The story of Joseph, a prominent figure in the Book of Genesis, is a compelling narrative of betrayal, faith, and eventual triumph. A key part of his story is his imprisonment in Egypt, a period marked by hardship and divine intervention. But how long was Joseph actually in prison? Let's delve into the details to understand the timeline of this significant chapter in Joseph's life.
Now Joseph had been taken down to Egypt.
Joseph interprets Pharaoh's dream, leading to his release and rise to power.
The Events Leading to Imprisonment
Joseph, son of Jacob and Rachel, lived in the land of Canaan with ten half-brothers, one full brother, and at least one half-sister. He was Rachel's firstborn and Jacob's eleventh son.
Joseph was sold by his own brothers as a slave and was purchased by Potiphar, a captain of the guard of Pharaoh. In Genesis 37, Vayeshev, Joseph's half-brothers were envious of him.
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Most of them plotted to kill him in Dothan, except Reuben, who suggested they throw Joseph into an empty cistern; he intended to rescue Joseph himself later.
In Genesis 39, Vayeshev, Joseph was sold to Potiphar, the captain of Pharaoh's guard. Later, Joseph became Potiphar's servant, and subsequently his household's superintendent.
Here, Potiphar's wife (later called Zulaykha) tried to seduce Joseph, which he refused. Because Potiphar had great power with the pharaoh and perhaps was even head of the royal executioners, it is remarkable that Joseph was only put into prison and not executed.
A slave accused of attempting to rape his master’s wife would seem to have deserved the most severe punishment, and yet Joseph was only imprisoned. Could it be that Potiphar, knowing of Joseph’s character and his wife’s character, suspected the truth and, although he felt compelled to take action, chose comparatively lenient punishment?
Joseph's answer to the advances of Potiphar's wife shows his great personal righteousness.
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King Benjamin taught the Nephites that “when ye are in the service of your fellow beings ye are only in the service of your God” (Mosiah 2:17). If that principle were to be stated negatively, it would read, “When ye are exploiting or sinning against your fellow beings, you are only sinning against God.” Joseph understood this principle perfectly and answered Potiphar’s wife by pointing out that it would be a terrible thing to take advantage of his master in this way.
Life in Prison
The warden put Joseph in charge of the other prisoners and soon afterward Pharaoh's chief cup-bearer and chief baker, who had offended the Pharaoh, were thrown into the prison.
Both men had dreams, and Joseph, being able to interpret dreams, asked to hear them. Joseph interpreted the dreams of Pharaoh's cupbearer and baker while in prison.
Clearly, Joseph had a more blessed time in jail than other prisoners, for he was placed in charge over the inmates, and he found favor in the sight of the keeper of the prison (Gen. 39:20-23). Yet these privileges did not alleviate his suffering completely.
Today’s passage indicates he was in chains when not carrying out his appointed duties. He was “confined” while in jail (40:3), but a better translation of this word would be “bound,” showing that he was fettered at least some of the time.
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Later books of the Bible confirm this inference (Ps.
It is not clear how long Joseph was in prison, but we can deduce that the total time of his service to Potiphar and his imprisonment to this point was around 11 years. It had been that long since he was sold by his brothers at age 17, making him about 28 when the same Potiphar, captain of the guard who was over the prison warden, makes Joseph serve Pharaoh's chief butler and chief baker during their confinement.
The Turning Point
The Genesis account tells us that after Joseph interpreted the dreams of the chief cupbearer and baker, the cupbearer was restored to his position but forgot about Joseph for two whole years.
After two more years, the Pharaoh dreamt of seven lean cows which devoured seven fat cows; and of seven withered ears of grain which devoured seven fat ears. When the Pharaoh's advisers failed to interpret these dreams, the cup-bearer remembered Joseph.
Joseph was then summoned. Following the prediction, Joseph became Vizier, under the name of Zaphnath-Paaneah and was given Asenath, the daughter of Potipherah, priest of On, to be his wife.
