Genesis 39:1

_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 ISHMEELITES, WHICH HAD BROUGHT HIM DOWN THITHER._ Potiphar ... captain of the guard. This name, Potiphar, signifies one 'devoted to the sun,' the local deity of On or Heliopolis-a circumstance which fixes the place of his residence in the Delta, the district of Egypt bordering on Canaan. OFFICER - literally, prince of Pharaoh; i:e., in the service of the government. CAPTAIN OF THE GUARD. The import of the original term has been variously interpreted; some considering it means 'chief cook,' others, 'chief respecter of plantations;' but that which seems best founded is 'chief of the executioners,' 'head of the police,' the same as the captain of the watch, the zabut of modern Egypt (Wilkinson). See the note at...

1._And Joseph was brought down_. For the purpose of connecting it with the remaining part of the history, Moses repeats what he had briefly touched upon, that Joseph had been sold to Potiphar the Egyptian: he then subjoins that God was with Joseph, so that he prospered in all things. For although it often happens that all things proceed with wicked men according to their wish, whom God nevertheless does not bless with his favor; still the sentiment is true and the expression of it proper, that it is never well with men, except so far as the Lord shows himself to be gracious to them. For he vouchsafes his blessing, for a time, even to reprobates, with whom he is justly angry, in order that he may gently invite and even allure them to repentance; and may render them more inexcusable, if they remain obstinate; meanwhile, he curses their felicity. Therefore, while they think they have reache...

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....

CHAPTER XXXIX _Joseph, being brought to Potiphar's house, prospers in all_ _his undertakings_, 1-3. _Potiphar makes him his overseer_, 4. _Is prospered in all his concerns for Joseph's sake, in whom_ _he puts unlimited confidence_, 5, 6. _The wife of Potiphar solicits him to criminal correspondence_, 7. _He refuses, and makes a fine apology for his conduct_, 8, 9. _She continues her solicitations, and he his refusals_, 10. _She uses violence, and he escapes from her hand_, 11-13. _She accuses him to the domestics_, 14,15,...

- Joseph in Potiphar’s House According to our reckoning, Perez and Zerah were born when Judah was in his twenty-eighth year, and therefore, Joseph in his twenty-fourth. Here, then, we go back seven years to resume the story of Joseph. Genesis 39:1 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...

EXPOSITION GENESIS 39:1 AND JOSEPH WAS BROUGHT DOWN TO EGYPT. The narrative now preparing to recite the fortunes of Joseph in Egypt, which eventually led, through his elevation to be Pharaoh's prime minister, first to the salvation of the patriarchal family, 'and finally to their settlement in Goshen, the historian reverts, in accordance with his usual practice, to a point of time antecedent to the incidents contained in the preceding chapter, and makes a new departure in his story from the moment of Joseph's crossing into Egypt. AND POTIPHAR, AN OFFICER OF PHARAOH, CAPTAIN OF THE GUARD (vide Genesis 37:36), AN EGYPTIAN,—literally, _a man of Mitzraim_._ _This implies that foreigners were sometimes employed

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 m; 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; of this man and his offices, Genesis 37:36; HE BOUGHT HIM: that is, "Joseph", of the hands of the Ishmaelites, who had brought

CHAPTER 39 JOSEPH IN EGYPT _ 1. In Potiphar's house (Genesis 39:1)_ 2. Tempted by Potiphar's wife (Genesis 39:7) 3. Joseph in prison (Genesis 39:19) Potiphar, the master of Joseph, was an officer of Pharaoh. His name means “devoted to Ra,” a god of Egypt. Why is it stated a number of times that Potiphar was an Egyptian? Discoveries have shown that Egypt had come at that time under a new dynasty; therefore it is repeatedly stated that Potiphar, the Egyptian, was retained in his official position. Joseph in Egypt is the type of Christ among the Gentiles. Jehovah blessed the Egyptian's house for Joseph's sake. The temptation of Potiphar's wife brings out the marvelous character of Jos

GENESIS 39. JOSEPH REPELS HIS MASTER'S WIFE, AND IS IMPRISONED ON HER FALSE ACCUSATION. This section is from J with touches from E. It is generally agreed that Potiphar. guard is an insertion in Genesis 39:1. J represents Joseph as sold to an unnamed Egyptian; the governor of the prison is also unnamed. According to E, Joseph is sold to Potiphar the captain of the guard, and attends, not as himself a prisoner, but as Potiphar's slave (_cf. Genesis 41:12_), to the officers who are in custody in the house. Clearly, Joseph's mistress cannot have been the wife of Potiphar the captain of the guard, who entrusts him with the service of Pharaoh's officers (Genesis 40:4). The identification is made in Genesis 39 to harmonise the

_was brought down_ This follows upon Genesis 37:28. _Potiphar_, &c. See note on Genesis 37:36. These words the Compiler seems to have added from E to harmonize the two accounts. J merely read "And an Egyptian bought him"; cf. Genesis 39:2, "in the house of his master the Egyptian." The words "an Egyptian," "the Egyptian" would have been needless in Genesis 39:1, after the full description of Potiphar as "an officer of Pharaoh's, the captain of the guard....