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Kretzmann's Popular Commentary

Genesis 39:9

there is none greater in this house than I; neither hath he kept back anything from me but thee, because thou art his wife; how, then, can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God? Joseph gave three reasons why he was obliged to be disobedient to his master's wife: It would have been a disgraceful abuse of the confidence placed in him by his master; it would have been an outrage upon Potiphar's rights as a husband; it-would have been adultery, a great crime in the sight of God. It is the thought of God, the fear of the Lord, the consciousness that nothing is hidden from His knowledge, that aids in fighting temptations of every kind.

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See also Genesis 39:9 in other biblical comments:

  • Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

    Verse Genesis 39:9. _HOW THEN_] ואיך _veeik, and how_? Joseph gives two most powerful reasons for his noncompliance with the wishes of his mistress: 1. _Gratitude_ to his master, to whom he owed all...

  • Albert Barnes' Bible Commentary

    - 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 y...

  • Annotated Bible by A.C. Gaebelein

    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

  • Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

    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 Genes...

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    The False Accusation 8. _knoweth not_, &c. Here, as in Genesis 39:6, the marg., _knoweth not with me what is_, gives the meaning of the passage....

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    _there is none greater_ The margin, _he is not_, is correct. The rendering of the text is not only less accurate, but far less vigorous. The LXX and Vulg. have similarly missed the meaning. _how then...

  • Charles Simeon's Horae Homileticae

    DISCOURSE: 51 THE NEED OF FLEEING FROM SIN WITH ABHORRENCE Genesis 39:9. _How can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?_ THE grace of God is equally necessary for us in every situation of...

  • College Press Bible Study Textbook Series

    2. _Joseph as Prisoner in Egypt_ (Genesis 39:1 to Genesis 41:45). 39 And Joseph was brought down to Egypt; and Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh'S, the captain of the guard, an Egyptian, bought him of t...

  • Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

    _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 GOD?_ How then c...

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    AND SIN AGAINST GOD] Other passages (e.g. Genesis 40:8; Genesis 41:16; Genesis 41:51; Genesis 42:18;...

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    JOSEPH IN THE HOUSE OF POTIPHAR 5. Overseer] rather, 'house-steward.'...

  • EasyEnglish Bible Commentaries

    ‘He is not more powerful in this house than I am.’ Joseph told everyone in the house what they should do. So Joseph was powerful. Potiphar did not say what people should do in his house. He let Joseph...

  • EasyEnglish Bible Commentaries

    GOD’S ANCIENT PEOPLE GENESIS _ALUN OWEN_ CHAPTER 39 JOSEPH IN POTIPHAR’S HOUSE V1 The Ishmaelites took Joseph to Egypt. Now Potiphar was an Egyptian. He was an officer of *Pharaoh, who was the k...

  • ETCBC data on Hebrew bible

    אֵינֶ֨נּוּ גָדֹ֜ול בַּ † בַּ֣יִת הַ זֶּה֮...

  • Expositor's Bible Commentary (Nicoll)

    JOSEPH IN PRISON Genesis 39:1 "Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life."- James 1:12 DRAMATISTS and novelists, who make it their busines...

  • Frederick Brotherton Meyer's Commentary

    JOSEPH IN POTIPHAR'S HOUSE Genesis 39:1 Ungodly families and employers owe more than they realize to the presence in their homes and businesses of those who love God; for God comes with His servants....

  • G. Campbell Morgan's Exposition on the Whole Bible

    Here begins the story of Joseph in Egypt which is so full of interest. Through the malice of his brethren he had been sold into slavery and in such condition we now see him. Here, at the very beginnin...

  • Gary Hampton Commentaries

    FLEEING FROM TEMPTATION"And Joseph was handsome in form and appearance." This simple statement at the end of verse six introduces the reason for another serious problem which was to arise in Joseph's...

  • Geneva Study Bible Commentary

    [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)...

  • George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary

    _His wife, and such things as could not be touched without sin; such as his daughter, if the woman, whom Joseph afterwards married, was the daughter of this man, chap. xli. 45. --- My God, Elohim; whi...

  • Hawker's Poor man's commentary

    Proverbs 16:7 Sweet argument this! It was a sin against himself. It was a sin even against his mistress! It was a sin against a kind master. But he passeth all these by as of lesser consideration, to...

  • Introductory Lectures - Commentary by William Kelly

    Having already shown the position of Isaac, I resume briefly with the remark that he stands before us clearly as the representative of the Son, and this too as dead, risen, and in heaven. All will und...

  • James Nisbet's Church Pulpit Commentary

    _‘YIELD NOT TO TEMPTATION, FOR YIELDING IS SIN’_ ‘How can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?’ Genesis 39:9 We are accustomed to admire the mere act of resistance to temptation, by who...

  • John Darby's Synopsis

    THE FOLLOWING COMMENTARY COVERS CHAPTER S 37 THROUGH 41. What follows from chapter 37 is the interesting history of Joseph, to which even children ever yield a ready ear, although ignorant of all the...

  • John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

    [THERE IS] NONE GREATER IN THIS HOUSE THAN I,.... Not any of the servants of the house, he was the chief of them, who had all the rest under him; or rather, "he himself is not greater q in this house...

