The Wife of Potiphar, Sexual Harassment, and False Rape Allegation: Genesis 39 in Select Social Contexts of the Past and Present

The story in Gen 39 depicts Joseph as hero and Potiphar’s wife as villain. Yet, because the story is sparsely told, it permits ambiguities. Consequently, while most biblical interpreters vilify the wife of Potiphar, she also has some staunch defenders – including among those who seek to reclaim her as an African woman who brings blessings to Joseph and Israel. This paper explores some details, subtleties and possibilities of the story before turning to its toxic interpretive potentialities in present time, more particularly the context of rape culture and the revelations of #MeToo.