Genesis 39:1: “Now Joseph had been taken down to Egypt. Potiphar, an Egyptian who was one of Pharaoh’s officials, the captain of the guard bought him from the Ishmaelites who had taken him there.”
Abdullah was a successful merchant who catered to kings and queens. As of lately, he noticed an increased demand in domestic slaves. He had been on the look-out for educated men who could attend to the household affairs of the wealthy. And the moment he laid eyes on Joseph he knew he was a perfect candidate, but he carefully concealed his enthusiasm. “You kept him in this empty cistern over there”, Abdullah said disapprovingly to the sons of Jacob and added: “It looks like you didn’t treat him very well. I will offer you twenty shekels for this man. Take it or leave it.” As he anticipated, the brothers were eager to agree on the price. An experienced trader, he had learned how to read people. From what he saw, these brothers wanted to get rid of this man as quickly as possible.
The merchants came all the way from Damascus where they had loaded their camels with spices, balm and myrrh. Following the king’s highway they traversed the Negev desert until they reached the Red Sea at which point they turned north. After crossing the Sinai Peninsula they reached the Nile River on day 21. Joseph had been counting the days of his forced journey. His hands were bound with a rope that was attached to Abdullah’s train of camels. His master was walking right behind him. Throughout the trip he had kept a watchful eye on him. It was useless to even think of escaping.
Joseph addressed the merchant in Aramaic: “I am thirsty.” Abdullah nodded. He understood most regional dialects spoken on his trade route. “We will take a break here”, he responded in Arabic pointing to his fellow merchants who had already led their camels to a shaded area near the river. His master unbound his hands and handed him water and bread. Joseph had been listening to the various dialects spoken by the traders and had begun to pick up on some of the words. “Ashkuruk”, he thanked him in Arabic. Abdullah raised his eyebrows and replied: “Hala.”
Finally, white-walled palaces emerged from afar, glimmering in the mid-day heat. Joseph remembered that his father had called the prominent city on the river delta “Moph”. The anglicized version “Memphis”, which translates to “Enduring and Beautiful”, was named after the great pyramid just west of the city. As serene it looked from afar, as noisy it was in close proximity. Joseph had never been outside of Canaan and soaked in the strange smells and sounds of the crowded metropolis.
Abdullah had connections to the upper class and had sent for a certain private dealer who arrived promptly after hearing what he had to offer. The dealer was clean-shaven and clothed in Egyptian fashion with a short kilt, pleated and belted. His shoulder-length hair was perfumed and he wore a thick necklace. After a short debate the dealer agreed on the price and Joseph was guided to the outskirts of the city where they approached the entrance of a big estate. A brief exchange with the security guard opened the gate and they were allowed inside. A walkway meandering through a manicured garden led to the front door of an enormous villa.
Joseph was ushered through an array of hallways. Walls and ceilings had been plastered and painted with patterns in bright colors. Joseph noticed additional buildings right next to the villa – accommodating stables, storerooms, workshops and kitchens. The entire property was a little village in itself with legions of servants attending to their master’s needs. When they reached the reception hall a distinguished-looking nobleman in a long white robe waved them to come closer. After dismissing the dealer the man turned to Joseph and introduced himself. “Potiphar”, he said while pointing to himself. Joseph bowed low before him. He had arrived.