  • John Trapp Complete Commentary

    __ Genesis 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 agai...

  • Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    _How can I do this great wickedness?_ How can I, to whom my master has shown so much kindness, when I was a poor, forlorn stranger from a foreign land, and was offered to him in the capacity of a slav...

  • KJV Original Language Details

    1 Ioseph aduanced in Potiphars house. 7 Hee resisteth his mistresses temptation. 13 He is falsly accused. 19 Hee is cast in prison. 21 God is with him there. 1 AND Ioseph was brought downe to Egy...

  • Lange's Commentary on the Holy Scriptures

    THIRD SECTION _Joseph in Potiphar’s house and in prison. His sufferings on account of his virtue, and his apparent destruction._ GENESIS 39:1-23 1And Joseph was brought down to Egypt; and Potiphar,...

  • Leslie M. Grant's Commentary on the Bible

    JOSEPH--A SUFFERER FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS How good it is to turn from Judah's sordid history to consider Joseph's history of faithful devotedness to the Lord! The deepest blessing for us in this is of cour...

  • Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible

    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 gr...

  • Matthew Poole's Concise Commentary On The Bible

    No text from Poole on this verse....

  • Notes on the Pentateuch by Charles Henry Mackintosh

    In Genesis 1:23 Satan uses Potiphar's wife, and in Genesis 1:23 he uses Pharaoh's chief butler. The former he used to put Joseph into the dungeon; and the latter he used to keep him there, through his...

  • Patchworkid's Personal Study Bible Notes

    Genesis 39:9 greater H1419 house H1004 nor H3808 back H2820 (H8804) anything H3972 because H834 you H859 wife...

  • Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible

    JOSEPH IS SOLD INTO SLAVERY, RESISTS TEMPTATION AND STRANGELY PROSPERS IN PRISON (GENESIS 39:1). That what now happens to Joseph is in the hands of Yahweh is abundantly made clear (Genesis 38:2; Genes...

  • Sermon Bible Commentary

    Genesis 39:9 We are accustomed to admire the mere act of resistance to temptation, by whomsoever and howsoever offered. But there is a vast difference between the ways in which temptation is resisted....

  • Summarized Bible Commentary

    CONTENTS: Joseph tested in Egypt in the house of Potiphar. CHARACTERS: Joseph, Potiphar, Potiphar's wife, prison keeper. CONCLUSION: Loyalty to God may bring a believer into serious testings but the...

  • Sutcliffe's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    Genesis 39:1. _Potiphar._ What a providence, that Joseph was bought by a man in whom Pharaoh had placed very much confidence. _Captain of the guard._ He seems to have been a military superintendent of...

  • The Biblical Illustrator

    _How can I do this great wickedness and sin against God?_ JOSEPH’S RESISTANCE We are accustomed to admire the mere act of resistance to temptation, by whomsoever and howsoever offered. But there is a...

  • The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

    GENESIS—NOTE ON GENESIS 39:1 In Egypt, Joseph maintains his integrity by refusing to lie with Potiphar’s wife, which results in his being wrongfully imprisoned. ⇐...

  • The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

    GENESIS—NOTE ON GENESIS 39:6 HANDSOME IN FORM AND APPEARANCE echoes Genesis 29:17, which describes Joseph’s mother Rachel. Joseph recognizes that to give in to Poti

  • The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary

    CRITICAL NOTES.— Genesis 39:9. Sin against God.] Joseph uses the common name for God in addressing this Egyptian.— GENESIS 39:11. ABOUT THIS TIME.] Heb. _At this day._ The day on which the occurrenc...

  • The Pulpit Commentaries

    EXPOSITION GENESIS 39:7 AND IT CAME TO PASS AFTER THESE THINGS,—Joseph had by this time been nearly ten years in Potiphar's house (vide Genesis 41:46)—THAT HIS MASTER'S WIFE CAST HER EYES (lascivious...

  • Through The Bible C2000 Serie by Chuck Smith

    Now we get back in chapter thirty-nine to the story again. This is just a little interlude and it is just sort of a parenthetical-kind of a thing thrown in and now we get back to Joseph. Joseph was br...

  • Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

    none. Genesis 24:2 Nehemiah 6:11 Luke 12:48 1 Corinthians 4:2 Titus 2:10

  • Wells of Living Water Commentary

    JOSEPH REJECTED BY HIS BRETHREN Genesis 37:20 _-Genesis 39:1_ INTRODUCTORY WORDS As we proceed to consider Joseph, as rejected of his brethren, there will be discovered an outline of Christ rejected...

  • Wells of Living Water Commentary

    JOSEPH, SERVANT OF POTIPHAR Genesis 39:1 INTRODUCTORY WORDS There is a chapter that is thrown in between the story of Joseph sold to the Ishmaelites, and Joseph bought by Potiphar and made a servan...

  • Wesley's Explanatory Notes

    How can I sin against God — Not only how shall I do it and sin against my master, my mistress, myself, my own body and soul, but against God? — Gracious souls look upon this as the worst thing in sin,...

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