1JOSÉ pues fué llevado a Egipto; y Potifar, oficial de Faraón, capitán de la guardia, varón egipcio, le compró de mano de los Ismaelitas que le habían llevado allá. 2Mas Jehová era con José, de modo que fué hombre próspero; y estaba en casa de su señor el egipcio. 3Y su señor vió que Jehová era con él, y que todo cuanto él hacía, Jehová lo prosperaba en su mano. 4Por eso José halló gracia en sus ojos, y era su administrador; pues él le encargó el gobierno de su casa, y cuanto tenia lo puso en su mano. 5Y aconteció que desde el tiempo en que le dió cargo de su casa, y de todo lo que tenía, Jehová bendijo la casa del Egipcio por causa de José: de manera que la bendición de Jehová estaba en todo lo que él tenía, tanto en casa como en el campo. 6De esta suerte deja todo lo suyo en mano de José: y no se entendía de cosa alguna, sino del pan que comía. Y era José de bella figura y de hermoso semblante. 7Y aconteció, después de estas cosas, que la mujer de su señor puso los ojos en José, y dijo: ¡Acuéstate conmigo! 8Mas él rehusó, y dijo a la mujer de su señor: He aquí, mi señor no se entiende conmigo acerca de lo que está en casa, y todo lo que tiene lo ha puesto en mi mano. 9Ninguno hay en esta casa más grande que yo, y él no me ha reservado cosa alguna, sino a ti sola, por cuanto eres su mujer: ¿cómo pues he de hacer esta gran maldad, y pecar contra Dios? 10Y sucedió, mientras ella hablaba a José todos los días, y mientras él no le escuchaba para acostarse a su lado, ni para estar con ella, 11que cierto día en que él entró en casa para hacer su oficio, no había ninguno de los hombres de la casa allí dentro. 12Ella pues le cogió de su vestido, diciendo: ¡Acuéstate conmigo! Mas él dejó su vestido en mano de ella, y huyó, saliéndose fuera. 13Y sucedió, cuando ella vió que le había dejado su vestido en la mano, y había huído fuera, 14que llamó a los hombres de su casa y les dijo: Ya veis que nos ha traído un hebreo para que se riese de nosotros: vino a mí para acostarse conmigo, y yo clamé a grandes voces; 15y fué así que él, como oyese que levantaba mi voz y clamaba, dejó su vestido a mi lado, y huyó, saliéndose fuera. 16Y ella guardó el vestido de él junto a sí hasta que su señor volvió a su casa. 17Y le habló a él en los mismos términos, diciendo: Vino a mí el siervo hebreo que nos trajiste, para juguetear conmigo. 18Y fué así que cuando yo alcé mi voz y grité, él dejó su vestido a mi lado, y huyó fuera. 19Y aconteció que cuando oyó su señor las palabras que su mujer le hablaba, diciendo: De esta manera me hizo tu siervo; encendióse su ira: 20y tomó su señor a José, y le echó en la cárcel, lugar donde se encerraban los presos del rey; y él se quedó allí en la cárcel. 21Mas Jehová era con José, y le extendió su misericordia, y dióle gracia en los ojos del alcaide de la cárcel; 22de manera que el alcaide de la cárcel puso en mano de José todos los presos que había en la cárcel; y todo lo que hacían allí, él era quien lo hacía. 23No miraba el alcaide de la cárcel por cosa alguna que estaba en su mano; porque Jehová era con José, y lo que él hacía Jehová lo prosperaba.
Jamieson Fausset Brown Bible Commentary 1 JOSEPH IN POTIPHAR'S HOUSE. (Gen. 39:1-23)
Potiphar--This name, Potiphar, signifies one "devoted to the sun," the local deity of On or Heliopolis, a circumstance which fixes the place of his residence in the Delta, the district of Egypt bordering on Canaan.
officer--literally, "prince of the Pharoah"--that is, in the service of government.
captain of the guard--The import of the original term has been variously interpreted, some considering it means "chief cook," others, "chief inspector of plantations"; but that which seems best founded is "chief of the executioners," the same as the captain of the watch, the zabut of modern Egypt [WILKINSON].
bought him . . . of the Ishmaelites--The age, appearance, and intelligence of the Hebrew slave would soon cause him to be picked up in the market. But the unseen, unfelt influence of the great Disposer drew the attention of Potiphar towards him, in order that in the house of one so closely connected with the court, he might receive that previous training which was necessary for the high office he was destined to fill, and in the school of adversity learn the lessons of practical wisdom that were to be of greatest utility and importance in his future career. Thus it is that when God has any important work to be done, He always prepares fitting agents to accomplish it.
