet, and hand you over to people you’ve never met before.”
Joseph answered, “Look, the God of the whole earth can rescue me from anything you try to do to me. He gives sight to the blind, sets prisoners free, and protects strangers in foreign lands.”
When Zelicah realized she couldn’t convince Joseph to listen to her, she stopped trying to entice him. Joseph remained confined in the prison.
Jacob and his sons continue to mourn for Joseph
Jasher 44:80b
Meanwhile, Jacob—Joseph’s father—and all his brothers in the land of Canaan continued to mourn and weep for him. Jacob refused to be comforted over Joseph and cried out, wept, and mourned every day.
Joseph found favor with the chief prison guard
Genesis 39:21-23, Jubilees 39:12-13
But the LORD was with Joseph. He showed him mercy and gave him favor with the prison keeper. The keeper put all the prisoners under Joseph’s care, and whatever was done in the prison, Joseph was the one who handled it. The keeper didn’t worry about anything in Joseph’s charge because the LORD was with him, and everything Joseph did succeeded because the LORD made it prosper.
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