In the Beginning:
The Book of Genesis
Lesson 23 Judah & Tamar; Joseph & Potiphar’s Wife
the book of Genesis 38:1—39:23
Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (RSVCE)*
New American Bible Revised Edition (NABRE)*
Catechism of the Catholic Church
ex libris (in our library)
cross references in the book of Genesis
next lesson: Joseph Interprets Dreams
This material coordinates with Lesson 23 on pages 124–128 in the study book In the Beginning: The Book of Genesis.
“And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, a sixth day. Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them. And on the seventh day God finished his work which he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had done.”—the book of Genesis 1:31—2:2
welcome to our in-depth study of the book of Genesis
We invite interested groups and individuals to check out the sample first lesson from this 28-lesson 
Turning to God’s Word Catholic Bible study. 
These online study pages link to our free lesson video overviews as well as to a list of cross references in the biblical text. Other study aids include maps, charts, illustrations, additional commentary, and prayers based on the primary Scripture in each lesson. In the Beginning: The Book of Genesis has been granted an imprimatur and can be purchased from our website shop. If you have a Bible-study question or comment, click on one of the “ask us your question” or “what do you think” buttons on any online study page.
open with prayer
It’s always wise to begin any Bible study with prayer, whether reading the Scriptures alone or meeting with others in a discussion study group. You can pray using your own words or use one of the opening prayers on our website. We especially like the following:
Lord Jesus, you promised to send your Holy Spirit
to teach us all things.
As we read and study your word today,
allow it to touch our hearts and change our lives. Amen.
let’s review—the book of Genesis 37:1–36
In Lesson 22 Joseph Is Sold into Slavery by His Brothers, that 17-year-old Joseph receives preferential treatment from Jacob annoys his brothers, especially after Joseph shares details of two dreams he’s had that he interprets as a sign of his family bowing down to him. The brothers hatch a plan to kill Joseph, but they’re dissuaded by the eldest brother, Reuben, and instead leave Joseph to die in a pit. While Reuben is away, the other brothers spot some traders passing by. (Scripture is unclear about whether these traders are Ishmaelite or Midianite. ) The brothers decide to sell Joseph for 20 shekels of silver, and Joseph’s taken as a slave to Egypt. Reuben’s distress when he learns of this suggests that he’d intended to come back alone and rescue Joseph. The brothers tear Joseph’s cloak and smear it with the blood of a dead goat, then return to their father to tell him that Joseph was torn to pieces by a wild beast. Jacob mourns the loss of his favorite son who was born to Jacob’s favorite wife Rachel.
a pair of racy biblical stories
This illustration by Turning to God’s Word co-founder Tami Palladino depicts Joseph fleeing from Potiphar’s lascivious wife. Some readers are surprised to find the story of Joseph interrupted by a brief 
interlude from Judah’s life. Both stories are racier than people unfamiliar with the Old Testament expect. Although both pertain to sex, they’re probably included in Scripture for other purposes. The story about Joseph fits into the narrative in which it’s inserted, and it makes a number of points about Joseph’s character and the depth of his relationship with God. The story of Judah and Tamar that’s found in the thirty-eighth chapter of the book of Genesis, in contrast, seems included in order to explain the genealogy of Judah’s descendants, who form the line into which the Messiah will be born. Click on the illustration (right) to enlarge it. The original illustration is on page 127 in the study book In the Beginning: The Book of Genesis.
racy stories in the book of Genesis (19:27)
The accounts of Potiphar’s wife making unwelcome sexual advances to Joseph, 
and of Judah’s unwillingness to allow Tamar to marry his last remaining son after the two older sons who had married her died—along with the sex and violence involved in Lesson 20, “The Story of Dinah”—add an R-rated quality to the book of Genesis. As Turning to God’s Word author Matthew Phelps points out, however, what’s more important is that they disclose important personal details about the character of Joseph. They also explain the genealogy of the line of Judah into which both the King David and 
Jesus the Messiah eventually will be born. The videos for this study are being redone and will be posted as they become available. The original videos for Lessons 4 through 28 will remain accessible until then.
The Scripture ranges for the videos being redone to accompany this Catholic Bible study from Turning to God’s Word will match the Scripture ranges for the sets of questions in the study book In the Beginning: The Book of Genesis. Viewers will be able to follow along as author Matthew Phelps discusses Lesson 23, “Judah & Tamar; Joseph & Potiphar’s Wife,” on pages 124–128 in the study book.
lust—you could look it up in our archives
The stories about Joseph and Potiphar’s wife and about Judah and Tamar skirt around the issue of lust, toward which most of the ancients seemed to take a rather nonchalant attitude. To learn more about how the root of the word “lust” affects Jesus’ teaching, read Lost in Translation, an online column in which Turning to God’s Word author Matthew Phelps helps readers connect with ideas expressed in the original languages of the Scriptures. New Lost in Translation entries are posted on Mondays, and past entries are archived on our website. Contact us if you’d like to receive Lost in Translation by email every week.
read the Catechism—how well do you know your faith?
