1Ug gidala si Jose ngadto sa Egipto, ug gipalit siya ni Potiphar, nga usa ka dakung tawo ni Faraon, ang pangulo sa mga bantay nga Egiptohanon, sa kamot sa mga Ismaelihanon nga maoy nagdala kaniya didto. 2Ug si Jehova diha nag-uban kang Jose, sa pagkaagi nga siya nahimong tawo nga mauswagon: ug didto siya sa balay sa iyang agalon nga Egiptohanon. 3Ug nakita sa iyang agalon nga si Jehova diha nag-uban kaniya, ug gipauswag ni Jehova ang tanan nga iyang ginabuhat sa iyang kamot. 4Mao kini nga si Jose nakapahimuot sa iyang mga mata, ug siya nag-alagad kaniya; ug siya gihimo niya nga tinugyanan sa iyang balay, ug gitugyan sa iyang kamot ang tanan niyang katigayonan. 5Ug nahatabo nga sukad sa pagkahimo niya nga tinugyanan sa iyang balay, ug sa tanan niyang katigayonan, nga gipanalanginan ni Jehova ang balay sa Egiptohanon tungod kang Jose; ug ang panalangin ni Jehova diha sa ibabaw sa tanan nga iyang katigayonan, sa balay ug sa uma. 6Ug iyang gitugyan ang tanan niyang katigayonan sa kamot ni Jose. Ug siya wala manghibalo kong may diha pa ba kaniya, gawas sa tinapay nga iyang ginakaon. Ug si Jose matahum ug nawong ug gikahimut-an pag-ayo. 7Ug nahitabo nga sa tapus niining mga butanga, nga ang asawa sa iyang agalon kanunay nga nagtutok sa iyang mga mata kang Jose, ug miingon siya: Umari ka; umipon ka sa paghigda kanako. 8Apan siya nagdumili, ug miingon siya sa asawa sa iyang agalon: Tan-awa, nga ang akong agalon wala na magtagad sa mga gisalig niya kanako dinhi sa balay, ug gibutang niya sa akong kamot ang tanan niyang kaugalingon. 9Siya dili labaw kay kanako niining balaya, ug walay bisan unsa nga butang nga iyang gitungina kanako, gawas kanimo, kay ikaw mao ang iyang asawa. Busa unsaon ko paghimo kining dakung pagkadautan, ug makasala batok sa Dios? 10Ug nahatabo nga sa nagasulti siya kang Jose sa adlaw-adlaw, ug siya wala magpatalinghug kaniya aron sa pagtipon sa paghigda kaniya, ni sa pagpuyo uban kaniya. 11Nahitabo niadtong panahona nga misulod siya sa balay sa pagbuhat sa iyang katungdanan; ug walay bisan kinsa sa mga tawo sa sulod sa balay. 12Ug siya gigunitan niya sa iyang bisti, nga nagaingon: Umari ka; umipon ka sa paghigda kanako. Unya gibiyaan niya ang iyang bisti sa iyang mga kamot, ug mikalagiw siya ug migulan ngadto sa gawas. 13Ug nahitabo nga sa nakita niya nga gibiyaan ang iyang bisti sa iyang mga kamot, ug mikalagiw siya sa gawas, 14Nga mitawag siya sa mga tawo sa iyang balay, ug nagsugilon kanila nga nagaingon: Tan-awa ninyo, nga gidad-an kita ug usa ka Hebreohanon, aron sa pagpasipala kanato; kini siya misulod nganhi kanako sa pagtipon sa paghigda, ug ako misinggit sa hataas nga tingog. 15Ug nahitabo nga sa nadungog niya nga gipatugbaw ko ang tingog ug misinggit ako, nga gibiyaan niya sa luyo ko ang iyang bisti, ug mikalagiw siya ug migula ngadto sa gawas. 16Ug iyang gibutang sa luyo niya ang iyang bisti hangtud nga miabut ang iyang agalon sa iyang balay. 17Ug iyang gisugilon kaniya sumala niining mga pulonga nga nagaingon: Ang ulipon nga Hebreohanon nga imong gidala dinhi kanamo, misulod nganhi kanako sa pagpakaulaw kanako. 18Ug nahitabo nga sa gipatugbaw ko ang akong tingog ug misinggit ako, gibiyaan niya ang iyang bisti sa luyo nako, ug migula siya ngadto sa gawas. 19Ug nahitabo nga sa hingdunggan niya ang mga pulong nga gisulti sa iyang asawa kaniya, nga nagaingon: Mao kini ang gihimo kanako sa imong ulipon, misilaub ang iyang kaligutgut. 20Ug si Jose gikuha sa iyang agalon, ug gisulod siya sa bilanggoan, dapit nga didto ginabilanggo ang mga binilanggo sa hari, ug siya nahabilin didto sa bilanggoan. 21Apan si Jehova diha nag-uban kang Jose, ug nagpakita kaniya sa iyang kaayo; ug gihatagan siya ug kahimut-an sa mga mata sa punoan sa bantay sa bilanggoan. 22Ug ang tinugyanan sa bantay sa bilanggoan nagtugyan sa kamot ni Jose sa tanan nga mga binilanggo, nga diha sa bilanggoan, ug ang tanan nga ilang gibuhat didto, siya mao ang magbubuhat. 23Ang pangulo sa bantay sa bilanggoan wala magsusi sa bisan unsang butanga nga diha sa iyang kamot; kay si Jehova diha nag-uban kaniya; ug ang iyang ginabuhat, si Jehova maoy nagpatubo.
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."