Genesis 39:1

1 Now Joseph was taken down to Egypt, and Pot'i-phar, an officer of Pharaoh, the captain of the guard, an Egyptian, bought him from the Ish'maelites who had brought him down 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.


FOOTNOTES:

F13 Onomastic. Sacr. p. 671, 672.

Genesis 39:1 In-Context

1 Now Joseph was taken down to Egypt, and Pot'i-phar, an officer of Pharaoh, the captain of the guard, an Egyptian, bought him from the Ish'maelites who had brought him down there.
2 The LORD was with Joseph, and he became a successful man; and he was in the house of his master the Egyptian,
3 and his master saw that the LORD was with him, and that the LORD caused all that he did to prosper in his hands.
4 So Joseph found favor in his sight and attended him, and he made him overseer of his house and 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 for Joseph's sake; the blessing of the LORD was upon all that he had, in house and field.
Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright 1952 [2nd edition, 1971] by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.