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Joseph was brought down to Egypt. Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh’s, the captain of the guard, an Egyptian, bought him from the hand of the Ishmaelites that had brought him down there.
Verse 1. Ismaelites. They are called Madianites. Calmet. 37:36. Bible.
The LORD was with Joseph, and he was a prosperous man. He was in the house of his master the Egyptian.
His master saw that the LORD was with him, and that the LORD made all that he did prosper in his hand.
Joseph found favor in his sight. He ministered to him, and Potiphar made him overseer over his house, and all that he had he put into his hand.
From the time that he made him overseer in his house, and over all that he had, the LORD blessed the Egyptian’s house for Joseph’s sake. The LORD’s blessing was on all that he had, in the house and in the field.
He left all that he had in Joseph’s hand. He didn’t concern himself with anything, except for the food which he ate. Joseph was well-built and handsome.
Verse 6. Bread. A proverbial expression, to shew how entirely he reposed in Joseph’s fidelity and prudence. Menochius.—He was so rich, that he knew not the extent of his wealth. So Petronius says, Nescit quid habeat, adeo Zaplutus est. It may also be understood as a commendation of Joseph’s disinterestedness.
After these things, his master’s wife set her eyes on Joseph; and she said, “Lie with me.”
Verse 7. Many days. About 10 years; as Joseph was 30, three years after this. Calmet.
But he refused, and said to his master’s wife, “Behold, my master doesn’t know what is with me in the house, and he has put all that he has into my hand.
No one is greater in this house than I am, and he has not kept back anything from me but you, because you are his wife. How then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?”
Verse 9. His wife, and such things as could not be touched without sin; such as his daughter, if the woman, whom Joseph afterwards married, was the daughter of this man. Calmet. 41:45.—My God, Elohim; which might also be understood of his lord and master. The sin against the latter would be resented by God, who is offended by every transgression. Bible.
As she spoke to Joseph day by day, he didn’t listen to her, to lie by her, or to be with her.
Verse 10. Both the woman was importunate, and so forth Hebrew does not express this so fully. D.
About this time, he went into the house to do his work, and there were none of the men of the house inside.
She caught him by his garment, saying, “Lie with me!” He left his garment in her hand, and ran outside.
Verse 12. Out. He could easily have wrested it from her. But he would not do any thing that might seem disrespectful, nor claim what her impure hands had touched. Menochius.
When she saw that he had left his garment in her hand, and had run outside,
she called to the men of her house, and spoke to them, saying, “Behold, he has brought a Hebrew in to us to mock us. He came in to me to lie with me, and I cried with a loud voice.
When he heard that I lifted up my voice and cried, he left his garment by me, and ran outside.”
She laid up his garment by her, until his master came home.
Verse 16. A proof of her fidelity, or an argument to gain credit, argumentum fidei. Challoner.—Love neglected, turns to fury. She wishes to take away Joseph’s life, according to the laws of Egypt against adulterers. Diodorus says Sesostris burnt some women taken in the crime; and we must attribute it to divine Providence, that the enraged husband did not inflict instant death upon his slave. Perhaps he did not altogether believe him guilty. Bible.
She spoke to him according to these words, saying, “The Hebrew servant, whom you have brought to us, came in to me to mock me,
Verse 17. Thou hast, and so forth As if her husband were guilty of an indiscretion. Menochius.
and as I lifted up my voice and cried, he left his garment by me, and ran outside.”
When his master heard the words of his wife, which she spoke to him, saying, “This is what your servant did to me,” his wrath was kindled.
Verse 19. Too much. The proof was of an ambiguous nature. But Putiphar perhaps thought it unbecoming to distrust his wife, or to interrogate his slave. Bible.
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 custody.
But the LORD was with Joseph, and showed kindness to him, and gave him favor in the sight of the keeper of the prison.
Verse 21. Keeper. Pererius thinks this was the same Putiphar, who, recognizing the innocence of Joseph, allows him every indulgence in prison; but does not liberate him, for fear of the dishonour and resentment of his wife. Calmet.—He had before put him in irons. Psalms 104:18. Wisdom 10:13. Joseph here exercises at once the four cardinal virtues. Prudence, in keeping out of the company of his mistress, as the Hebrew express it, verse 10. “He yielded not to lie with her, or to be in her company.” Bible.—Justice, in regard to his master. Fortitude, in bearing with all sorts of hardships, loss of character, and so forth And Temperance, by refusing to gratify the most violent of all passions, at an age when it is the most insidious and ungovernable. This makes the fathers exclaim, We wonder more at the conduct of Joseph, than at the delivery of the three children from the Babylonian furnace. For, like them, Joseph continues unhurt, and more shining, in the midst of the flames. Saint John Chrysostom Tirinus.—The stories of Hippolitus, Bellerophon, and so forth seem to be copied from this. Calmet.
The keeper of the prison committed to Joseph’s hand all the prisoners who were in the prison. Whatever they did there, he was responsible for it.
The keeper of the prison didn’t look after anything that was under his hand, because the LORD was with him; and that which he did, the LORD made it prosper.