And Jacob begat Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ. …
Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost. …
Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing to make her a publick example, was minded to put her away privily. But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost. …
Then Joseph being raised from sleep did as the angel of the Lord had bidden him, and took unto him his wife: (Matthew 1:16, 18-20, 24)

Joseph does not, to my mind, get enough credit. Faced with a wife who had gone astray he had rights. And the King James translation of Matthew’s gospel certainly presents us with a Joseph who suspected that his betrothed had committed adultery. There’s another view of Joseph’s reaction by the way, and we’ll come back to that.
If Joseph did look at the pregnant Mary and conclude — reasonably — that she had strayed he had a right, even an obligation, to shame her loudly and publicly. In fact at that time Jewish law called for the death penalty by stoning. But Joseph, being a just man was inclined to just quietly divorce her. The word translated as “just” can be interpreted as meaning legally righteous — but it also can mean “upright, just, fair; right, fair or equitable” — and that’s the Joseph who was so easily persuaded to stand by his betrothed.
Then there’s that other view of Joseph, that you don’t hear very often.
According to that other view, Joseph the humble carpenter was also the righteous and Biblical knowledgeable man who knew two things. He knew that his wife-to-be was pure, a virgin, and he knew that Isaiah had said “Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.” (Isaiah 7:14 KJV)
Of course that leaves a question — if Joseph knew Mary had done no wrong, why was he willing to put her aside? Well Joseph was righteous — but he was also humble, too humble to be comfortable acting as father to God’s Son!
Whichever Joseph is the one you believe in, he was teachable. When the Holy Spirit told him to take Mary as his wife he set hesitation aside. Then he worked hard to take care of his family. For at least twelve years we know he was a husband to Mary and father to Jesus and His siblings. Then, of course, he disappears from the story … But those children grew up pretty well, didn’t they? I’m thinking Joseph was a pretty good husband and father. However that might be, Joseph — a righteous man — doesn’t get the credit he deserves!