Person Old Testament
Potiphar
Potiphar, the Egyptian officer who purchased Joseph as a slave and later imprisoned him after false accusations by Potiphar's wife. Mentioned in 2 verses across 1 book, first at Genesis 37:36.
Why it matters. Egyptian official who bought Joseph as a slave
- Primary passages
- Last reviewed
- 2026-08-30 by the FaithGraph team
About Potiphar
Potiphar was an Egyptian official who served as the captain of the guard in the court of Pharaoh. He is first mentioned in Gen.37.36, where he is identified as the man who purchased Joseph, the son of Israel (or 'Jacob'), from the Ishmaelite traders who had brought him to Egypt. Potiphar recognized Joseph's abilities and put him in charge of his household, entrusting him with all his possessions (Gen.39.1-6). However, Potiphar's wife attempted to seduce Joseph, and when he refused her advances, she falsely accused him of trying to assault her. Believing his wife's accusation, Potiphar had Joseph thrown into prison (Gen.39.7-20). Despite this unjust treatment, God was with Joseph and granted him favor, even in prison. The story of Joseph and Potiphar highlights the themes of integrity, faithfulness, and God's providence in the face of adversity.
Description from STEPBible TIPNR (Tyndale House, Cambridge), CC BY 4.0, lightly reformatted. This is background reference material, not Scripture and not a FaithGraph editorial claim.
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Appears in Scripture
Named in 2 verses across 1 book. Occurrence data from STEPBible TIPNR (CC BY 4.0); references only, no translation text.