391 Now Joseph had been taken down to Egypt ; and Potiphar , an Egyptian officer of Pharaoh , the captain of the bodyguard , bought him from the Ishmaelites , who had taken him down there . 2 The Lord was with Joseph , so he became a successful man . And he was in the house of his master , the Egyptian . 3 Now his master saw that the Lord was with him and how the Lord caused all that he did to prosper in his hand . 4 So Joseph found favor in his sight and became his personal servant ; and he made him overseer over his house , and all that he owned he put in his charge . 5 It came about that from the time he made him overseer in his house and over all that he owned , the Lord blessed the Egyptian's house on account of Joseph ; thus the Lord'S blessing was upon all that he owned , in the house and in the field . 6 So he left everything he owned in Joseph's charge ; and with him there he did not concern himself with anything except e the food which he ate . Now Joseph was handsome in form and appearance .
7 It came about after these events that his master's wife looked e with desire at Joseph , and she said , " Lie with me." 8 But he refused and said to his master's wife , "Behold , with me here, my master does not concern himself with anything in the house , and he has put all that he owns in my charge . 9 " There is no one greater in this house than I, and he has withheld nothing e from me except e you, because you are his wife . How then could I do this great evil and sin against God ?" 10 As she spoke to Joseph day after day , he did not listen to her to lie beside her or be with her. 11 Now it happened one day that he went into the house to do his work , and none e of the men of the household was there inside . 12 She caught him by his garment , saying , "Lie with me!" And he left his garment in her hand and fled , and went outside .
13 When she saw that he had left his garment in her hand and had fled outside , 14 she called to the men of her household and said to them, "See , he has brought in a Hebrew to us to make sport of us; he came in to me to lie with me, and I screamed e e . 15 "When he heard that I raised my voice and screamed , he left his garment beside me and fled and went outside ." 16 So she left his garment beside her until his master came home . 17 Then she spoke to him with these words , "The Hebrew slave , whom you brought to us, came in to me to make sport of me; 18 and as I raised my voice and screamed , he left his garment beside me and fled outside ."
19 Now when his master heard the words of his wife , which she spoke to him, saying , "This e is what your slave did to me," his anger burned . 20 So Joseph's master took him and put him into the jail e , the place where the king's prisoners were confined ; and he was there in the jail e .
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Genesis 39:1-20
Commentary on Genesis 39:1-6
(Read Genesis 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.
Commentary on Genesis 39:7-12
(Read Genesis 39:7-12)
Beauty either in men or women, often proves a snare both to themselves and others. This forbids pride in it, and requires constant watchfulness against the temptation that attends it. We have great need to make a covenant with our eyes, lest the eyes infect the heart. When lust has got power, decency, and reputation, and conscience, are all sacrificed. Potiphar's wife showed that her heart was fully set to do evil. Satan, when he found he could not overcome Joseph with the troubles and the frowns of the world, for in them he still held fast his principle, assaulted him with pleasures, which have ruined more than the former. But Joseph, by the grace of God, was enabled to resist and overcome this temptation; and his escape was as great an instance of the Divine power, as the deliverance of the three children out of the fiery furnace. This sin was one which might most easily beset him. The tempter was his mistress, one whose favour would help him forward; and it was at his utmost peril if he slighted her, and made her his enemy. The time and place favoured the temptation. To all this was added frequent, constant urging. The almighty grace of God enabled Joseph to overcome this assault of the enemy. He urges what he owed both to God and his master. We are bound in honour, as well as justice and gratitude, not in any thing to wrong those who place trust in us, how secretly soever it may be done. He would not offend his God. Three arguments Joseph urges upon himself. 1. He considers who he was that was tempted. One in covenant with God, who professed religion and relation to him. 2. What the sin was to which he was tempted. Others might look upon it as a small matter; but Joseph did not so think of it. Call sin by its own name, and never lessen it. Let sins of this nature always be looked upon as great wickedness, as exceedingly sinful. 3. Against whom he was tempted to sin, against God. Sin is against God, against his nature and his dominion, against his love and his design. Those that love God, for this reason hate sin. The grace of God enabled Joseph to overcome the temptation, by avoiding the temper. He would not stay to parley with the temptation, but fled from it, as escaping for his life. If we mean not to do iniquity, let us flee as a bird from the snare, and as a roe from the hunter.
Commentary on Genesis 39:13-18
(Read Genesis 39:13-18)
Joseph's mistress, having tried in vain to make him a guilty man, endeavoured to be avenged on him. Those that have broken the bonds of modesty, will never be held by the bonds of truth. It is no new thing for the best of men to be falsely accused of the worst of crimes, by those who themselves are the worst of criminals. It is well there is a day of discovery coming, in which all shall appear in their true characters.
Commentary on Genesis 39:19-23
(Read Genesis 39:19-23)
Joseph's master believed the accusation. Potiphar, it is likely, chose that prison, because it was the worst; but God designed to open the way to Joseph's honour. Joseph was owned and righted by his God. He was away from all his friends and relations; he had none to help or comfort him; but the Lord was with Joseph, and showed him mercy. Those that have a good conscience in a prison, have a good God there. God gave him favour in the sight of the keeper of the prison; he trusted him to manage the affairs of the prison. A good man will do good wherever he is, and will be a blessing even in bonds and banishment. Let us not forget, through Joseph, to look unto Jesus, who suffered being tempted, yet without sin; who was slandered, and persecuted, and imprisoned, but without cause; who by the cross ascended to the throne. May we be enabled to follow the same path in submitting and in suffering, to the same place of glory.