Genesis 39:3

Genesis 39:1 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, Genesis 39:1; 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, Genesis 39:7; 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, Genesis 39:11; 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, Genesis 39:13; 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, Genesis 39:20. Ver. 1. And Joseph was brought down to Egypt,....

39:1-6 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.

And his master saw that the Lord was with him,.... He knew nothing of the spiritual and gracious presence of God that was with him, he was no judge of that; but he perceived by the ingenuity of his mind, by his ready and speedy learning the Egyptian language, by his dexterity in business, and by the prudence and faithfulness with which he did everything, that he was highly favoured by the divine Being, and had great endowments bestowed upon him, and was an extraordinary person for his age: and that the Lord made all that he did to prosper in his hand; and though Potiphar might have no knowledge of the true Jehovah, whose name he uses, yet he might have a notion of a supreme Being, and that all outward prosperity was owing to him; and knowing Joseph to be an Hebrew, as it is plain his wife did, Genesis 39:14; and Jehovah to be the God of the Hebrews, he imputes all the prosperity that attended Joseph and his services unto his God.

Genesis 39:3 . His master saw that the Lord was with him — Many of the heathen acknowledged a supreme God, and his overruling providence in the affairs of men, although they did not glorify him as God, but worshipped the creature with, and more than, the Creator: Potiphar, however, would doubtless learn from Joseph many things concerning the one living and true God; and proving by experience that his affairs prospered, and that Joseph ascribed this prosperity to the especial blessing of Jehovah, he might be inclined to believe that Jehovah blessed him for Joseph’s sake.

The heathens owned a supreme God, and his overruling providence in affairs, though they did not glorify him as God, but worshipped the creature with and more than the Creator, Romans 1:25 . In his hand, i.e. under his ministry, as this phrase is used, Exodus 4:13 Leviticus 8:36 Proverbs 26:6 , and oft elsewhere.

3. his master saw that the Lord was with him—Though changed in condition, Joseph was not changed in spirit; though stripped of the gaudy coat that had adorned his person, he had not lost the moral graces that distinguished his character; though separated from his father on earth, he still lived in communion with his Father in heaven; though in the house of an idolater, he continued a worshipper of the true God.

He is a goodly person, and his mistress solicits him to lie with her, Genesis 39:7. He abhorring the ingratitude against his master, and sin against God, constantly refuses, Genesis 39:8-10. They being in the house alone, she seizes his coat, which he leaves with her, and fled, Genesis 39:11-13. She accuses him first to the servants, Genesis 39:14,15; then to his master, Genesis 39:16-18, who casts him into prison, Genesis 39:19,20. The Lord is with him there; he finds favour with the keeper; is set over the prisoners, and prospers, Genesis 39:21-23. 1729 The Lord was with Joseph, with his gracious presence and blessing, as this phrase is taken here, Genesis 39:21 21:22 26:24. He was in the house of his master: he doth not endeavour to make an escape to his father, but demeaned himself patiently and faithfully in the station into which God’s providence had brought him.

Verse 3. - And his master saw that the Lord (Jehovah) was with him - this does not imply that Potiphar was acquainted with Jehovah, but simply that he concluded Joseph to be under the Divine protection - and that the Lord (Jehovah) made all that he did to prosper in his hand. That which led to the conviction of Potiphar concerning Joseph was the remarkable success which he saw attending all his efforts and undertakings. Genesis 39:3

Joseph fares well with his first master. "Potiphar." This is a racapitulation of the narrative in Genesis 37 :"The Lord;" the God of covenant is with Joseph. "In the house." Joseph was a domestic servant. "And his master saw." The prosperity that attended all Joseph's doings was so striking as to show that the Lord was with him. "Set him over" - made him overseer of all that was in his house. "The Lord blessed the Mizrite's house." He blesses those who bless his own Genesis 12:3 . "Beautiful in form and look" Genesis 29:17 . This prepares the way for the following occurrence.

In Potiphar's House. - Potiphar had bought him of the Ishmaelites, as is repeated in Genesis 39:1 for the purpose of resuming the thread of the narrative; and Jehovah was with him, so that the prospered in the house of his Egyptian master. מצליח אישׁ: a man who has prosperity, to whom God causes all that he undertakes and does to prosper. When Potiphar perceived this, Joseph found favour in his eyes, and became his servant, whom he placed over his house (made manager of his household affairs), and to whom he entrusted all his property (כּל־ישׁ־לו Genesis 39:4 equals ישׁ־לו כּל־אשׁר Genesis 39:5 , Genesis 39:6 ). This confidence in Joseph increased, when he perceived how the blessing of Jehovah (Joseph's God) rested upon his property in the house and in the field; so that now "he left to Joseph everything that he had, and did not trouble himself אתּו (with or near him) about anything but his own eating."

2 . the Lord was with Joseph ] This is the motif of the whole section. Jehovah stands by Joseph whether in trouble or in prosperity, in good report or in evil; cf. Genesis 39:3; Genesis 39:5; Genesis 39:21; Genesis 39:23 . Joseph was one of those rare characters in which great personal attractiveness in manner and appearance was combined with high principle and good intellectual powers. in the house ] i.e. not sent out to labour in the field.