| Back to Home Page | Back to Book Index
|
Genesis Chapter
Thirty-nine
Genesis 39
Outlines
New King James Version
(NKJV)
INTRODUCTION TO
GENESIS 39
In this chapter the
history returns to Joseph again, who being brought down to Egypt was sold to
Potiphar, with whom he found favour, and who set him over his house, the Lord
prospering everything in his hands, Genesis 39:1; and
being a young man of a comely aspect, his mistress lusted after him, and
tempted him to lie with her from time to time, but he as constantly refused it,
as being both ingratitude to his master, and a sin against God, Genesis 39:7; at a
certain time they being alone in the house, she renewed her solicitations, and
laid hold on his garment, which he left in her hand and fled, Genesis 39:11; upon
which she called to her servants without, and accused Joseph of an ill design
upon her, and reported the same to her husband when he came home, Genesis 39:13; upon
which his master put him into prison, but he found favour also with the keeper
of it, who committed the prisoners and all things relative to them into his
hands, Genesis 39:20.
Genesis 39:1. Now
Joseph had been taken down to Egypt. And Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh,
captain of the guard, an Egyptian, bought him from the Ishmaelites who had
taken him down there.
YLT 1And Joseph hath been
brought down to Egypt, and Potiphar, a eunuch of Pharaoh, head of the
executioners, an Egyptian man, buyeth him out of the hands of the Ishmaelites
who have brought him thither.
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 nameF13Onomastic. Sacr. p. 671, 672. ; 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, Psalm 105:23; of
this man and his offices; see Gill on Genesis 37:36,
he bought him:
that is,
"Joseph":
of the hands of
the Ishmaelites, who had brought him down thither;
what they gave for him we
know, but what they sold him for to Potiphar is not said; no doubt they got a
good price for him, and his master had a good bargain too, as appears by what
follows.
Genesis 39:2. 2 The
Lord was with
Joseph, and he was a successful man; and he was in the house of his master the
Egyptian.
YLT 2And Jehovah is with Joseph,
and he is a prosperous man, and he is in the house of his lord the Egyptian,
And the Lord
was with Joseph,....
Blessing him with his
gracious presence, with discoveries of his love, and communion with himself,
though destitute of the means of grace and ordinances of worship he enjoyed in
his father's house; favouring him with bodily health, and protecting him from
all evils and enemies:
and he was a
prosperous man;
in worldly things, and which
was owing to the presence of God with him, and his blessing on him:
and he was in
the house of his master the Egyptian;
he continued there, and
did not attempt to make his escape; or his employment lay chiefly, if not
altogether, in the house, and herein he was prosperous, and continued to be so
as long as he was in it; the JewsF14Seder Olam Rabba, c. 2. p. 5.
say, he remained here twelve months. Near the pyramids built in the
neighbourhood of Memphis, as is affirmed unanimously by the ancients, to this
day is shown a hill, on which they say the house of Potiphar was built, whose
servant the patriarch Joseph was, and some of the rubbish of the bricks are yet
to be seenF15Jablonski de Terra Goshen, Dissert. 6. sect. 6. .
Genesis 39:3. 3 And
his master saw that the Lord
was with him and that the Lord made all he did to
prosper in his hand.
YLT 3and his lord seeth that
Jehovah is with him, and all that he is doing Jehovah is causing to prosper in
his hand,
And his master
saw that the Lord was with him,....
He knew nothing of the
spiritual and gracious presence of God that was with him, he was no judge of
that; but he perceived by the ingenuity of his mind, by his ready and speedy
learning the Egyptian language, by his dexterity in business, and by the
prudence and faithfulness with which he did everything, that he was highly
favoured by the divine Being, and had great endowments bestowed upon him, and was
an extraordinary person for his age:
and that the
Lord made all that he did to prosper in his hand;
and though Potiphar might
have no knowledge of the true Jehovah, whose name he uses, yet he might have a
notion of a supreme Being, and that all outward prosperity was owing to him;
and knowing Joseph to be an Hebrew, as it is plain his wife did, Genesis 39:14; and
Jehovah to be the God of the Hebrews, he imputes all the prosperity that
attended Joseph and his services unto his God.
Genesis 39:4. 4 So
Joseph found favor in his sight, and served him. Then he made him overseer of
his house, and all that he had he put under his authority.
