Genesis 39:17

She saw a chance to get revenge on Joseph because he would not join her in evil. She called out to other men, no doubt servants of the household, and told them Joseph had come in meaning to rape her. She said she cried out, and that he left without his garment. So from the very moment of the incident she had testimony against Joseph, and it seemed conclusive. When Potiphar came home she told him the same false story. Joseph's garment lay there as apparent proof of her evil accusation.

The temptation came "day by day" (v. 10), and the attacks grew more persistent. Then Joseph "flees" from the temptation, and the devil is foiled. But having failed as the tempter, he now becomes the persecutor (vv. 13-18). The woman who had earlier cast her evil eyes on Joseph now bears witness against him with a lying tongue. As an old writer said, "Those who have broken the bonds of modesty will never be held by the bonds of truth. It is nothing new for the best of men to be falsely accused of the worst crimes by those who are themselves the worst of criminals."

Of course Joseph was helpless to do anything. His word, the word of a slave, would mean nothing to Potiphar compared with the word of his wife.

The wicked woman's husband evidently did not really believe his wife's foul lie. It was perhaps only to save appearances that he made a show of punishing Joseph. If he really believed her story, it is hard to see why he did not have this Hebrew slave put to death at once. He probably knew her character well.

By his steadfast refusal he enraged the woman. She invented a cunning story against him. Her husband believed it, and it landed Joseph in prison. But in Joseph's history we are going to see a striking example of what the Apostle Peter wrote in his First Epistle. Peter said, "But if when you do good and suffer for it you endure, this is a gracious thing in the sight of God" (1 Peter 2:20). He was brought low for a moment, but only so that he might be lifted up at the right time.

Here we have the holy young man resisting the tempter, and bearing grief, suffering wrongfully. This is grace in the day of trial. Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example that you should follow His steps… Joseph could be no real type of the atonement. But of Christ's suffering unjustly and in grace he was a blessed foreshadowing.

Nothing was said about the reason he was put in prison. So far as the record goes, he was never cleared of the charge that was falsely brought against him. He evidently left this in the hand of God, who knows how to care for His servant's reputation.