Genesis 39
39
Joseph Serves Potiphar
1After the Ishmaelite traders brought Joseph down to Egypt, he was purchased by an Egyptian officer # 39:1 This is actually the Hebrew word for “eunuch.” In Egyptian culture, the key officials surrounding the king were made eunuchs to prevent them from having sons that would compete for the throne. This may help the reader understand why Potiphar’s wife chased after Joseph later in the chapter. of Pharaoh, the captain of the guard, whose name was Potiphar. # 39:1 Potiphar means “given by the sun-god Ra” or “one who belongs to the sun-god Ra.” 2Yahweh’s presence was with Joseph and he became successful # 39:2 Or “prosperous.” The implication is that Joseph excelled in everything. God’s presence and favor do more for us than our skill, intelligence, and cleverness could achieve. God had his hand in everything that happened to Joseph, and he has his hand in everything that happens to you (see Rom. 8:28). while living in the house of his Egyptian master. 3When his master realized that Yahweh’s presence was with Joseph # 39:3 The Talmud teaches that the Hebrew text should be translated as “Yahweh was continually on Joseph’s lips”; in other words, Potiphar noted that Joseph did everything as unto God and gave him the glory. There is something trustworthy about a person with no agenda other than to give God glory in everything. and caused everything he did to prosper, 4Joseph found favor with Potiphar. He was quickly promoted to become the overseer of Potiphar’s house and was put in charge of all that he had. 5From the moment Potiphar appointed Joseph over his household, Yahweh blessed the Egyptian’s affairs for Joseph’s sake. The blessing of Yahweh was upon everything Potiphar owned; his finances increased, his crops flourished, and his flocks and herds multiplied. # 39:5 Or “everything Potiphar owned, at home and in the field.” 6So Potiphar placed all that he owned under Joseph’s oversight. And with Joseph in charge, Potiphar had nothing to worry about, except deciding on what to eat! # 39:6 Or possibly a figure of speech for “his private affairs,” or euphemistically for “his wife.”
Joseph and Potiphar’s Wife
Now Joseph was strikingly handsome, very good-looking, and well-built. # 39:6 No other man is described in these terms in the Bible; however the Hebrew phrase is nearly identical to the description of Rachel (see Gen. 29:17). 7It wasn’t long before his master’s wife # 39:7 Although unnamed, Hebrew tradition identifies Potiphar’s wife as Zuleika. As an Egyptian aristocrat, she was no doubt a beautiful woman. noticed Joseph. She demanded: “Come make love to me.”
8“Never!” Joseph replied. “Don’t you realize that my master has nothing to worry about with me in charge, for he has put everything he has under my care? 9There is no one greater in his household than me, # 39:9 Joseph understood the great favor shown to him and could not violate the trust of his master. He valued Potiphar’s trust in him. Joseph knew that he was elevated to a place of honor; nothing was held back from him. Joseph had self-respect and respected Potiphar’s wife. Though she was evil, he was honorable toward her. nor has he kept anything back from me except you, because you’re his wife. Why would I want to do such an immoral thing and sin against God?”
10Yet day after day, she was determined to seduce him. But Joseph continually refused her advances and would not even go near her. 11Then one day, when he had to go into the house to do his work and no one else was there, 12she grabbed him by his robe and said, “Come on, sleep with me!” But he abruptly ran out of the house, leaving his robe in her hands! # 39:12 Interestingly, the triliteral Hebrew root for “robe,” b-g-d, has a homonym meaning “marital fidelity.” There are times when running is the mark of a coward, and there are times when running is the mark of courage. Joseph would rather run in embarrassment than linger, falling into the trap of sexual promiscuity (see 1 Thess. 4:3–8). Self-control is a true sign of integrity. It is better to lose a good coat than a good conscience! He may have lost his coat, but Joseph kept his character. If the Lord has destined you for greatness, if God has a work for you to do, there should be no surprise when this kind of temptation comes to you. 13Realizing he had fled, and she was holding his robe in her hands, 14she called for her household servants and said to them, “See! My husband brings this Hebrew foreigner here to make fools of us! # 39:14 Or “to play with us,” a possible euphemism for having sex with them. He barged into my house and tried to have sex with me, and I screamed; 15and when he heard me scream for help, he ran out of the house and left his robe!”
16She kept the robe beside her until his master came home 17and she told him the same story: “This Hebrew foreigner you brought among us barged into the house and tried to violate me. 18As soon as I screamed out for help, he ran outside and left his robe here beside me.”