YLT 4and Joseph findeth grace in
his eyes and serveth him, and he appointeth him over his house, and all that he
hath he hath given into his hand.
And Joseph
found grace in his sight,....
In the sight of his
master, as he did in the sight of God, he had favour both with God and man; his
master had a high esteem of him, and a great value for him, and showed him much
kindness and respect:
and he served
him;
readily, willingly, cheerfully,
and faithfully; or he served him personally; his master took such a liking to
him, that he selected him from the rest of his servants to wait on his person,
and to be what we now call a "valet de chambre", whose business was
to dress and undress him, to wait upon him at table, &c.
and he made him
overseer over his house, and all that he had he put into his hand;
that is, after he had
served him some time, in the capacity of a valet, he advanced him, and made him
the head servant, or steward of his house, and committed all his business,
cash, and accounts to his care, and put all his servants under him.
Genesis 39:5. 5 So
it was, from the time that he had made him overseer of his house and all
that he had, that the Lord
blessed the Egyptian’s house for Joseph’s sake; and the blessing of the Lord was on all
that he had in the house and in the field.
YLT 5And it cometh to pass from
the time that he hath appointed him over his house, and over all that he hath,
that Jehovah blesseth the house of the Egyptian for Joseph's sake, and the
blessing of Jehovah is on all that he hath, in the house, and in the field;
And it came to
pass from the time that he had made him overseer in his house, and over all
that he had,....
How long he was in this
office is not certain; there must be some time for the following observation;
and during all the time he was in it, it was easily discerned:
that the Lord
blessed the Egyptian's house for Joseph's sake;
that is, much more than
before; everything under his hands succeeded before, but now much more
abundantly; Potiphar's family was blessed with health, his substance increased,
he grew rich and wealthy, and abounded with all good things:
and the
blessing of the Lord was upon all that he had in the house,
and in the
field; his domestic affairs prospered, his fields brought forth
plentifully, his cattle were fruitful and stood well; every thing belonging to
him within doors and without happily succeeded, through the blessing of God
upon it, and all for Joseph's sake.
Genesis 39:6. 6 Thus
he left all that he had in Joseph’s hand, and he did not know what he had
except for the bread which he ate. Now Joseph was handsome in form and
appearance.
YLT 6and he leaveth all that he
hath in the hand of Joseph, and he hath not known anything that he hath, except
the bread which he is eating. And Joseph is of a fair form, and of a fair
appearance.
And he left all
he had in Joseph's hand;....
His master took no care of
anything, but committed all to him, trusted him with his money and with his
accounts, and with the management of all his affairs; such confidence did he
put in him:
and he knew not
aught he had, save the bread which he did eat;
some understand this of
Joseph, that though he had all his master's substance in his hands, yet he made
no use of it for himself, enjoyed nothing of it but the bread he ate; and it is
the observation of a Jewish writerF16R. Abraham Sepharadi apud
Munster. in loc. , that he ate nothing but dry bread, and yet, like Daniel and
his companions, was well favoured and of a goodly countenance, as in the next clause:
but it is better to interpret it of Joseph's master, who was so satisfied with
Joseph's good management and fidelity, that he never concerned himself about
his affairs, how they stood or what money he had in his house, or what effects
he was possessed of; all that he regarded was his food, and perhaps he knew not
what that would be till it came to his table; though some take the expression
in this light, that he gave himself unto a luxurious life, regarding nothing
but eating and drinking, and taking his pleasure, having so good and faithful a
servant: but according to Aben Ezra the sense is, that Joseph had all committed
to his care, excepting the bread, or making provision of that for him and his
family, which he might not touch being an Hebrew, and had all things common
with him but that, see Genesis 43:32;
which is a much better sense than what the Targum of Jonathan and Jarchi give,
who interpret bread of his wife, whom only he reserved for himself of all
things in his house:
and Joseph was a
goodly person, and well favoured;
being like his mother, as
Aben Ezra observes, see Genesis 29:17; this
is remarked for the sake of what follows, and as leading on to that.
Genesis 39:7. 7 And
it came to pass after these things that his master’s wife cast longing eyes on
Joseph, and she said, “Lie with me.”
YLT 7And it cometh to pass after
these things, that his lord's wife lifteth up her eyes unto Joseph, and saith,
`Lie with me;'
And it came to
pass after these things,....
