Genesis39
English Standard Version
1Now had been to , and , an of , the of the , an , had him from the who had brought him .
2The Lord was with , and he became a , and he was in the of his .
3His that the Lord was with him and that the Lord caused that he to in his .
4So in his and him, and he made him of his and him in of all that he .
5From the that he made him in his and over that he , the Lord the for ; the of the Lord was on that he , in and .
6So he that he had in , and because of him he had about the he . Now was in and .
7And a his her on and , with me.
8But he and to his , , because of me my has about in the , and he has that he in my .
9He is in this than I am, has he from me you, are his . How then can I this and against ?
10And as she to after , he would to her, to her or to be with her.
11But one , when he into the to his and of the of the was in the ,
12she him by his , , with me. But he his in her and and of the house.
13And as soon as she that he had his in her and had of the house,
14she to the of her and to them, , he has among us a to at us. He to me to with me, and I with a .
15And as soon as he that I my and , he his me and and of the house.
16Then she his until his ,
17and she him the , , The , you have among us, to me to at me.
18But as soon as I my and , he his me and of the house.
19As soon as his the his to him, This is the your me, his was .
20And him and into the , the where the were , and he was there in .
21But the Lord was with and him and him in the of the of the .
22And the of the in of the were in the . was , he was the one who it.
23The of the paid to that was in Joseph’s , because the Lord was with him. And he , the Lord made it .
Study Guide
Public-domain commentary and original-language notes for Genesis 39.
Chapter Summary
In this chapter: Joseph preferred by Potiphar. (1–6). Joseph resists temptation. (7–12). Joseph is falsely accused by his mistress. (13–18). He is cast into prison, God is with him there. (19–23).
vv1-6
Our enemies may strip us of outward distinctions and ornaments; but wisdom and grace cannot be taken from us. They may separate us from friends, relatives, and country; but they cannot take from us the presence of the Lord. They may shut us from outward blessings, rob us of liberty, and confine us in dungeons; but they cannot shut us out from communion with God, from the throne of grace, or take from us the blessings of salvation. Joseph was blessed, wonderfully blessed, even in the house where he was a slave. God's presence with us, makes all we do prosperous. Good men are the blessings of the place where they live; good servants may be so, though mean and lightly esteemed. The prosperity of the wicked is, one way or other, for the sake of the godly. Here was a wicked family blessed for the sake of one good servant in it.
vv7-12
Beauty either in men or women, often proves a snare both to themselves and others. This forbids pride in it, and requires constant watchfulness against the temptation that attends it. We have great need to make a covenant with our eyes, lest the eyes infect the heart. When lust has got power, decency, and reputation, and conscience, are all sacrificed. Potiphar's wife showed that her heart was fully set to do evil. Satan, when he found he could not overcome Joseph with the troubles and the frowns of the world, for in them he still held fast his principle, assaulted him with pleasures, which have ruined more than the former. But Joseph, by the grace of God, was enabled to resist and overcome this temptation; and his escape was as great an instance of the Divine power, as the deliverance of the three children out of the fiery furnace. This sin was one which might most easily beset him. The tempter was his mistress, one whose favour would help him forward; and it was at his utmost peril if he slighted her, and made her his enemy. The time and place favoured the temptation. To all this was added frequent, constant urging. The almighty grace of God enabled Joseph to overcome this assault of the enemy. He urges what he owed both to God and his master. We are bound in honour, as well as justice and gratitude, not in any thing to wrong those who place trust in us, how secretly soever it may be done. He would not offend his God. Three arguments Joseph urges upon himself. 1. He considers who he was that was tempted. One in covenant with God, who professed religion and relation to him. 2. What the sin was to which he was tempted. Others might look upon it as a small matter; but Joseph did not so think of it. Call sin by its own name, and never lessen it. Let sins of this nature always be looked upon as great wickedness, as exceedingly sinful. 3. Against whom he was tempted to sin, against God. Sin is against God, against his nature and his dominion, against his love and his design. Those that love God, for this reason hate sin. The grace of God enabled Joseph to overcome the temptation, by avoiding the temper. He would not stay to parley with the temptation, but fled from it, as escaping for his life. If we mean not to do iniquity, let us flee as a bird from the snare, and as a roe from the hunter.
vv13-18
Joseph's mistress, having tried in vain to make him a guilty man, endeavoured to be avenged on him. Those that have broken the bonds of modesty, will never be held by the bonds of truth. It is no new thing for the best of men to be falsely accused of the worst of crimes, by those who themselves are the worst of criminals. It is well there is a day of discovery coming, in which all shall appear in their true characters.
Key Words
יוֹסֵף: Joseph, the name of seven Israelites
יָרַד: to descend (literally, to go downwards; or conventionally to a lower region, as the shore, a boundary, the enemy, etc.; or figuratively, to fall); causatively, to bring down (in all the above applications)
מִצְרַיִם: Mitsrajim, i.e. Upper and Lower Egypt
פּוֹטִיפַר: Potiphar, an Egyptian
סָרִיס: a eunuch; by implication, valet (especially of the female apartments), and thus, a minister of state
פַּרְעֹה: Paroh, a general title of Egyptian kings
שַׂר: a head person (of any rank or class)
טַבָּח: properly, a butcher; hence, a lifeguardsman (because he was acting as an executioner); also a cook (usually slaughtering the animal for food)
קָנָה: to erect, i.e. create; by extension, to procure, especially by purchase (causatively, sell); by implication to own
שָׁם: there (transferring to time) then; often thither, or thence
Cross References
Genesis 39Stephen's speech summarizes Joseph's story: the patriarchs sold Joseph, but God was with him.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Stephen's speech explicitly summarizes this narrative: God was with him and delivered him.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Historical psalm tracking Joseph being sold as a servant into Egypt.
Expresses the physical harshness of Joseph's imprisonment, specifically that his feet were hurt with fetters.
Supported by JFB
Direct parallel showing God's presence followed Joseph from Potiphar's house into the prison.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Parallels the language of the Lord making whatever Joseph did to prosper.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Direct narrative link from the prior account of Joseph being sold to Potiphar.
Supported by Calvin
Parallel phrase 'the Lord was with Joseph' in his subsequent trial in prison.
Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole
David's confession echoing Joseph's conviction that sin is ultimately committed against God.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Describes the moral folly of committing adultery, destroying one's own soul.
Supported by Matthew Henry
God brought Daniel into favor with his overseer, mirroring Joseph's favor with the prison keeper.
A fulfillment of God making his captive people to be pitied by their captors.
Jesus' teaching on adultery starting with the lustful looking of the eyes.
Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole
Job's covenant with his eyes, demonstrating active resistance to the snare of lustful looking.
Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole
Wisdom's instruction to keep one's way far from the door of the adulterous woman.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Apostolic command to 'flee fornication' matches Joseph's physical flight from temptation.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Illustrates how God makes even a man's enemies to be at peace with him.
Joseph's promotion in prison mirrors his previous appointment as overseer in Potiphar's house.
Supported by Matthew Poole, Matthew Henry
Laban's recognition that the Lord blessed him for Jacob's sake, paralleling Joseph's blessing.
Supported by JFB
Explains why Potiphar's bread was excepted, as Egyptians could not eat with Hebrews.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Exhortation to flee youthful lusts, exemplifying Joseph's physical flight.
Joseph's own subsequent defense that he did nothing to deserve being put in the dungeon.
Supported by JFB
The classic description of the righteous man: whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.