29 Jul 2025 – jeffersonvann

Genesis 39

Genesis 39:1 Joseph had been brought down to Egypt, and Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh, the prison warden, an Egyptian, had bought him from the Ishmaelites who had brought him down there.

Genesis 39:2 Yahveh was with Joseph, and he became a successful man, and he was in the house of his Egyptian lord.

Genesis 39:3 His lord saw that Yahveh was with him and that Yahveh caused all that he did to succeed in his hands.

Genesis 39:4 So Joseph found favor in his sight and served as his assistant, and he made him steward of his house and put him in charge of all that he had.

Genesis 39:5 From the time that he made him steward in his house and over all that he had Yahveh blessed the Egyptian’s house for Joseph’s sake; the blessing of Yahveh was on all that he had, in house and field.

Genesis 39:6 So he left all that he had in Joseph’s hands, and because of him he had no concern about anything but the food he ate. Now Joseph was both well-built and good looking.

Genesis 39:7 And after a time his lord’s wife started staring at Joseph and said, “Lie with me.”

Genesis 39:8 But he refused and said to his lord’s wife, “Notice, because of me my lord has no concern about anything in the house, and he has put everything that he has in my hands.

Genesis 39:9 He is not more influential 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 fail God?”

Genesis 39:10 And even though she spoke to Joseph day after day, he would not listen to her, to lie beside her or to be with her.

Genesis 39:11 But one day, when he went into the house to do his work, while none of the men of the house was there in the house,

Genesis 39:12 she caught him by his cloak, and this is what she said, “Lie with me.” But he left his cloak in her hand and ran and got out of the house.

Genesis 39:13 And as soon as she saw that he had left his cloak in her hand and had fled out of the house,

Genesis 39:14 she called to the men of her household and spoke to them, and this is what she said “See, he has brought among us a Hebrew to amuse himself with us. He came in to me to lie with me, and I cried out with a loud voice.

Genesis 39:15 And as soon as he heard that I lifted my voice and cried out, he left his cloak beside me and fled and got out of the house.”

Genesis 39:16 Then she laid up his cloak by her until his lord came home,

Genesis 39:17 and she told him the same story, and this is what she said, “The Hebrew slave, whom you have brought among us, came in to me to amuse himself with me.

Genesis 39:18 But as soon as I lifted up my voice and cried, he left his cloak beside me and fled out of the house.”

Genesis 39:19 As soon as his master heard the words that his wife spoke to him, and this is what she said, “This is the way your slave treated me,” his anger was kindled.

Genesis 39:20 And Joseph’s lord took him and put him into the prison, the place where the king’s prisoners were confined, and he was there in prison.

Genesis 39:21 But Yahveh was with Joseph and stretched out his covenant faithfulness to him and gave him favor in the eyes of the keeper of the round house.

Genesis 39:22 And the keeper of the round house put Joseph in charge of all the prisoners who were in the round house. Whatever was done there, he was the one who did it.

Genesis 39:23 The keeper of the round house paid no attention to anything that was in Joseph’s charge, because Yahveh was with him. And whatever he did, Yahveh made it succeed.

Genesis 39 quotes:

“Pauls command to “flee” (1 Corinthians 10:14) translates a present imperative in the Greek, indicating something we must continually choose to do. “Continue to flee,” we could say. Joseph made the decision “day after day . . . not [to] listen to her to lie beside her or be with her” (Genesis 39:10). He chose to flee in a very real sense long before he left his garment in her hands.”

Swindoll, Charles R, and Insight for Living (Firm). Cultivating Purity in an Impure World. IFL Publishing House, 2005. p. 80.

“his second step is subtle suggestions. We might easily miss this out because it does not appear to be in the narrative of Genesis 39. But Calvin again argues that it cannot be doubted that Potiphar’s wife began by gently courting Joseph with flattering comments and simple kindnesses. He takes it that this is included in the phrase she ‘cast her eyes on Joseph’. I am sure Calvin is right. It will have begun with a smile and a little extra sentence or two. She may have called him more often than was needed, for he was bound to have been at her beck and call. She will have arranged to have him with her or deliberately she would be where he was, putting herself in his way. That is how it will have begun. And in the early stages, there was nothing he could do about that. He was, after all, her slave!”

Searle, David C. Joseph : “His Arms Were Made Strong.” Banner of Truth Trust, 2012. p. 34.

“Understand that sin is serious to God. Joseph did not bow to his own lust, or to the strategies of Potiphar’s wife, or to the cultural norms of that day. It’s interesting that in resisting, Joseph said, “How then could I do such a wicked thing and sin against God?” (Genesis 39:9). Joseph cared about honoring his master, Potiphar, but he also understood that the true sin would be against God-and God was sovereign. There would be an inevitable day of judgment when he would give an account of his actions to God. Joseph knew that the measure of sin isn’t just in its effect upon our neighbor but in its affront to the majesty and holiness of our sovereign God.”

McFarland, Alex. Stand: Seeking the Way of God. Tyndale House, 2009. p. 53.

“Recall that God had promised Abraham, “I will bless those who bless you” (12:3). Potiphar had blessed Joseph with trust and a position of authority. God was therefore bringing blessing to Potiphar. Recall that God had earlier blessed Laban because of Jacob (30:27).”

Rhodes, Ron. 40 Days through Genesis. Harvest House, 2015. p. 220.