Genesis 39:1

Joseph in Potiphar's House

1 Now Joseph had been taken to Egypt. An Egyptian [named] Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh and the captain of the guard, bought him from the Ishmaelites who had brought him there.

Genesis 39:1 Meaning and Commentary

Genesis 39:1

And Joseph was brought down to Egypt
By the Ishmaelites, ( Genesis 37:28 ) ; as in a following clause: and Potiphar an officer of Pharaoh, captain of the guard, an Egyptian;
as his name also shows, which signifies the fruit of Pot or Phut, that is, the son or grandson of one of that name ^F13; which might be common in Egypt, since it was the name of a son of Ham, ( Genesis 10:6 ) , from whom the land of Egypt is called the land of Ham, ( Psalms 105:23 Psalms 105:27 ) ( 106:22 ) ; of this man and his offices, (See Gill on Genesis 37:36); he bought him:
that is, "Joseph", of the hands of the Ishmaelites, who had brought him down thither;
what they gave for him we know, but what they sold him for to Potiphar is not said; no doubt they got a good price for him, and his master had a good bargain too, as appears by what follows.

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FOOTNOTES:

F13 Onomastic. Sacr. p. 671, 672.

Genesis 39:1 In-Context

1 Now Joseph had been taken to Egypt. An Egyptian [named] Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh and the captain of the guard, bought him from the Ishmaelites who had brought him there.

2 The Lord was with Joseph, and he became a successful man, serving in the household of his Egyptian master.

3 When his master saw that the Lord was with him and that the Lord made everything he did successful,

4 Joseph found favor in his master's sight and became his personal attendant. Potiphar also put him in charge of his household and placed all that he owned under his authority.

5 From the time that he put him in charge of his household and of all that he owned, the Lord blessed the Egyptian's house because of Joseph. The Lord's blessing was on all that he owned, in his house and in his fields.