Joseph was in prison at least 2 years because Genesis 41:1 opens with "When two full years had passed, Pharaoh had a dream:..." The previous chapters, Genesis 39 and Genesis 40, closed with Joseph being in prison and the cupbearer forgetting Joseph in prison.
Two whole years passed. (Genesis 41:1) Imagine how frustrating that must have been for Joseph!
Those two years might well have been the most challenging of all for Joseph to endure. Yet, he never gave up his trust in his God.
Perhaps his hopes were high after Jehovah gave him the understanding of the puzzling dreams of the cupbearer and the baker. And, as each day dawned, Joseph may have awakened with renewed hope that this would be the day of his release-only to find once again that the dull routine of prison life dragged on, unchanged.
Joseph in prison, awaiting his opportunity.
The Final Count: How Long Was Joseph in Prison?
We do not know exactly how long Joseph was imprisoned. It was a total of thirteen years from the time he was sold into slavery at age seventeen until he was appointed governor of Egypt when he was thirty (Gen. 37:2; 41:46), but we cannot determine the precise amount of time he spent in prison versus his length of service to Potiphar.
Joseph was 17 years old when his brothers sold him to the Ishmaelites (Genesis 37:2). By the time he was released from prison and appointed as head over Egypt, Joseph was 30 years of age (Genesis 41:46). Therefore, thirteen years passed from the time Joseph was sold by his brothers to the time he left prison.
Joseph was in prison for two years after he interpreted the dreams of the chief butler and baker (see Genesis 41:1). He was sold into slavery when he was about seventeen (see Genesis 37:2), and he was thirty years of age when he became vice-regent to the pharaoh (see Genesis 41:46). Altogether he served thirteen years with Potiphar and in prison.
The record does not tell how long he served Potiphar before his imprisonment, but that he worked his way up to be the overseer of the prison implies some period of time before the butler and baker joined him.
Some Jewish commentators have written that Joseph was imprisoned for twelve years, being only one year in Potiphar’s service.
These commentators point to the apocryphal Book of Jasher as evidence: “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” (Book of Jasher 44:76). It’s possible that Joseph was in prison for twelve years, but it’s also possible that he was in prison for much less time.
Joseph doubtless found imprisonment an arduous test of his patience, especially in the time before he met the pharaoh’s cupbearer, who would offer hope to him that he would one day be released (40:9-15).
Joseph would find hope for his future in these figures because of the position they held in the pharaoh’s court. The cupbearer was among a pharaoh’s most trusted advisers because his job was to taste the king’s wine and determine if it was safe for the pharaoh to drink.
Only one who was supremely loyal to the king could be good for this position, and thus the cupbearer could wield a lot of influence over the king on Joseph’s behalf. Compare, for example, Nehemiah who was cupbearer to the Persian king centuries after Joseph died (Neh.
Initially, Joseph is demoted when these two royal officials arrive. Incarcerated they may be, but they are still of high rank, and Potiphar makes Joseph serve them (Gen. 40:4).
He still trusted in the Lord, although he must have felt doomed to spend his life in prison. If any person had cause for discouragement and bitterness, it was Joseph, but he never faltered in his faith.
God used the trials Joseph endured to bring about something good: “the saving of many lives,” including those of his brothers who had hated him so much (Genesis 50:20).
It’s possible that Joseph was in prison for twelve years, but it’s also possible that he was in prison for much less time.
Ultimately, the exact duration of Joseph's imprisonment remains unspecified in the Bible. However, the scriptures do reveal that it lasted at least two years. Regardless of the precise length, Joseph's time in prison was a critical period that tested his faith and prepared him for his eventual rise to power. Despite his hardships, Joseph remained faithful, and his ability to interpret dreams led to his release and appointment as Vizier of Egypt, second only to Pharaoh. His story serves as a testament to the power of faith and perseverance in the face of adversity.
Joseph’s Journey from Prison to Power – A Kids Bible Story!
Joseph rises to power in Egypt.
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