Genesis-Chapter-39
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Remember the following truth from our
beloved Torah!
“Ye shall NOT ADD TO
THE WORD which I command you, NEITHER SHALL
YE DIMINISH FROM IT, that ye may keep the commandments of יְהוָה
אֱלֹהֵיכֶם - the LORD your Eloleichem, which I command you”. Davarim -
Deuteronomy 4:2. (JPS-1917).
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With Rabbi,
Dr. Reuven Ben Avraham-Goossens, PhD.
Introduction:
We return to Joseph, now a slave in
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Genesis Chapter 39 - Joseph in the House of Potiphar.
Let us read Genesis
Chapter 39, verses 1 to 32: (JPS-1917 version of
the Torah). Below this chapter you will find my commentary for this study.
1 “And Joseph was
brought down to Egypt; and Potiphar, an officer of
Pharaoh’s, the captain of the guard, an Egyptian, bought him of the hand of the
Ishmaelites, that had brought him down thither. 2 And
יְהוָה - the LORD was with Joseph, and he was a prosperous man; and he was in
the house of his master the Egyptian. 3 And his
master saw that יְהוָה - the LORD was with him, and that יְהוָה - the LORD made all that he did to prosper in his hand. 4 And Joseph found favour in his sight, and he
ministered unto him. And he appointed him overseer over his house, and all that he had he put into his hand. 5 And
it came to pass from the time that he appointed him overseer in his house, and
over all that he had, that יְהוָה - the LORD blessed the Egyptian's house for Joseph’s sake; and the
blessing of יְהוָה - the LORD was upon all that he had, in the house and in the
field. 6 And he left all that he had in Joseph’s
hand; and, having him, he knew not aught save the bread which he did eat. And
Joseph was of beautiful form, and fair to look upon. 7 And
it came to pass after these things, that his master’s
wife cast her eyes upon Joseph; and she said: ‘Lie with me’. 8 But
he refused, and said unto his master’s wife: ‘Behold, my master, having me,
knoweth not what is in the house, and he hath put all that he hath into my
hand; 9 he is not 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 אֱלֹהִים - Elohim?’ 10 And it came to pass, as she
spoke to Joseph day by day, that he hearkened not unto her, to lie by her, or
to be with her. 11 And it came to pass on a
certain day, when he went into the house to do his work, and there was none of
the men of the house there within, 12 that she
caught him by his garment, saying: ‘Lie with me’. And he left his garment in
her hand, and fled, and got him out. 13 And it
came to pass, when she saw that he had left his garment in her hand, and was
fled forth, 14 that she called unto the men of
her house, and spoke unto them, saying: ‘See, he hath brought in a Hebrew unto
us to mock us; he came in unto me to lie with me, and I cried with a loud
voice. 15 And it came to pass, when he heard that I
lifted up my voice and cried, that he left his garment by me, and fled, and got
him out.’ 16 And she laid up his garment by
her, until his master came home. 17 And she
spoke unto him according to these words, saying: ‘The Hebrew servant, whom thou
hast brought unto us, came in unto me to mock me. 18 And
it came to pass, as I lifted up my voice and cried,
that he left his garment by me, and fled out’. 19 And
it came to pass, when his master heard the words of his wife, which she spoke
unto him, saying: ‘After this manner did thy servant to me’; that his wrath was
kindled. 20 And Joseph’s master took him, and
put him into the prison, the place where the king’s prisoners were bound; and
he was there in the prison. 21 But יְהוָה - the LORD was with Joseph, and showed kindness unto him, and gave him
favour in the sight of the keeper of the prison. 22 And
the keeper of the prison committed to Joseph’s hand all the prisoners that were
in the prison; and whatsoever they did there, he was the doer of it. 23 The keeper of the prison looked not to any thing
that was under his hand, because יְהוָה - the LORD was with him; and that which he did, יְהוָה - the LORD made it to prosper”.
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My Commentary on Verses 1
to 23:
Verses
1-6: (Success
in Slavery). Joseph is sold to Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh.
Despite being a slave, the text emphasizes that “ יְהוָה- the LORD was with Joseph”.
His master recognizes this Divine blessing and puts Joseph in charge of everything.
Joseph’s beauty of “form and face” is mentioned here as a prelude to the temptation
that follows, showing that his outward grace was a reflection of the blessing
upon him.
Verses
7-10: (The
Refusal of Temptation). Potiphar’s wife attempts to
seduce Joseph. His refusal is grounded in two things: his loyalty to the master
who trusted him, and his ultimate loyalty to the Almighty. He asks, “How then
can I do this great wickedness, and sin against אֱלֹהִים - Elohim (God?)” Joseph understands
that his private moral choices are a matter of his relationship with אֱלֹהִים - Elohim, not just a social
convention.
Verses
11-18: (The
False Accusation). When Joseph flees the room to avoid her, leaving his
garment behind, she uses that very garment to frame him. Her accusation to the
household servants and then to her husband uses Joseph’s “Hebrew” identity as a
weapon, playing on ethnic prejudice to ensure his downfall.
Verses 19-23: (From the House to the
Prison). Potiphar’s anger results in Joseph being
cast into the king’s prison. However, the narrative arc repeats: even in the
dungeon, “יְהוָה- the LORD was with Joseph”.
Just as he rose in Potiphar’s house, he now rises in
the prison, gaining the trust of the keeper. Joseph proves that a person’s
character and the Divine presence are not dependent on their physical location
or their title”.
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My Closing Message:
Genesis 39 serves as the ultimate contrast to the previous chapter. While
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