The Joseph snapshot may also be a teaching piece for children on the regulation of sexual arousal. Joseph’s brothers sold him to a slave owner named Potiphar, whose royal duties included guarding Pharaoh’s consorts. Potiphar, ‘The Butcher’, entrusted Joseph with his entire household. Joseph, a skilled administrator, inspired both productivity and profit with his leadership skills. 

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.

The Lord was with Joseph so that he prospered, and he lived in the house of his Egyptian master. When his master saw that the Lord was with him and that the Lord gave him success in everything he did, Joseph found favor in his eyes and became his attendant. Potiphar put him in charge of his household, and he entrusted to his care everything he owned. From the time he put him in charge of his household and of all that he owned, the Lord blessed the household of the Egyptian because of Joseph. The blessing of the Lord was on everything Potiphar had, both in the house and in the field. So Potiphar left everything he had in Joseph’s care; with Joseph in charge, he did not concern himself with anything except the food he ate. (Genesis 39:1-6)

A sexual health snapshot follows on regulating sexual neural pathways and sexual arousal. Potiphar’s wife sexually harassed Joseph in the workplace. On multiple occasions the executioner’s wife coerced Joseph for intercourse. The value of storytelling permits the listener to enter into the narrative with imagination and color. Perhaps Potiphar’s wife felt discontent being married to a partner incapable of sexual intercourse and conception? Did the relationship between the The Butcher and his wife result from an arranged marriage as Levirate customs permitted? Whatever the reason, Potiphar’s wife pursued Joseph even though Egyptian taboos forbade adultery with execution as punishment. The tension and stakes created high anxiety for all involved. 

Now Joseph was well-built and handsome, and after a while his master’s wife took notice of Joseph and said, “Come to bed with me!”

But he refused. “With me in charge,” he told her, “my master does not concern himself with anything in the house; everything he owns he has entrusted to my care. No one is greater in this house than I am. My master has withheld nothing from me except you, because you are his wife. How then could I do such a wicked thing and sin against God?” And though she spoke to Joseph day after day, he refused to go to bed with her or even be with her.

One day he went into the house to attend to his duties, and none of the household servants was inside. She caught him by his cloak and said, “Come to bed with me!” But he left his cloak in her hand and ran out of the house.

When she saw that he had left his cloak in her hand and had run out of the house, she called her household servants. “Look,” she said to them, “this Hebrew has been brought to us to make sport of us! He came in here to sleep with me, but I screamed. When he heard me scream for help, he left his cloak beside me and ran out of the house.” She kept his cloak beside her until his master came home. Then she told him this story: “That Hebrew slave you brought us came to me to make sport of me. But as soon as I screamed for help, he left his cloak beside me and ran out of the house.”

When his master heard the story his wife told him, saying, “This is how your slave treated me,” he burned with anger. Joseph’s master took him and put him in prison, the place where the king’s prisoners were confined.

But while Joseph was there in the prison, the Lord was with him; he showed him kindness and granted him favor in the eyes of the prison warden. So the warden put Joseph in charge of all those held in the prison, and he was made responsible for all that was done there. The warden paid no attention to anything under Joseph’s care, because the Lord was with Joseph and gave him success in whatever he did. (Genesis 39:6-23)

This is the first snapshot in Genesis demonstrating the regulation of sexual arousal. Joseph, a handsome single young man is sexually pursued by someone his superior. Dominant in authority through her husband, Potiphar’s wife attempts to coerce sexual favors from her husband’s subordinate employee. When confronted with the seduction narrative of Potiphar’s wife, Joseph responds with the prefrontal cortex regulating sexual response. One feature of this work emphasizes healthy regulation of sexual neural pathways rather than depriving sexuality.

The prefrontal cortex regulates the limbic system, where anger, fear, and sexual neural pathways wire. This regulation can also be called executive function. When the prefrontal cortex operates with balance, sexual arousal can be regulated. When the prefrontal cortex is depleted of blood flow, anger, fear, and sexual arousal cannot be fully regulated. Detailed explanation can be found in the Neuroscience section on the prefrontal cortex and anxiety regulation. The reader can note the prefrontal cortex response of Joseph to regulate sexual arousal. 