After he was the overseer
of his house; in which office, after he had been some time, so it was
that his
master's wife cast her eyes upon Joseph;
he being a handsome young
man, caught her eye, and that her heart, and led her on to lust after him, and
frequently fed her eyes with amorous glances at him:
and
at length being fired with
lust, and having an opportunity:
she said,
to him, in a bold and
impudent manner, in plain words, having given signs and hints, and dropped
expressions tending thereto before, as it is probable:
lie with me;
now directly, there being
both opportunity and convenience, perhaps her chamber was near: this was a very
great temptation to a young man in single life and living well, from his
mistress, who had it greatly in her power to make him should he consent, or
ruin him should he deny.
Genesis 39:8. 8 But
he refused and said to his master’s wife, “Look, my master does not know what is
with me in the house, and he has committed all that he has to my hand.
YLT 8and he refuseth, and saith
unto his lord's wife, `Lo, my lord hath not known what [is] with me in the
house, and all that he hath he hath given into my hand;
But he refused,
and said unto his master's wife,....
Reasoning with her about
the evil nature of the crime she tempted him to, which to commit would be
ingratitude, as well as injury to his master, and a sin against God; by which
it appears that Joseph was a partaker of the grace of God, and that this was in
strong exercise at this time, by which he was preserved from the temptation he
was beset with:
behold, my
master wotteth not what is with me in the house;
what goods or money are in
it:
and he hath
committed all that he hath to my hand:
such confidence did he
repose in him, wherefore to do such an injury to him as to commit adultery with
his wife, would be making a sad return, and acting a most ungrateful part for
such favour shown him.
Genesis 39:9. 9 There is no one greater in this
house than I, nor has he kept back anything from me but you, because you are
his wife. How then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?”
YLT 9none is greater in this
house than I, and he hath not withheld from me anything, except thee, because
thou [art] his wife; and how shall I do this great evil? -- then have I sinned
against God.'
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 greaterF17איננו גדול "non ipse magnus", Montanus; "ne ipse
quidem est me major", Junius & Tremellius, Munster, Fagius, Drusius,
Mercerus, Cartwright. in this house than I"; that is, his master was not
greater than he: he had a greater propriety in the house and the things of it,
and he had the original power and authority in it, but had not a greater use of
it; Joseph had authority over all the servants, and everything in the house at
his command, and the free use of everything his master had, excepting what
follows:
neither hath he
kept back anything from me but thee, because thou art his wife;
and is a reason not only
why his master retained her for his own use, but why he should not touch her,
and why she should not solicit him to it:
how then can I
do this great wickedness and sin against God?
the words are emphatic in
the original, "this! this wickedness! this great one!" adultery was
reckoned a great sin among all nations, and this, had Joseph committed it,
would have been greatly aggravated by the favours his master had conferred upon
him; and not only a sin against himself, his soul and body, and against his
master, but, above all, a sin against God, contrary to his holy nature,
revealed will, and righteous law; all which prevailed upon Joseph to refuse the
offer made him, which he could not comply with, in honour or with a good
conscience.
Genesis 39:10. 10 So
it was, as she spoke to Joseph day by day, that he did not heed her, to lie
with her or to be with her.
YLT 10And it cometh to pass at
her speaking unto Joseph day [by] day, that he hath not hearkened unto her, to
lie near her, to be with her;
And it came to
pass, that as she spake to Joseph day by day,....
Continually, incessantly,
hoping in time to prevail upon him to comply with her desires; so that the
temptation, as it was strong, and very ensnaring, it was urgent, and frequent,
and pressed with great importunity; which required the more grace and spiritual
strength to resist:
that he
hearkened not unto her;
not only did not yield to
her, but would not give her an hearing, at least as little as possible he
could, lest he should be overcome by her persuasions:
to lie by her, or
to be with her;
she might tempt him to lie
by her, if he would not lie with her; or to lie, as Aben Ezra interprets it, in
a place near her, in a chamber next to hers, in hopes by degrees to gain her
point; but he would not yield to either, nor to be in her company, and have any
conversation with her, at least as little as possible, that he might not be in
the way of temptation, and be led into it; though these phrases may all signify
carnal copulation with her, which was what his mistress solicited, and he would
not hearken to her in, and comply with her.
