Genesis 39

Joseph and Potiphar's Wife

1 Now Joseph had been brought down to Egypt, and ¹Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh, the captain of the guard, an Egyptian, ²had bought him from the ³Ishmaelites who had brought him down there.

2 ⁴The LORD was with Joseph, and he became a successful man, and he was in the house of his Egyptian master.

3 His master saw that the LORD was with him and that the LORD ⁵caused all that he did to succeed in his hands.

4 So Joseph ⁶found favor in his sight and attended him, and he made him overseer of his house ⁷and put him in charge of all that he had.

5 From the time that he made him overseer in his house and over all that he had the LORD blessed the Egyptian's house ⁸for Joseph's sake; the blessing of the LORD was on all that he had, in house and field.

6 So he left all that he had in Joseph's charge, and because of him he had no concern about anything but the food he ate. Now Joseph was ⁹handsome in form and appearance.

7 And after a time his master's wife cast her eyes on Joseph and said, "Lie with me."

8 But he refused and said to his master's wife, "Behold, because of me my master has no concern about anything in the house, and ¹⁰he has put everything that he has in my charge.

9 He is not greater in this house than I am, nor has he kept back anything from me except yourself, because you are his wife. How then can I do this great wickedness and ¹¹sin against God?"

10 And as she spoke to Joseph day after day, he ¹²would not listen to her, to lie beside her or to be with her.

11 But one day, when he went into the house to do his work and none of the men of the house was there in the house,

12 ¹³she caught him by his garment, saying, "Lie with me." But he left his garment in her hand and fled and got out of the house.

13 And as soon as she saw that he had left his garment in her hand and had fled out of the house,

14 she called to the men of her household and said to them, "See, he has brought among us a Hebrew to laugh at us. He came in to me to lie with me, and I cried out with a loud voice.

15 And as soon as he heard that I lifted up my voice and cried out, he left his garment beside me and fled and got out of the house."

16 Then she laid up his garment by her until his master came home,

17 and she told him the same story, saying, "The Hebrew servant, whom you have brought among us, came in to me to laugh at me.

18 But as soon as I lifted up my voice and cried, he left his garment beside me and fled out of the house."

19 As soon as his master heard the words that his wife spoke to him, "This is the way your servant treated me," his anger was kindled.

20 And Joseph's master took him and ¹⁴put him into the ¹⁵prison, the place where the king's prisoners were confined, and he was there in prison.

21 But ¹⁶the LORD was with Joseph and showed him steadfast love ¹⁷and gave him favor in the sight of the keeper of the prison.

22 And the keeper of the prison ¹⁸put Joseph in charge of all the prisoners who were in the prison. Whatever was done there, he was the one who did it.

23 The keeper of the prison paid no attention to anything that was in Joseph's charge, because ¹⁹the LORD was with him. And whatever he did, the LORD made it succeed.

Genesis 39 Commentary

Chapter 39

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)

Verses 1-6 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.

Verses 7-12 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.

Verses 13-18 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.

Verses 19-23 Joseph's master believed the accusation. Potiphar, it is likely, chose that prison, because it was the worst; but God designed to open the way to Joseph's honour. Joseph was owned and righted by his God. He was away from all his friends and relations; he had none to help or comfort him; but the Lord was with Joseph, and showed him mercy. Those that have a good conscience in a prison, have a good God there. God gave him favour in the sight of the keeper of the prison; he trusted him to manage the affairs of the prison. A good man will do good wherever he is, and will be a blessing even in bonds and banishment. Let us not forget, through Joseph, to look unto Jesus, who suffered being tempted, yet without sin; who was slandered, and persecuted, and imprisoned, but without cause; who by the cross ascended to the throne. May we be enabled to follow the same path in submitting and in suffering, to the same place of glory.

Cross References

• 1. Genesis 37:36
• 2. Genesis 37:28
• 3. Genesis 37:25
• 4. ver. 21; Acts 7:9; [Genesis 21:22; Genesis 26:24, 28; Genesis 28:15; 1 Samuel 16:18; 1 Samuel 18:14, 28]
• 5. 2 Chronicles 26:5; Psalms 1:3
• 6. ver. 21; Genesis 19:19; Genesis 33:10
• 7. ver. 8
• 8. [Genesis 30:27]
• 9. [Genesis 29:17; 1 Samuel 16:12]
• 10. ver. 4
• 11. 2 Samuel 12:13; Psalms 51:4
• 12. [Proverbs 1:10]
• 13. [Proverbs 7:13, 18]
• 14. Psalms 105:18
• 15. Genesis 40:3, 5; [Genesis 40:15; Genesis 41:14]
• 16. ver. 2; Acts 7:9, 10
• 17. Exodus 3:21; Exodus 11:3; Exodus 12:36
• 18. Genesis 40:4
• 19. ver. 2, 3

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO GENESIS 39

In this chapter the history returns to Joseph again, who being brought down to Egypt was sold to Potiphar, with whom he found favour, and who set him over his house, the Lord prospering everything in his hands, Ge 39:1-6; and being a young man of a comely aspect, his mistress lusted after him, and tempted him to lie with her from time to time, but he as constantly refused it, as being both ingratitude to his master, and a sin against God, Ge 39:7-10; at a certain time they being alone in the house, she renewed her solicitations, and laid hold on his garment, which he left in her hand and fled, Ge 39:11,12; upon which she called to her servants without, and accused Joseph of an ill design upon her, and reported the same to her husband when he came home, Ge 39:13-19; upon which his master put him into prison, but he found favour also with the keeper of it, who committed the prisoners and all things relative to them into his hands, Ge 39:20-23.