But he refused. “With me in charge,” he told her, “my master does not concern himself with anything in the house; everything he owns he has entrusted to my care. No one is greater in this house than I am. My master has withheld nothing from me except you, because you are his wife. How then could I do such a wicked thing and sin against God?” And though she spoke to Joseph day after day, he refused to go to bed with her or even be with her. (Genesis 39:8–10)

Joseph uses the reason center of the prefrontal cortex to make a sexually healthy decision. The Hebrew word for decision is MAN, מאן, to refuse utterly (BLB, Genesis 39:8, Strong, H3985). Next Joseph stated that Potiphar entrusted all to Joseph’s care. The word for intimacy of compassionate presence is used, YDA, ידע. This is the same word used for sexual intimacy, an intimate knowing, reasoning with compassion. Finally, Joseph affirmed that he cannot engage in sexual intercourse with Potiphar’s wife because the act would be wicked, RA, a coercive act against God. This view of sexual intercourse touches the spirituality of intimacy. Joseph felt compassion for the will of both God and Potiphar. The last scene in this snapshot shows Joseph fleeing the threat of coercive sexual assault.

Potiphar, Pharoah’s executive executions officer, imprisoned rather than torturing and killing Joseph for the alleged rape attempt of his wife. Perhaps Potiphar understood the sexual politics of his partner so he commuted Joseph’s sentence to life imprisonment? This story is an excellent depiction of sexual health that teaches children to regulate sexual neural pathways with reason, emotional intimacy, compassion, awareness, and spirituality. 

The balance of the Book of Genesis Chapters 40–50 reflects Joseph’s spiritual intimacy with God in prison, emancipation to the court of Pharaoh, his marriage, and it climaxes with the intimacy of family reconciliation. Joseph of all the characters in the Book of Genesis consistently acts with sexual health in mind. The book ends with the intimacy of family reconciliation just as Chapter 3 finishes with God reconciling the shame of humankind. In Chapters 1–3 of Genesis, the sexual health big picture illustrates intimacy between God and humankind. This intimacy is first spiritual, then beautiful, compassionately present and pleasurable, and balanced; it reflects sexual health and reconciles relationships. Joseph finds a compassionate presence of God while incarcerated. 

But while Joseph was there in the prison, the Lord was with him; He showed him kindness and granted him favor in the eyes of the prison warden. So the warden put Joseph in charge of all those held in the prison, and he was made responsible for all that was done there. The warden paid no attention to anything under Joseph’s care, because the Lord was with Joseph and gave him success in whatever he did. (Genesis 39:21–23)

Twice the text stated that God was with Joseph in presence and specifically “showed him kindness (compassion) and granted him favor in the eyes of the prison warden.” This kindness is the intimacy of compassionate presence. God helps Joseph regulate the fear and pain of prison with awareness of the compassion and love of God. 

Joseph has two children during his tenure as chief operating officer of Egypt, Manasseh and Ephraim. 

Before the years of famine came, two sons were born to Joseph by Asenath daughter of Potiphera, priest of On. Joseph named his firstborn Manasseh and said, ‘It is because God has made me forget all my trouble and all my father’s household.’ The second son he named Ephraim and said, “It is because God has made me fruitful in the land of my suffering.” (Genesis 41:50–52) 

Although the text does not state a clear connection, it appears that Joseph may have married into the family of Potiphar, “two sons were born to Joseph by Asenath daughter of Potiphera, priest of On” (Genesis 41:50–52). Potiphera may be a name connecting to Potiphar, The Butcher, Joseph’s first Egyptian employer. Although the terms are similar, there is no Biblical text to confirm. 

