That's where Joseph found himself in the house of Potiphar.
Potiphar, believing his wife's lies, had Joseph brutally flogged. Can you picture it? The sting of the whip, the injustice of it all... According to Ginzberg's retelling in Legends of the Jews, Joseph, enduring this torment, cried out to God. "O Lord," he pleaded, "Thou knowest that I am innocent of these things, and why should I die to-day on account of a false accusation by the hands of these uncircumcised, impious men?"
But here's where the story takes a truly extraordinary turn. God, hearing Joseph's plea, intervened in a way no one could have expected.
God opened the mouth of Zuleika's child. Imagine this scene: a babe of just eleven months, suddenly speaking with the wisdom and clarity of an adult.
This wasn't just any baby babbling. The child addressed the men who were beating Joseph, saying, "What is your quarrel with this man? Why do you inflict such evil upon him? Lies my mother doth speak, and deceit is what her mouth uttereth. This is the true tale of that which did happen."
And then, this infant prodigy proceeded to tell the entire story. He revealed how Zuleika had first tried to persuade Joseph to act wickedly, and then, failing that, how she had attempted to force him.
The people, as you can imagine, were absolutely stunned. Speechless with amazement.
As Ginzberg writes, the child delivered his report and then, just as suddenly, fell silent. He spoke no more, returning to the quiet innocence of infancy. The moment of divine intervention had passed.
What are we to make of such a tale? Is it a literal recounting of historical events, or a symbolic representation of divine justice? Perhaps it's both. It speaks to the power of truth, even when it seems impossible to be heard. It reminds us that even in the darkest moments, when all seems lost, there is always the potential for a miracle, a voice of truth to rise from the most unexpected of places.