How long was Joseph in prison?

A mere stripling of a shepherd lad, seventeen years old, needed severe discipline to fit him for the brilliant future that lay before him. For thirteen long years he was immured in prison. His feet were hurt with fetters, the iron entered his soul. One day more he awoke to the dreary experience of prison life. Before the sun was set, he was proclaimed to be next to Pharaoh in the land, the Food Controller of a mighty empire. His discipline under the hand of God had fitted him for the fulfilment of his God-given dreams.

The king of Egypt, Pharaoh, hanged the chief baker on the tree, but brought back the chief butler to his palace. Egypt is one of the oldest countries in the world. This story happened over three thousand years ago. Even now, the buildings and temples of Egypt are the greatest and most wonderful in the world. The Pyramids, thousands of years old, are still the strongest and greatest. We think that some were built soon after Joseph. Egypt was then the greatest country in the world. The Egyptians were clever, wise and rich. Two years after the chief butler got out of prison, the king had a strange dream. He could not understand it, nor could all the wise men of Egypt. He was greatly troubled, for it seemed a message. Pharaoh did not know the true God. All his people bowed down to idols, — many kinds, such as calves, beetles, and other animals. Could the true God explain the dream? Was there a man in all Egypt who knew God? Yes, one, but he was in prison. When Pharaoh could find nobody to explain his dream, the chief butler said, "I do remember my faults this day." Then he told the story of his dream in prison, and how Joseph explained it. The king sent a man to call Joseph. He quickly changed his prison clothes, shaved, and came to the King. He now was thirty years old. From the time he was a little boy up to seventeen years old, he was with his father in Canaan. Then he was sold as a slave into Egypt. Perhaps he was in prison about ten years. Now this poor rejected shepherd boy, the slave, was brought from prison to stand before the greatest king in the world. Wonderful! This surely makes me think of the Lord Jesus. He was a little more than thirty years in the world, despised and rejected of men, the "Man of Sorrows." He came down to the very lowest place. Joseph was just sold for a slave, but the Lord was sold and died. Joseph had a good end when he was old, but the Lord Jesus did not die peacefully, but on a cross! His death was cruel and shameful: more terrible than any other death. Besides the pain and shame, God also put our sins on Him. None can say how great was the Lord's suffering! Oh! Why did He suffer so much? For you and for me! The king of Egypt called Joseph out from the dark prison to stand before him. So God took the Lord Jesus out of the grave and after forty days the Lord went up to heaven and now sits at the right hand of God. Truly, God has now highly exalted Him, and given Him a name which is above every name, that at the name of JESUS every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth: and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. (Phil. 2:9-11)

We think of many of God’s people in prison as told us in the Scriptures—Joseph, “whose feet they hurt with fetters” (Ps. 13:18), languishing in prison for something like a dozen years because he would not do “this great wickedness and sin against God” (Gen. 39:9). Jeremiah, the brave prophet, who did not shun to give his message, with whom “the princes were wroth… and smote him, and put him in prison” (Jer. 37:15). Hanani, the seer, who, by his faithful message aroused the wrath of King Asa, who “put him in a prison house; for he was in a rage with him” (2 Chr. 16:10).

He learned that neither love nor righteousness could be comprehended by man. To God alone he must look, and on God alone be cast. And God did not disappoint him. "The Lord was with Joseph, and showed him mercy, and gave him favour in the sight of the keeper of the prison. “The one who is really cast on God improves the circumstances of trial in which he is, whether they be temporary, or permanent. No adverse circumstances can crush the true living energy; they may limit and determine it. The scene may be changed, but not the spirit of it. Moses in Midian helps the woman and waters their flocks, when no longer allowed to help and serve the Hebrews. He is a saviour in Midian, as well as in Egypt to the nation of Israel: and the Lord becomes a sanctuary to him and provides alleviation for him in his bondage and sorrow. And Joseph also is found ere long to be as useful in prison, as he was in the house of the captain of the guard. "The keeper of the prison looked not to anything that was under his hand, because the Lord was with him, and that which he did the Lord made it to prosper." In every trial, however gloomy, there are gleams of light and relief; but full deliverance is often delayed by our anxiety to obtain it. God is to be the satisfaction of His servant, and not the deliverance; consequently, the latter is often postponed until we are without prospect or expectation of it: and then, it may be accorded in a manner so transcendently beyond our perception, that we must see and understand the love and interest which surrounded us during the whole period of our trial. Thus was it with Peter in Acts 12, with Paul and Silas in Acts 16, and with Joseph in the sequel of what we are considering. His abilities as God's servant, and as the one acquainted with His mind, are first in the most distinct manner displayed in the prison. Trials, the effect of man's enmity, do not obstruct the truth of God. Opportunity for its development will occur, in apparently the most disastrous circumstances. Paul, in gaol, is blessed to the gaoler: Joseph, in prison, reveals to the chief-butler the purposes of God; but he probably errs in soliciting the latter to negotiate for his release; and two full years longer must he remain a captive. He is again taught that no confidence can be placed in man. The prolonged incarceration must have deeply tried one who was conscious of having done nothing to merit it. It must have almost seemed as if God had forgotten him; and nothing is so painful as the sense that one from whom you expect much knows of your need, and does not come forward to your help. This was Job's great trial — that God did not manifest care for him, and John the Baptist's, when he heard in prison of the works of Jesus. Whether Joseph felt thus we are not told; but we know that God had a purpose in his prolonged imprisonment: and when that purpose was answered, "the time came, and the word of the Lord tried him; the king sent and delivered him, even the ruler of the people, and let him go free." How little we understand the exercises and purgation to which the fruitful branch must be subjected that it may be fit for God's work! Chastening is needed, to take out of the way that which we do not seek to remove; and purging, to rid us of what we desire and seek to be rid. Joseph underwent a deep process of purgation, from the day he left his father's house, clad in the coat of many colours, as a distinguishing mark of love. He had to learn, through a remarkable series of sorrow and discipline, that in order to be fit for God's service he must find the favour of man is deceitful: he is allowed to taste of it from time to time, in order to show him how little it can avail him in any moment of need; and slowly, but surely, he learns what it is to be from God, and to God. But deliverance comes in the end; and Joseph appears before Pharaoh, in the highest sense, as a servant and witness of God. He declares things to come, and receives the distinction and position to which righteously he is entitled, and which the world even is compelled to accord him. All this time, probably, he knew little of the service which he was to render to his brethren, or how fully that which he once attempted to render to them, and which was so cruelly rejected and requited, would now be offered and so humbly appreciated. God all the time was working for his people, and preparing for them; and in process of time, Joseph knew this and admitted it.