The snap shot of Joseph ends this great book on a sexual health-positive note. Joseph regulates sexual neural pathways in the prefrontal cortex through spirituality, compassionate presence, and reconciliation. His brutal family history of betrayal then reconciles with these words,

 When Joseph’s brothers saw that their father was dead, they said, “What if Joseph holds a grudge against us and pays us back for all the wrongs we did to him?” So they sent word to Joseph, saying, “Your father left these instructions before he died.” This is what you are to say to Joseph: ‘I ask you to forgive your brothers the sins and the wrongs they committed in treating you so badly.’ Now please forgive the sins of the servants of the God of your father.” When their message came to him, Joseph wept.

His brothers then came and threw themselves down before him. “We are your slaves,” they said.

But Joseph said to them, “Don’t be afraid. Am I in the place of God? You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives. So then, don’t be afraid. I will provide for you and your children.” And he reassured them and spoke kindly to them. (Genesis 50:15–21)

When Joseph stated he would provide for the children, he used the word, TPH, טף  ‘little ones’ (Strong, H2945). The term TPH means “racing toddler with tripping gait.” This final scene speaks to small children about the care and compassion of God for them. The Joseph snapshot forms an inclusio of sexual health, tying in Genesis Chapters 1–5. Human sexuality reflects the image of omnibenevolent Creator whose compassion teaches children about sexual health and safety.

What would a child of the 4th century BCE learn about sexual health from this primer called Genesis? An awareness could emerge that sexual health forms one aspect of intimacy with God. Human sexuality is spiritual, beautiful, pleasurable, created without shame, possesses a compassionate presence, brings balance, and reconciles relationships. Sexual health forms a central place in the life of a community called covenant with God. Sexuality reflects one piece of intimacy with the God of the Bible. Rather than sex becoming object of worship, sexual health reflects a facet of intimacy with God and one another. Sexual health parallels a spiritual, beautiful, pleasurable, compassionate, balanced, and reconciling intimacy with God and one another.

Unhealthy sexuality from a 4th century BCE child’s view might look like coercion, a powerful person manipulating sex from a weaker one. Unhealthy sexuality may look like sharing private parts with a family member. Unhealthy sexuality betrays a partner without compassionate presence. Unhealthy sexuality perpetrates erotic violent against another, called rape. Unhealthy sexuality connects to the sacred sex trade manipulating profit by coercing families to share private parts with strangers.

Regulation of sexual neural pathways is not a new concept but may be breakthrough for faith-based caregivers. Typically, spiritual leaders advise children to abstain and don’t touch, because the theoretical foundational belief is, ‘sexuality is sinful’. Sexual health as sinful is not part of orthodox Christianity. The Bible and first century Christian culture parallel the Genesis sexual health-positive big picture.

Balancing sexual neural pathways falls under the domain called self regulation theory (Newman, 2020). Self-regulation theories assist children to direct neural plasticity by selecting and modifying health goals. A post puberty child has potential to wire self regulation as new meaning assigns to sexual health. Can this be done without denying or repressing sexual neural pathways?  Instead of deprivation it seems reasonable a child can redirect sexual affect into healthy behaviors, and resist threats to sexual health with assistance of caregivers and faith community. The historic trend of faith based sexual health education seems to be omission of goals, objectives, and strategies. Voorhees (2020) uses the self regulation theory illustration of childhood asthma. Disease management strategies can be taught through on going self regulation practices like reflection, judgement, and reaction. When a caregiver observes asthmatic symptoms, she can reduce exposure to pathogens, utilize treatments to bring balance,  and seek community support when necessary. What if sexual health for children enters the domain of hygiene rather than omission or shame based theology? Could it be that caregivers can craft treatment plans for sexual health hygiene? Can clergy and counselors assist to reduce exposure to abuse and guide educational experiences to bring balance with help of  qualified professionals?

The natural revelation of neural plasticity has proven the brain wires constantly. Can this mean a child may form wiring for sexual health from the PFC? When a child thinks about human sexuality with compassion and awareness, will she not have a different neurological experience than a child who wires sexual neural pathways from the limbic/fear and shame center of the brain?

