Tyndale Open Bible Dictionary

POTIPHAR

Officer who purchased Joseph when he arrived in Egypt after being sold by his brothers to the Ishmaelites or Midianites (Gn 37:36; 39:1). The word translated “officer” is derived from an Akkadian word for a court official. By the first millennium, the meaning “eunuch” was attached to the term; hence, the neb, following the Septuagint tradition, has “eunuch” in Genesis 37:36. But most English versions are correct in rendering it “officer” or “official.” Little, if anything, is known of eunuchs in Egypt, and certainly they played no role in Pharaoh’s court in the second millennium BC.

A second title held by Potiphar was “captain of the guard,” which seems to be a Semitic expression for an Egyptian title rather than a transliteration of an Egyptian phrase. This same title is applied to Nebuzaradan, Nebuchadnezzar’s general (see 2 Kgs 25:8, 11, 20; Jer 39:9-11). The Egyptian counterpart to this title suggests that this officer was an instructor for retainers who were attached to the king. The titles indicate that Potiphar was a man of some importance and status. His purchase of a Semitic slave to serve in domestic affairs is in keeping with the practice of Egyptians from 1800 BC onward.

The name Potiphar seems to be a transliteration of the Egyptian name, meaning “he whom Re [the sun god] has given.” This name formula is known in Egypt beginning around the 13th century BC.

When falsely accused of trying to seduce Potiphar’s wife, Joseph was placed in prison (Gn 39:20). Some think that Potiphar as “captain of the guard” would have been the warden. But Genesis 39:21 tells us that the “keeper of the prison” was impressed with Joseph’s abilities (something Potiphar had already learned—cf. vv 2-6), and so gave him special responsibilities. The warden’s discovery of Joseph’s talents while in prison suggests that he was a different man.