02. The Language of Jealousy!

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02. The Language of Jealousy!

“A heart at peace gives life to the body,

but envy rots the bones.” (Job 14:30)

When Potiphar returned home, he first congratulated his wife on winning the top prize at today’s dance competition. However, he subtly expressed his disappointment at not knowing about today’s events. Moreover, he complained about being humiliated in front of the king, many officials, and all the people. Potiphar’s wife then explained:

"Previously, you mentioned teaching Joseph to dance. Thinking it would be difficult for him to learn alone,

I sought help from the palace dance instructor,

whom I had been acquainted with. The instructor,

having limited time,

agreed to teach the basic moves for a couple of months,

leaving the rest to us. So, while you were at work,

the instructor came daily for two months

to teach Joseph the basics.

The instructor was amazed at Joseph’s

attitude and ability to learn.

After two months,

as promised, the instructor stopped teaching,

and I became Joseph’s partner,

helping him develop a sense of dance.

Joseph went further,

studying dance books to understand the spirit and meaning behind the dances,

eventually becoming more than just a dancer.

Initially, we had no intention of entering this competition, but the palace instructor insisted.

However, the instructor warned us not to reveal our participation to anyone, as per the king’s command.

So, we couldn’t tell anyone."

Listening to his wife’s explanation, Potiphar recalled the events and the king’s strict orders. He also realized that today’s dance by his wife and Joseph was truly remarkable, even making him feel jealous. When the two winners were called before the king, he, knowing they were not a couple, declared he would grant each of them a wish. The crowd cheered as if their own wishes were being granted. People assumed the two would become wealthy or receive high positions. However, when the king asked Potiphar’s wife for her wish, she sensibly replied:

“Your Majesty,

I wish for my husband to come home early

so we can live a normal family life.”

The audience was puzzled by her wish. Given their wealth, they didn’t need more money, and she couldn’t ask for a higher position for her husband. Her unexpected answer surprised everyone. After hearing her wish, the king turned to Joseph and asked:

“What is your wish?”

Joseph respectfully made his wish, which was difficult for the king to grant. However, the king agreed to give Joseph a month to prepare for a dance with the princess and even host a special party for him. This unexpected progress delighted Potiphar, though he couldn’t share his joy with anyone. Despite receiving a wish and a large prize, Potiphar’s wife couldn’t genuinely enjoy the celebration. She forced smiles while thanking the officials and friends who congratulated her, but her face remained tense. Observant people could see her discomfort.

Why was she so uneasy? The reason lay in the events at the competition. When Joseph, leading the way, passed Potiphar, he subtly bowed and greeted him. Potiphar’s wife did the same. However, Joseph also seemed to greet the princess, who appeared shocked. Potiphar’s wife, familiar with the princess, tried to greet her, but the princess was too surprised. Eventually, the princess returned the greeting. Standing before the king, Potiphar’s wife couldn’t understand why the princess was shocked. If the princess knew Joseph, it meant they had met before, which seemed impossible. When the king asked for her wish, Potiphar’s wife, flustered, blurted out her personal wish. She regretted it immediately but couldn’t take back her words.

“What will the king think of my wish?” She wondered. Potiphar’s wife was more concerned about the king’s reaction than the princess’s. However, the king, without any reaction, asked Joseph for his wish. Joseph’s wish made Potiphar’s wife uncomfortable and even resentful. Despite all her efforts for Joseph, he was now giving the first fruits of his labor to the princess. Potiphar’s wife felt a surge of jealousy. She realized there was a connection between the princess’s shock and Joseph’s wish. This realization made her even more uncomfortable, but she couldn’t show it in front of the king. She had to wait until the king left and the atmosphere became more relaxed to express her true feelings.

Even so, Potiphar’s wife gave an answer that completely overturned people’s expectations. After hearing her wish, the king looked at Joseph and asked him as well.

“What is your wish?”

When the king asked Joseph about his wish, Joseph respectfully presented his wish before the king. However, this wish was truly difficult for the king to grant. Nevertheless, the king decided to grant Joseph’s wish by giving him a month to prepare for a dance with the princess and even holding a special party for Joseph. This made Potiphar happy because his plan was progressing faster than expected, but he couldn’t tell anyone and just smiled to himself.

However, Potiphar’s wife, who had her wish granted and received a large reward from the king, was not as happy as she should have been. She forced a smile and thanked the officials and friends who gathered to congratulate her, but her face was clearly tense. People didn’t notice her expression‎, but anyone with a bit of insight could see that her complexion was not good.

Why was her expression‎ like that? The reason was this. When the winner was announced and they were called before the king, Joseph, who was ahead, passed by Potiphar’s wife, who was following behind. She subtly bowed her head and raised her eyebrows to greet Potiphar without being noticed. She did the same to her husband. At that moment, Joseph seemed to greet the princess in the same manner. Joseph probably greeted the princess out of courtesy as he passed by, thinking it was the first time he saw her. Potiphar’s wife also tried to greet the princess with a nod, but the princess looked surprised as she watched Joseph pass by.

Meanwhile, Joseph continued to walk towards the king without any reaction. Potiphar’s wife, following behind, could read the princess’s surprised expression‎. However, she had no idea why the princess was surprised. When Potiphar’s wife tried to greet the princess again, the princess finally changed her expression‎ and returned the greeting. After standing side by side with Joseph before the king, they bowed to the king and stood straight. Even then, Potiphar’s wife couldn’t figure out why the princess was surprised. If the princess knew Joseph, it meant they had met somewhere, but Potiphar’s wife knew there was no chance for Joseph to meet the princess.

While thinking about this, the king asked Potiphar’s wife about her wish first, catching her off guard. She blurted out a personal issue she had been regretting with her husband. She immediately regretted bringing up a personal matter in such a setting, but the words had already left her mouth and echoed in the vast air.

“What will the king think of my words?”

Potiphar’s wife was now more concerned about the king’s thoughts than the princess’s. However, the king, without any reaction, immediately asked Joseph the same question.

“What is your wish?”

When the king asked Joseph about his wish, Joseph respectfully presented his wish before the king, which made Potiphar’s wife uncomfortable and even resentful. After all the effort she had put into helping Joseph, he was now giving the first fruit of his labor, the victory in the dance competition, to the princess. Potiphar’s wife was consumed with jealousy as a woman. She thought there must be some connection between the princess’s surprised expression‎ and Joseph’s wish. This realization made her suddenly uncomfortable, but she couldn’t show any different expression‎ in front of the king, as it could lead to a misunderstanding and severe consequences. She held back her feelings until the king left, and when she was free, her face hardened, but she couldn’t show it because there were still many people around. She forced a smile, making her face look more awkward and strange.

Potiphar noticed his wife’s expression‎ but pretended not to see it. He was filled with pride because his plan was working perfectly. He had never had a plan work so effectively and appropriately. With Joseph and his wife helping to realize his plan, it was like icing on the cake. As Joseph practiced dancing with the princess, they would become more familiar, which would build another stepping stone towards his planned goals.