Geneva Bible Study Notes :: Footnotes for Genesis 39

Gen 39:1 And Joseph was brought down to Egypt; and Potiphar, an (a) officer of Pharaoh, captain of the guard, an Egyptian, bought him of the hands of the Ishmeelites, which had brought him down thither.

(a) See Gen 37:36.

Gen 39:2 And the (b) LORD was with Joseph, and he was a prosperous man; and he was in the house of his master the Egyptian.

(b) The favour of God is the fountain of all prosperity.

Gen 39:4 And Joseph found grace in his sight, and he served him: and he made him (c) overseer over his house, and all [that] he had he put into his hand.

(c) Because God prospered him: and so he made religion serve his profit.

Gen 39:5 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 (d) blessed the Egyptian's house for Joseph's sake; and the blessing of the LORD was upon all that he had in the house, and in the field.

(d) The wicked are blessed by the company of the godly.

Gen 39:6 And he left all that he had in Joseph's hand; (e) and he knew not ought he had, save the bread which he did eat. And Joseph was [a] goodly [person], and well favoured.

(e) For he was sure that everything would prosper: therefore he ate and drank and did not worry.

Gen 39:7 And it came to pass after these things, that his master's wife cast her eyes upon Joseph; and she said, (f) Lie with me.

(f) In this word he declares the purpose she was working towards.

Gen 39:9 [There is] none greater in this house than I; neither hath he kept back any thing from me but thee, because thou [art] his wife: how then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against (g) God?

(g) The fear of God preserved him against her continual temptations.

Gen 39:14 That she called unto the men of her house, and spake unto them, saying, See, he hath brought in an Hebrew unto us to mock us; he came in unto me to lie with me, and I (h) cried with a loud voice:

(h) This declares that in which lack of restraint exists and to this is joined extreme impudency and deceit.

Gen 39:20 And Joseph's master took him, and put him into the (i) prison, a place where the king's prisoners [were] bound: and he was there in the prison.

(i) His bad treatment in the prison may be gathered from Psa 105:18.

Gen 39:22 And the keeper of the prison committed to Joseph's hand all the prisoners that [were] in the prison; and (k) whatsoever they did there, he was the doer [of it].

(k) That is, nothing was done without his commandment.