Genesis 39:1

1 And Joseph was brought down to Egypt: and Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh, captain of the guard, an Egyptian, bought him of the hands of the Ishmaelites, who had brought him down thither.

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 And Joseph was brought down to Egypt: and Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh, captain of the guard, an Egyptian, bought him of the hands of the Ishmaelites, who had brought him down thither.

2 And the LORD was with Joseph, and he was a prosperous 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 made all that he did to prosper in his hand.

4 And Joseph found grace in his sight, and he served him: and he made him overseer over his house, and all [that] he had he put into his hand.

5 And it came to pass from the time [that] he had made him overseer in his house, and over all that he had, that the LORD blessed the Egyptian's house for Joseph's sake: and the blessing of the LORD was on all that he had in the house, and in the field.