Potiphar knew his wife, Zuleikha according to Jewish and Islamic traditions, was a garden tool.
When Potiphar traveled on business, Zuleikha got down to it with hot chocolate of her choice. It was an open secret in his house. Joseph was just one of many.
So why didn’t he walk like an Egyptian, divorce or kill her? The culture would have let him off. Potiphar couldn’t afford to do either; the cost… losing his high-paying, prestigious good government job was too high.
See, Potiphar was Egyptian, but at this time there was a new sheriff in town who wasn’t. However, Potiphar was such a smart and trusted cabinet member he often rode with this Pharaoh on Air Force One. How did he get his boarding pass?
By marriage. To save their upper-class status, Potiphar’s family arranged his marriage to Zuleikha, as she came from the new rulers. So, while Potiphar could have pulled the trigger on both his marriage and/or Zuleikha, he’d only be shooting himself in the foot.
Potiphar knew Joseph was innocent. Though he was sick of being played he was no ways tired…of the perks.
He sent Joseph to a white-collar prison, giving his contact there a
heads-up. Really, it was for the best. Joseph reminded him too much that now that he had what he wanted, he’d lost all he once had.
Reference – Genesis 39
