Joseph Sold in Egypt

Joseph stands in an Egyptian place of captivity with a placard hanging from his neck while an older trader gestures toward the viewer, presenting him for sale. Behind them, barred confinement and other captives emphasize the humiliation and danger of Joseph’s descent from favored son to enslaved Hebrew. The scene reflects the aftermath of his brothers’ betrayal, when Joseph was carried into Egypt and bought by Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh. In Genesis, this injustice becomes the hidden beginning of God’s providence: what men meant for evil, the Lord would later use to preserve many lives. This artwork serves well for teaching on Joseph, suffering, betrayal, divine sovereignty, and faithfulness under oppression. by Jeff Preston