2 he was in the house of his master--Those slaves who had been war captives were generally sent to labor in the field and subjected to hard treatment under the "stick" of taskmasters. But those who were bought with money were employed in domestic purposes, were kindly treated, and enjoyed as much liberty as the same class does in modern Egypt.
3 his master saw that the Lord was with him--Though changed in condition, Joseph was not changed in spirit; though stripped of the gaudy coat that had adorned his person, he had not lost the moral graces that distinguished his character; though separated from his father on earth, he still lived in communion with his Father in heaven; though in the house of an idolater, he continued a worshipper of the true God.
5 the Lord blessed the Egyptian's house for Joseph's sake, &c.--It might be--it probably was--that a special, a miraculous blessing was poured out on a youth who so faithfully and zealously served God amid all the disadvantages of his place. But it may be useful to remark that such a blessing usually follows in the ordinary course of things; and the most worldly, unprincipled masters always admire and respect religion in a servant when they see that profession supported by conscientious principle and a consistent life.
made him overseer in his house--We do not know in what capacity Joseph entered into the service of Potiphar; but the observant eye of his master soon discovered his superior qualities and made him his chief, his confidential servant (compare
Eph 6:7;
Col 3:23). The advancement of domestic slaves is not uncommon, and it is considered a great disgrace not to raise one who has been a year or two in the family. But this extraordinary advancement of Joseph was the doing of the Lord, though on the part of Potiphar it was the consequence of observing the astonishing prosperity that attended him in all that he did.
7 his master's wife cast her eyes upon Joseph--Egyptian women were not kept in the same secluded manner as females are in most Oriental countries now. They were treated in a manner more worthy of a civilized people--in fact, enjoyed much freedom both at home and abroad. Hence Potiphar's wife had constant opportunity of meeting Joseph. But the ancient women of Egypt were very loose in their morals. Intrigues and intemperance were vices very prevalent among them, as the monuments too plainly attest [WILKINSON]. Potiphar's wife was probably not worse than many of the same rank, and her infamous advances made to Joseph arose from her superiority of station.
9 How then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?--This remonstrance, when all inferior arguments had failed, embodied the true principle of moral purity--a principle always sufficient where it exists, and alone sufficient.
14 Then she called unto the men of her house--Disappointed and affronted, she vowed revenge and accused Joseph, first to the servants of the house, and on his return to her lord.
See, he hath brought in an Hebrew . . . to mock us--an affected and blind aspersion of her husband for keeping in his house an Hebrew, the very abomination of Egyptians.
20 Joseph's master took him, and put him into the prison--the roundhouse, from the form of its construction, usually attached to the dwelling of such an officer as Potiphar. It was partly a subterranean dungeon (
Gen 41:14), though the brick-built walls rose considerably above the surface of the ground, and were surmounted by a vaulted roof somewhat in the form of an inverted bowl. Into such a dungeon Potiphar, in the first ebullition of rage, threw Joseph and ordered him to be subjected further to as great harshness of treatment (
Ps 105:18) as he dared; for the power of masters over their slaves was very properly restrained by law, and the murder of a slave was a capital crime.
a place where the king's prisoners were bound--Though prisons seem to have been an inseparable appendage of the palaces, this was not a common jail--it was the receptacle of state criminals; and, therefore, it may be presumed that more than ordinary strictness and vigilance were exercised over the prisoners. In general, however, the Egyptian, like other Oriental prisons, were used solely for the purposes of detention. Accused persons were cast into them until the charges against them could be investigated; and though the jailer was responsible for the appearance of those placed under his custody, yet, provided they were produced when called, he was never interrogated as to the way in which he had kept them.
21 The Lord . . . gave him favour in the sight of the keeper of the prison, &c.--It is highly probable, from the situation of this prison (
Gen 40:3), that the keeper might have been previously acquainted with Joseph and have had access to know his innocence of the crime laid to his charge, as well as with all the high integrity of his character. That may partly account for his showing so much kindness and confidence to his prisoner. But there was a higher influence at work; for "the Lord was with Joseph, and that which he did, the Lord made it to prosper."