The first five chapters of Genesis have  potential to shape a child’s PFC for intimacy with God and others. The intimacy images in Genesis 1-3 are spiritual, beautiful, pleasurable, compassionate, balanced, and reconciliatory. Intimacy is a term the Bible uses to express God’s relationship with humankind. The platform is the covenant, BRT which means to cut. The covenant bonds a committed relationship in which the parties ‘know’ or are ‘intimate’ with  one another. The Hebrew Biblical word for to be intimate is YDA, and the similar sounding Greek word is OIDA. The meaning for the Hebrew words YDA and Greek OIDA range: to know; spiritually, pleasurably, beautifully, compassionately, mutually, consensually, rationally, or emotionally and at times for sexual intercourse (Botterweck, 1986). 

Does it seem reasonable the PFC ability to regulate the limbic system in childhood can assist the sexual health of post puberty adolescents? Schore (1999) states that,“…dyadic attachment regulatory transactions impact the development of psychic structure; that is, they generate brain development” (p. 21). Neuroscientists and psychotherapists can be difficult to understand. Psychotherapists who use neuroscience vocabulary can be more painful to comprehend. What Schore (1999) seems to be saying is the regulation of anxiety between caregiver and child can develop the brain in healthy ways. If this principle can apply to the sexual health schema of a child, or attachment system for relationships, then it may be appropriate to say that a child has potential to regulate sexual psychic structures in concert with caregiver nurture.

  Joseph single and celibate faces the great challenge of his young adulthood…a sexual misconduct allegation with execution as possible punishment. The unnamed seductress, Potiphar’s powerful partner, pursues Joseph for taboo adulterous sex. Joseph’s technology for resisting the advances of the executioner’s wife is spirituality of the PFC. The reader may note that the seductress’ word for intercourse is not the sexual intimacy word YDA, but rather SCB which always means unhealthy sexuality in Genesis.

…after awhile his master’s wife took notice of Joseph and said, “Come to bed (SCB) with me.” But he refused. “With me in charge,” he told her, “my master does not concern himself with anything in the house; and everything he owns he has entrusted to my care. No one is greater in this house than I am. My master has withheld nothing from me except you, because you are his wife. How then could I do such a wicked (RA) thing and sin against God.” (Genesis 39:7-9)

After continual sexual harassment, the unnamed mistress attempts to rape Joseph in a scene of erotic rage. He flees leaving his coat as circumstantial evidence. Potiphar, executioner for the king, commutes the death sentence and imprisons the falsely accused Joseph. The text states that, “while Joseph was in prison, the Lord was with him; he showed him kindness and granted him favor in the eyes of the prison warden” (Genesis 39:20-21).

Joseph regulated sexual neural pathways with spirituality of the PFC. He affirmed the trust of his employer, and assessed the sexual seduction attempts were violation of intimacy with God. The snapshot transitions to the compassionate presence of God with Joseph in prison. Joseph used a type of technology to regulate sexual neural pathways. This technology included compassionate gratitude for his employer, and intimacy with God, both PFC functions. Schore (1999) states:

In a seminal article in the clinical psychology literature, Leslie Greenberg described a ‘self-control’ form of emotion regulation involving higher levels of cognitive executive function that allows individuals ‘to change the way they feel by consciously changing the way they think’ (2007, p. 415). He [Greenberg] proposed that this explicit form of affect regulation is performed by the verbal left hemisphere, and unconscious bodily-based emotion is usually not addressed. This regulatory mechanism is at the core of verbal-analytic understanding and controlled reasoning and is heavily emphasized in models of cognitive behavioral therapy. (p. 37)

Schore’s (1999) reflection on the ability of PFC executive function to regulate affect and sexual neural pathways can be seen in the Joseph sexual harassment snapshot. The PFC regulatory mechanism Joseph accessed appears to be spiritual intimacy with God and empathy for his employer, Potiphar.