At this time we are told Joseph's age was 30 years (v. 46), the same as that of the Lord Jesus when He began His public ministry (Luke 3:23). Thus his combined time as a slave and in prison was 13 years. Now he goes out throughout all the land of Egypt, to supervise the organization of plans to gather in to many storage places the tremendous amount of grain that was only one-fifth of the super abundance that was yielded during the fruitful first seven years (vv. 47-48). The amount was so great that it was found impossible to compute it (v. 49).

Many years intervene after this before Isaac died at the age of 180 years. Jacob and Esau were 120 years of age at this time, for they were born when Isaac was 60 (ch.25:16). Ten years after Isaac's death Jacob was presented before Pharoah at age 130 (ch.47:9). But Joseph had been sold into Egypt at age 17 and was exalted as Ruler over Egypt 13 years later at age 30 (ch.37:1; ch.41:46). Following this there were seven years of plenty in Egypt and some years of famine. It seems therefore that Isaac must have died at about the time that Joseph was exalted in Egypt.

For thirteen long years Joseph knew what bitter bondage meant. Sold into Egypt by his envious brethren, flung into prison unjustly because he rightly resisted the blandishments of Potiphar’s wife, his was a truly fearful experience. The dreams of the chief butler and baker, and Joseph’s interpretations of them, were no accident, but all incidents in a scheme dovetailed with exactitude in all its parts. They were all links in the chain that went to fulfil Joseph’s dreams as a lad of seventeen, and, what is of far more importance, necessary parts of the great plan that God had in view, the end of which is not reached yet.

When the chief butler left the prison to be reinstated in his former position with Pharaoh, no doubt Joseph’s heart beat high with the hope of his own release as the result of the chief butler, in gratitude, bringing his case before the notice of Pharaoh. Bitter indeed must have been his disappointment as two long weary years went by, and no signs of his release were given. He might have lived and died in prison, but for the incident we are about to relate.

Joseph remained in prison two full years longer, a further time of learning in humiliation the practical lesson of self-discipline. But he was under God's eye, and at the right time God sent two dreams to Pharaoh of such a character that he was greatly stirred by them. No doubt he had had many other dreams, but these were so outstanding that he could not ignore them.

Critics do not believe even this simple story and deny the culture of vines in Egypt. But the Egyptian paintings have given them the lie. They picture the pressing of the grapes in a cup, which was a religious ceremony. Joseph was forgotten; two years longer he had to remain in prison. What exercise of patience and faith he must have had!

One event is given which, while showing the power of godliness, tells too what the faithful may expect from this world — maligned, falsely accused, and a prison. This was the first effect of faithfulness. Was there ever a trial or a testing sent from God where the faithful saint was not first left to feel the world's malignity? Why? That God's blessing and approval may afterwards come all the sweeter. In Potiphar's wife we see the world in no uncommon character, whose prince is first the tempter, then the accuser of saints. Joseph 1 has to wait more than two full years before God appears for him. Faith and patience must have their perfect work. Then the reward comes, not merely liberty, but exaltation to the highest power short of the throne. Pharaoh's dream is added to those of the butler and of the baker, where the wisdom of God is displayed in Joseph, the inspired interpreter