Genesis 39:11. 11 But it happened about this
time, when Joseph went into the house to do his work, and none of the men of
the house was inside,
YLT 11and it cometh to pass about
this day, that he goeth into the house to do his work, and there is none of the
men of the house there in the house,
And it came to
pass about this time,....
About a week, or a month,
or rather a year, as Aben Ezra thinks, after she first began her solicitations
to him. According to JosephusF18Antiqu. l. 2. c. 4. sect. 3. , it
was a public festival, at which women used to attend; but she excused herself,
pretending illness; and so Jarchi takes it to be some noted day at the idol's
temple, to which all used to go; but she pretended she was sick, and could not
go, knowing that Joseph would not be there, but at home, and therefore judged
this a fit opportunity to attack him once more: and so it was:
that Joseph
went into the house to do his business:
to inspect the accounts,
as the Targums of Onkelos and Jonathan paraphrase it, and settle them:
and there
was none of the men of the house there within;
being all gone to the
public festival, or however there were none in that part of the house where
Joseph was.
Genesis 39:12. 12 that
she caught him by his garment, saying, “Lie with me.” But he left his garment
in her hand, and fled and ran outside.
YLT 12and she catcheth him by his
garment, saying, `Lie with me;' and he leaveth his garment in her hand, and
fleeth, and goeth without.
And she caught
him by his garment, saying, lie with me,....
It is very probable that
before this time, as soon as ever she began to speak to him, he got away as
fast as he could, and would not hear her; wherefore she now laid hold on his
garment, in order to detain him, that she might have time to parley with him,
and so prevail:
and he left his
garment in her hand, and fled, and got him out;
it was his outward loose
garment she laid hold on, out of which he slipped himself, and so got clear of
her, and ran away, and got out of the house as fast as he could: this he did,
because he would not struggle with his mistress for his garment, which no doubt
by his strength he could have got from her; and partly lest he should by
handling of her have carnal desires excited in him, and so be overcome with her
temptation.
Genesis 39:13. 13 And
so it was, when she saw that he had left his garment in her hand and fled
outside,
YLT 13And it cometh to pass when
she seeth that he hath left his garment in her hand, and fleeth without,
And it came to
pass, when she saw that he had left his garment in her hand,....
And so all hopes of
succeeding in her addresses to him were over:
and he
was fled forth;
into the streets, or into
some out house, where business was carried on by servants under him.
Genesis 39:14. 14 that
she called to the men of her house and spoke to them, saying, “See, he has
brought in to us a Hebrew to mock us. He came in to me to lie with me, and I
cried out with a loud voice.
YLT 14that she calleth for the
men of her house, and speaketh to them, saying, `See, he hath brought in to us
a man, a Hebrew, to play with us; he hath come in unto me, to lie with me, and
I call with a loud voice,
That she called
unto the men of her house,....
Of that part of the house
which belonged to her; her eunuchs that waited upon her, or that were in
another part of the home, at some distance:
and spake unto
them;
when they came to her:
saying, see, he
hath brought in an Hebrew unto us to mock us:
she means her husband,
whom through contempt, and in her passion, she names not, having lost all
affection for him, as her addresses to Joseph showed; and so the Targum of
Jonathan supplies it,"your master hath brought, &c.'and Joseph she
calls an Hebrew by way of reproach, and with a view to set her servants against
him; who before this might not have any great regard to him through envy at him,
for the favours he enjoyed, and the authority he had; and because he prevented
their doing wrong things to serve themselves, and hurt their master: and
holding up his garment in her hand, which they knew full well, bid them look at
it, and observe, that this was the issue of his Being brought into the house by
their master; that though it was not with such an intention, which can hardly
be thought to be her sense, yet this was the event of it; an attempt to abuse,
vitiate, and corrupt her, and so bring contempt upon the whole family, and
expose them to the scorn and mockery of men, for their mistress to be abused by
a base foreigner: she explains herself more fully by saying:
he came in unto
me to lie with me, and I cried with a loud voice;
both of them lies; for it
was she that solicited him to lie with her, and not he; nor did she cry out at
all; and if she did, how came it she was not heard by them, as well as when she
called unto them; thus her impure love was turned into hatred, which put her
upon framing lies and calumnies; and which has been also done in cases similar
to thisF19Vid. Juvenal Satyr. 10. Apollodorum de Deorum Origin. l.