What do you know about the threat of mortal sin, and how familiar are you with the conditions that cause sin to endanger our immortal souls? Can you answer the following question without looking at the Catechism of the Catholic Church?
Can you define and describes the three conditions necessary for mortal sin? To learn what the Church teaches, refer to paragraphs 1857 through 1860 in the Catechism of the Catholic Church.
WHAT DO YOU THINK about some of these Old Testament heroes?
All of the heroic characters of the Old Testament are shown in situations in which they aren’t necessarily too comfortable, and many of them behave badly. In the pair of stories in this lesson, Joseph refuses to abandon his moral standards even when it would be advantageous for him to do so. Judah, on the other hand, has a flexible (and rather loose) approach to morality, one that changes depending on the particular situation in which he finds himself.
? Keeping in mind that Joseph surely was a teenager at the time he was pulled from his home, where do you think he developed the moral strength to resist the advances of Potiphar’s wife?
? Judah is a mature adult with grown sons, and he’s described behaving poorly. What might have led to Judah failing to develop a more noble character?
? Consider whether Joseph would have developed such a strong mroal character had he remained at home with his family.
? Do you think it possible that Judah failed to experience situations in which he could develop moral strength of character?
? What evidence does Scripture provide that Judah may have had a rather laid-back approach to his relationship with God?
? What can we as Christians learn from these two stories that we can apply to our own lives?
Joseph has been brought up with some serious religious training
Although it hasn’t been that apparent until now, once Joseph is taken to Egypt it’s obvious that he’s received serious religious training in the home of his father Jacob. Even removed from his family and all connection to Hebrew worship practices, Joseph’s commitment to moral behavior is stellar.
in the line of the patriarchs
Most biblical references to the patriarchs are to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. God’s action in Joseph’s life clearly shows that Joseph’s carrying on the tradition of his forefathers. The long robe given Joseph by his father hints that Joseph has found favor with God, his heavenly Father, as well. Joseph’s dreams, given by God, serve as another indicator that God is intervening in his life.
It’s worth noting that God’s interest in Joseph isn’t brought about because Joseph is favored by Jacob. Isaac’s preference for Esau had no bearing on Jacob receiving the patriarchal blessing. It’s also worth noting that God’s interest in Joseph doesn’t help the young Joseph get along with his brothers, either.
Instead, God’s favor can be seen in the way that Joseph’s able to prosper in a foreign land—at least until Potiphar’s wife enters the picture. Joseph remains true to his moral convictions. Moving forward, it will become apparent that even in prison Joseph’s going to be able to prosper. The key is Joseph’s relationship with God, and no matter the cost, Joseph refuses to do anything to jeopardize that.
the popes inspire us—all in the family
The genealogies in the book of Genesis lay the foundation for the genealogies of Jesus Christ found in the Gospel According to Matthew and the Gospel According to Luke. In “A Genealogy of Faith” on page 127 in the study book In the Beginning: The Book of Genesis, Pope Benedict XVI discusses the significance of the four pagan women listed in the genealogy in the first chapter in the Gospel According to Matthew: “These women reveal an exemplary response to God’s faithfulness, showing their faith in the God of Israel. Thus we see faith as a gift and as the way to communion with God. … It’s on the absolute fidelity of God and on the sound faith of these women that the fulfillment of the promise made to Israel is founded.”
the best Catholic commentary about Scripture
To find out more about how Church teaching is supported by Scripture passages in In the Beginning: The Book of Genesis, check out the Index of Citations in the Catechism of the Catholic Church. Links (Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition [RSVCE*]) to the primary Scripture passages in the lesson and relevant paragraphs in the Catechism are provided here. Not every passage in the biblical text for this Catholic study is referenced in a Catechism paragraph, however.
the book of Genesis 38:18—paragraph 1295
to learn more, read more Scripture
If you’re having difficulty with a particular passage of Scripture, it can be helpful to read the relevant 
cross references—but looking these up can take time. To make that easier, we’ve compiled the cross references from the Revised Standard Version Second Catholic Edition (RSV2CE)—the translation that we reprint in our study books. That list can be found at the top of every online study page, and it includes links to cross references in the primary biblical text for In the Beginning: The Book of Genesis.
don’t forget about our indexes & extra online material
If you’re trying to locate information about a specific Scripture passage, you can look it up in the index at the back of the study book or sample lesson. If you want to find a particular commentary, you can look up its title in the topics index. To learn more about another book of the Bible for which there’s a Turning to God’s Word study, visit the online study directories to read the commentaries and watch any accompanying videos. Finally, if you have a question or would like to make a comment about any of our studies, you can use one of the “ask us your question” or “what do you think” buttons to email our authors.
ex libris—Church documents & books about religious topics
Link to magisterial documents referred to in our Bible studies at ex libris—magisterial documents. 
