(J.) Joseph and Potiphar's Wife The story of Joseph is in this chapter resumed, in the J version, from Genesis 37:35. In this version Joseph in Egypt is a slave who has been sold by his brethren to the Ishmaelites, and then by the Ishmaelites to an Egyptian of rank, whose name is not given. This Eg... [ Continue Reading ]
_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 Eg... [ Continue Reading ]
_the Lord was with Joseph_ This is the _motif_of the whole section. Jehovah stands by Joseph whether in trouble or in prosperity, in good report or in evil; cf. Genesis 39:3_; Genesis 39:5; Genesis 39:21; Genesis 39:23_. Joseph was one of those rare characters in which great personal attractiveness... [ Continue Reading ]
_ministered unto him_ Joseph's character and capacities were first tested by personal service, and afterwards by the responsibility of general supervision. _overseer_ Joseph was made steward of the whole household, a position of which we find mention in early Egyptian records. Cf. Genesis 43:16; Ge... [ Continue Reading ]
_for Joseph's sake_ Cf. Genesis 30:27 (J).... [ Continue Reading ]
_he knew not … him_ The R.V. marg., _with him he knew not_, gives the correct meaning. Joseph's master trusted everything to him. Everything went on smoothly; and with Joseph as manager he had no need to think of a thing, except as regards food. It is also just possible that "save the bread, &c.," i... [ Continue Reading ]
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.... [ Continue Reading ]
_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 … against God_ Observe how, in J, Elohim, not Jehovah, is used of God in a passage where Joseph is s... [ Continue Reading ]
_his garment_ This accident provided the only circumstantial piece of evidence for the charge brought against him.... [ Continue Reading ]
_an Hebrew_ The designation used by foreigners for "an Israelite" (cf. Genesis 41:12; Genesis 43:32), and probably for any one who belonged to the group of peoples, Israelite, Moabite, Ammonite, Edomite, who invaded and settled down in Palestine and the adjacent territories. The word is an appeal to... [ Continue Reading ]
_laid up_ i.e. laid on one side, and kept ready to be produced as evidence.... [ Continue Reading ]
_into the prison_ Lit. "into the house of roundness," or "the round house." Possibly the Heb. expression, "the house of _sohar_," may be an attempt to transliterate an Egyptian word, with a similar sound, by means of a familiar Heb. word _sohar_. LXX ὀχύρωμα, Lat. _carcer_. It only occurs here, and... [ Continue Reading ]
_But the Lord_, &c. See note on Genesis 39:2. The favour of Jehovah towards Joseph is the cause of Joseph's acceptability with the keeper of the prison. He receives the same degree of confidence in prison, as he had received from the master whom he had served as steward.... [ Continue Reading ]