Genesis 37:1-40:23
Envious of their father’s preference for Joseph, his brothers sold him into slavery. Joseph was handsome and prophetic. One of Joseph’s dreams that irritated them was of their sheaves of wheat bowing down to his. This is shown above Joseph’s head. When Joseph came to Egypt, he was bought by Potiphar, who was in Pharaoh’s court serving among others things as an executioner. Potiphar’s wife tried to seduce Joseph but he resisted. This scene is portrayed directly above his head where she is pulling off his garment (here also suggesting the coat of many colors that his father Jacob had given him and had actually been destroyed and covered with blood and used as a “proof” of his death.) With this torn cloak Potiphar’s wife convinces her husband that Joseph his now trusted servant was guilty of attempted rape and Joseph was then put in prison.
In front of Joseph on the floor are the symbols of the sephirot suggesting he was familiar with Kabbalah.
In prison he volunteered help to two other prisoners who were bothered by their dreams. He interpreted them. On the left is chief baker accused for a stone found in Pharaoh’s rolls, and now dreaming of carrying three baskets on his head attacked by birds. To this Joseph predicted a bad end for the baker that indeed occurred. On the right is the chief butler here for a fly found in Pharaoh’s wine. He dreams of branches blooming into ripe grapes pouring into Pharaoh’s cup which Joseph interpreted as fortuitous which indeed came true.