This listing includes significant recent encyclicals as well as a number of historical Church documents. Recommended books related to Scripture study can be found at ex libris—main bookshelf.
wondering how to pronounce some of these words?
The following link is to a reading from the New International Version (NIV) Bible. To listen, open the link and click on the audio icon above the printed text. Although not taken from the translations used in our study materials, the NIV reading provides an audio guide to pronunciation of words in this lesson’s primary biblical text. A close online version of the translation of the Bible used in Catholic liturgy in the United States as well as an audio guide for daily Mass readings for the current month can be found on the website of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB).
the book of Genesis 38:1—39:23 (NIV)
close with Bible-based prayer related to this lesson
Many of our Catholic study groups like to conclude their discussions with a prayer based on the scriptural focus of their lesson, and some participants include Scripture-specific prayer in their individual study. If you’re uncomfortable composing your own Bible-based prayers, you can follow our four easy steps. If you prefer, you can use the following prayer based on this lesson’s text from the book of Genesis.
O God, you control all of human history.
Help us to cling to our faith in your promises
and to trust in your goodness,
even in the midst of difficulties
and situations that we don’t fully understand.
We ask this in the name of Jesus Christ,
who never ceased to trust in you. Amen.
Lesson 24 Joseph Interprets Dreams—the book of Genesis 40:1—41:57
Lesson 22 Joseph Is Sold into Slavery by His Brothers—the book of Genesis 37:1–36
you also may like our study of the book of Revelation
The Revelation of Jesus Christ: The Faithful Witness, a 23-lesson Catholic Bible study with an imprimatur, examines ways in which our traditional Christian view of heaven is built on Hebrew apocalyptic visions recorded in the Old Testament. This recently revised study includes maps and additional commentary and takes a close look at the role of the prophets in present-day Christianity. Illustrations by Tami Palladino depict the often-misunderstood images in the book of Revelation. Click on the book’s cover to view a sample lesson.
start a Turning to God’s Word Bible study
Thank you for your interest in our study In the Beginning: The Book of Genesis. 
Information about beginning a Turning to God’s Word Catholic Bible study can be found at start a Bible study. Tami, Matthew, and I are available to answer questions and offer support. Contact us if you’d like to start a Turning to God’s Word study or have your schedule listed with other TtGW study groups on our website. —Jennifer
*There are seven deuterocanonical books in the Old Testament—the Books of Tobit, Judith, Wisdom, Sirach, Baruch, and First and Second Maccabees, as well as some passages in the Books of Esther and Daniel. Protestants usually refer to these works as “apocryphal,” a word that means “outside the (Protestant) canon” because they’re excluded from most Protestant Bibles. The word “deuterocanonical” means “second canon”; Catholics use that word to refer to any section of the Catholic Old Testament for which there are no extant, or existing, Hebrew manuscripts. All of the deuterocanonical books appear in the Septuagint, the earliest remaining versions of which date to the 1st century B.C. This Greek translation of the Old Testament was in common use by Jews at the time of Jesus—but the same books aren’t found in existing Hebrew manuscripts, which aren’t as old as the oldest version of the Septuagint. Learn more by reading How Do Catholic & Protestant Bibles Differ?
Turning to God’s Word printed Bible studies use the 2006 Revised Standard Version Second Catholic Edition (RSV2CE) translation for all Scripture references except those to the Psalms, which are taken from The Abbey Psalms and Canticles, prepared by the Benedictine monks of Conception Abbey and published in 2020 by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB). All Scripture links for the online study pages for In the Beginning: The Book of Genesis are to the 1966 Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (RSVCE) translation. The New International Version (NIV) audio recordings follow the same chapter and verse numbering as the RSV Catholic translations, but the NIV translation doesn’t include the deuterocanonical books and passages.
The 1966 RSVCE uses archaic pronouns and verb forms such as “thee,” “thou,” “didst” in the Psalms and in direct quotations attributed to God. The 2006 RSV2CE replaces those with more accessible English. The few significant translation changes in the RSV2CE include rendering almah as “virgin” in the Book of Isaiah 7:14 and restoring the term “begotten” in the Gospel According to John 3:16.
Numbering varies for some passages in this Bible study. Turning to God’s Word studies (print and digital) follow the numbering in the Revised Standard Version Catholic translations (RSV2CE and RSVCE). Discrepancies in the New American Bible Revised Edition (NABRE) are noted in the Index of Scripture Citations in the study book and the online sample.
You can learn more about the Psalms by viewing a sample lesson from the Turning to God’s Word Catholic Bible study Sing a New Psalm: Communicating with God Through the Prayers of the Church—Volume I: Lauds & Vespers. The second part of that study, Sing a New Psalm: Communicating with God Through the Prayers of the Church—Volume II: Vigils, Day Prayer & Compline, is scheduled for publication in 2025. Some verse numbers may vary in different translations of the Psalms.