2. p. 70. , as Sthenobaea against Bellerophon.
Genesis 39:15. 15 And
it happened, when he heard that I lifted my voice and cried out, that he left
his garment with me, and fled and went outside.”
YLT 15and it cometh to pass, when
he heareth that I have lifted up my voice and call, that he leaveth his garment
near me, and fleeth, and goeth without.'
And it came to
pass, when he heard that I lifted up my voice and cried,....
He attempting to ravish
her, as she would have it understood, but afraid, lest upon her outcry those
that were in the house should come in to her assistance, and seize on him:
that he left
his garment with me, and fled, and got him out:
but why should he strip
himself of his garment, and leave that behind him? he might have fled with it.
Genesis 39:16. 16 So
she kept his garment with her until his master came home.
YLT 16And she placeth his garment
near her, until the coming in of his lord unto his house.
And she laid up
his garment by her,....
As a proof of what she
laid to his charge, and as a testimony against him:
until her lord
came home;
or until his lord came
home, for the pronoun refers to Joseph, and so Jarchi interprets it; who either
was gone a journey, or gone to court that day, being an officer of Pharaoh's,
or to the public place where the festival was kept that day, if it was such an
one.
Genesis 39:17. 17 Then
she spoke to him with words like these, saying, “The Hebrew servant whom you
brought to us came in to me to mock me;
YLT 17And she speaketh unto him
according to these words, saying, `The Hebrew servant whom thou hast brought
unto us, hath come in unto me to play with me;
And she spake
unto him according to these words,....
When her husband came home
she related to him the above affair, according to the purport of the above
words, and in much the same manner, and to the same import as she had to the
men of her house:
saying, the
Hebrew servant which thou hast brought unto us came in unto me to mock me;
in an obscene manner,
using filthy words and actions, contrary to the rules of chastity as well as
good manners; or, in other words, to lie with her, which she pretended he
solicited.
Genesis 39:18. 18 so
it happened, as I lifted my voice and cried out, that he left his garment with
me and fled outside.”
YLT 18and it cometh to pass, when
I lift my voice and call, that he leaveth his garment near me, and fleeth
without.'
And it came to
pass, as I lifted up my voice and cried,....
For help from the
servants, and frightened at his insolent attempt:
that he left
his garment with me, and fled out;
and then she brought it
forth, and showed him it.
Genesis 39:19. 19 So
it was, when his master heard the words which his wife spoke to him, saying,
“Your servant did to me after this manner,” that his anger was aroused.
YLT 19And it cometh to pass when
his lord heareth the words of his wife, which she hath spoken unto him, saying,
`According to these things hath thy servant done to me,' that his anger
burneth;
And it came to
pass, when his master heard the words of his wife,....
The story she related
concerning Joseph, which was her own invention, and a lie:
which she spake
unto him, saying, after this manner did thy servant to me;
attempting to violate her
chastity, as she pretended:
that his wrath
was kindled;
that is, against Joseph,
without strictly examining her words, which they would not bear, her story
being but ill put together, and without hearing Joseph's defence.
Genesis 39:20. 20 Then
Joseph’s master took him and put him into the prison, a place where the king’s
prisoners were confined. And he was there in the prison.
YLT 20and Joseph's lord taketh
him, and putteth him unto the round-house, a place where the king's prisoners
[are] bound; and he is there in the round-house.
And Joseph's
master took him, and put him into the prison,....
Which was in or adjoining
to his house, Genesis 40:3; of
himself he had power to do this, as the captain of the guard; and as he was the
chief of the executioners, as some take his office to be, it is much he did not
in his passion deliver him up into their hands to put him to death at once; but
it may be through the great respect he had had for Joseph, which was not wholly
extinguished by this impeachment of him; and especially if he heard Joseph's
apology for himself before he committed him, his passion might subside a
little, though for the credit of his wife he might take this step; or however
things were so overruled by the providence of God, who has the hearts of all
men in his hands, that he should do what he did. The word for
"prison" has the signification of roundness, and may be rendered the
"round house"F20בית הסהר "rotundam turrim", Junius & Tremellius;
"domum rotundi carceris", Piscator: "round house", Ainsworth;
"vox Hebraea significat carcerem rotundum in modum lunae", Vatablus;
so Ben Melech. , or "round tower"; and some Jewish writers, as Mercer
observes, take it to be in this form, that it was made under ground, and at the
top of it was an hole which let in light, and at which they went into it. Aben
Ezra is at a loss to say whether it is an Hebrew or Egyptian word, and inclines
to the latter, because he thinks it is explained in the next clause:
a place where
the king's prisoners were bound;
such as were guilty of
high treason, or however of high crimes and misdemeanours against him; and so
was a prison in which men were strictly kept and used hardly, as was Joseph at
first, as appears from Psalm 105:18,
and he was
there in the prison;
he continued there, some
of the Jewish writers sayF21Pirke Eliezer, c. 39. ten years, others
twelveF23Seder Olam Rabba, c. 2. p. 5. Shalshalet Hakabala, fol. 3.