Joseph Goes to Prison
19When his master heard his wife’s account about how his servant had treated her, he became furious. # 39:19 The text does not say with whom Potiphar was furious. Perhaps he knew his wife’s promiscuous ways. He had Joseph only thrown into prison when a man with his authority could have had him killed. Perhaps he doubted the truth of her story, but to save face, he had Joseph imprisoned. According to the Yalkut Shimoni, Asenath, the daughter of Potiphar, did her best to convince her father of Joseph’s innocence and what really happened. Later, when Joseph was freed from prison, Asenath became Joseph’s wife. 20So Joseph’s master took him and threw him into prison, the place where the king’s prisoners are confined, and he was left there. # 39:20 In Ps. 105:17–18 we learn that Joseph’s feet were in chains and an iron collar was placed on his neck (or “his soul”). It would be hard to imagine a lower point in Joseph’s life. Betrayed by his brothers, sold as slave, and falsely accused, he suffered for a season until his time of deliverance arrived. As hard as it may seem, God may allow others to take advantage of us in order to carry out his secret will for our life. He will let us look like a fool in order to perfect our character. This is “the place where [our King’s] prisoners are confined” (Gen. 39:20; see Eph. 4:1)! 21But Yahweh was with Joseph and demonstrated to him his faithful love by giving him great favor in the sight of the warden. 22The warden put all the prisoners under Joseph’s care; he was placed in charge of all the prisoners and everything in the prison. 23The warden had no worries about the prison with Joseph in charge, because Yahweh’s presence was with Joseph and caused everything Joseph did to prosper. # 39:23 Joseph had a God-favored life. A study of the life of Joseph is a study of the favor of God. He was faithful as a son, a shepherd, and a servant. He was diligent in all that he did. Wisdom guided him, even in a strange land, and everything he did prospered (see Ps. 1:3)! He not only adjusted to living in Egypt but also flourished and became the personal attendant (administrator) of Potiphar’s affairs and eventually the supervisor of the penal system. Joseph would never have been given such an honor if he had not demonstrated a high degree of integrity and faithfulness. Everyone could see that God was with Joseph. He that was faithful over a few things was now being made a ruler over much. See Matt. 25:21.
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Genesis 39: TPT
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Learn More About The Passion TranslationGenesis 39
39
1Now Ioseph was brought downe into Egypt: and Potiphar an Eunuche of Pharaohs (and his chiefe stewarde an Egyptian) bought him at the hande of the Ishmeelites, which had brought him thither. 2And the Lord was with Ioseph, and he was a man that prospered and was in the house of his master the Egyptian. 3And his master sawe that the Lord was with him, and that the Lord made all that hee did to prosper in his hande. 4So Ioseph founde fauour in his sight, and serued him: and he made him ruler of his house, and put all that he had in his hand. 5And from that time that he had made him ruler ouer his house and ouer all that he had, the Lord blessed the Egyptians house for Iosephs sake: and the blessing of the Lord was vpon all that he had in the house, and in the fielde. 6Therefore he left all that he had in Iosephs hand, and tooke accompt of nothing, that was with him, saue onely of the bread, which he did eate. And Ioseph was a faire person, and well fauoured. 7Nowe therefore after these thinges, his masters wife cast her eyes vpon Ioseph, and saide, Lye with me. 8But he refused and said to his masters wife, Beholde, my master knoweth not what he hath in the house with me, but hath committed all that he hath to mine hande. 9There is no man greater in this house then I: neither hath he kept any thing from me, but only thee, because thou art his wife: how then can I do this great wickednes and so sinne against God? 10And albeit she spake to Ioseph day by day, yet he hearkened not vnto her, to lye with her, or to be in her company. 11Then on a certaine day Ioseph entred into the house, to doe his businesse: and there was no man of the houshold in the house: 12Therefore she caught him by his garmet, saying, Sleepe with me: but he left his garment in her hand and fled, and got him out. 13Nowe when she sawe that he had left his garment in her hand, and was fled out, 14She called vnto the men of her house, and tolde them, saying, Beholde, he hath brought in an Ebrewe vnto vs to mocke vs: who came in to me for to haue slept with me: but I cryed with a loude voyce. 15And when he heard that I lift vp my voice and cryed, he left his garment with me, and fled away, and got him out. 16So she layde vp his garment by her, vntill her lord came home. 17Then she tolde him according to these words, saying, The Ebrew seruat, which thou hast brought vnto vs, came in to me, to mocke me. 18But assoone as I lift vp my voyce and cried, he left his garment with me, and fled out. 19Then when his master heard the wordes of his wife, which she tolde him, saying, After this maner did thy seruant to me, his anger was kindled. 20And Iosephs master tooke him and put him in prison, in the place, where the kings prisoners lay bounde: and there he was in prison. 21But the Lord was with Ioseph, and shewed him mercie, and got him fauour in the sight of the master of the prison. 22And the keeper of the prison committed to Iosephs hande all the prisoners that were in the prison, and whatsoeuer they did there, that did he. 23And the keeper of the prison looked vnto nothing that was vnder his hande, seeing that the Lord was with him: for whatsoeuer he did, the Lord made it to prosper.
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