2. ; and so long he must be, if he was but one year in Potiphar's house; for
there were thirteen years between his being sold into Egypt, and his appearance
before Pharaoh; he was seventeen when he was sold, and he was thirty when he
stood before Pharaoh, being took out of prison, see Genesis 37:2; but
it is more likely that he was a longer time in Potiphar's house, and a lesser
time in prison.
Genesis 39:21. 21 But the Lord was with
Joseph and showed him mercy, and He gave him favor in the sight of the keeper
of the prison.
YLT 21And Jehovah is with Joseph,
and stretcheth out kindness unto him, and putteth his grace in the eyes of the
chief of the round-house;
And the Lord
was with Joseph,....
Comforting him with his
presence under his afflictions; supporting him with his right hand; sanctifying
all his troubles to him, and so causing him to bear them patiently and
cheerfully:
and showed him
mercy, and gave him favour in the sight of the keeper of the prison;
who was the underkeeper to
Potiphar; God so wrought upon the heart of this man, that he was merciful to
him, and took off the iron fetters, which hurt his feet, and gave him liberty
to walk about; and many other favours and kindnesses he showed unto him, as
follow.
Genesis 39:22. 22 And
the keeper of the prison committed to Joseph’s hand all the prisoners who were
in the prison; whatever they did there, it was his doing.
YLT 22and the chief of the
round-house giveth into the hand of Joseph all the prisoners who [are] in the round-house,
and of all that they are doing there, he hath been doer;
And the keeper
of the prison committed to Joseph's hand all the prisoners that were in
the prisons,....
Who, as they were state
prisoners, were a considerable charge; and this gave Joseph great honour,
credit, and influence in the prison:
and whatsoever
they did there, he was the doer of it;
not that he learned and
exercised every trade the prisoners were of, to get a living by, which is the
sense of some, as Aben Ezra relates; or that he in fact did everything that was
done in the prison: but the meaning is, that he gave orders for the doing of
everything, and there was nothing done without him; all that was done, as the
Targum of Jonathan paraphrases it, he commanded it to be done; or, as Onkelos,
all that was done was done by his word, that is, by his authority and command.
Genesis 39:23. 23 The
keeper of the prison did not look into anything that was under Joseph’s
authority,[a] because
the Lord
was with him; and whatever he did, the Lord made it prosper.
YLT 23the chief of the
round-house seeth not anything under his hand, because Jehovah [is] with him,
and that which he is doing Jehovah is causing to prosper.
The keeper of
the prison looked not to anything that was under his hand,....
Under the hand of Joseph;
he did not inquire into and examine his conduct and management of things; he
took no account of what was in his hands, nor required any of him; so satisfied
was he with what he did, and had such an opinion of his prudence and
faithfulness. The Targums of Onkelos and Jonathan paraphrase it,"he saw no
crime in him,'either in the management of affairs he committed to him, or for
which he was put into prison, and therefore did not use him as he did other
prisoners:
because the
Lord was with him;
supplying him with his
grace, giving him wisdom to do everything in the best manner committed to him,
which caused the keeper of the prison to respect him as he did:
and that
which he did the Lord made it to prosper;
every method he took to secure
the prisoners, every scheme he formed to bring them to confession of their
crimes, or to clear those that were innocent; and every other thing relative to
prison affairs, all through the good hand of God upon him, guiding, directing,
and blessing him, succeeded well, which gained him the favour and good will of
the keeper and the prisoners.
──《John Gill’s
Exposition of the Bible》
New
King James Version (NKJV)
a.
Genesis 39:23
Literally his hand