Genesis 39

Chap. XXIX. Ver. 1—23. Joseph resists temptation; but is imprisoned.—Joseph, being sold into Egypt, becomes the slave of Potiphar, who is so highly pleased with his diligence and attention, that he appoints him to attend upon himself, and makes him overseer, or steward, of his household. Here he finds his fidelity equal to his diligence, and every thing so prospers under his management, that he withholds nothing from him. But it was the misfortune of Potiphar to have an unfaithful, intriguing wife; and it was Joseph’s misfortune (as it has been that of many young men) to be “a goodly person, and well-favoured;” whereby he innocently attracted her wanton passions, so that she tempted him, day by day, to commit adultery with her.

Here, however, we see the advantage of a religious education, and of pious principles. He spurns at the temptation, and replies, “How can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?”—the best argument a Christian can use against temptation. At length, one day, when his duty required him to go into the apartment where she was, she impudently seized hold of his upper garment, to constrain him to comply. Well knowing that the best way to resist this temptation was to fly from it, he fled, and left his garment in her hands; and that which was, in fact, the witness of his innocence, is produced by this artful and wicked woman to prove his guilt. His master had certainly a high opinion of Joseph, but he had also probably a strong persuasion of the virtue of his wife, and could not resist her story, supported with such a proof.

Joseph is therefore committed to the king’s prison, of which his master had the guard, probably without a hearing. But had he been heard, his account, which was just the reverse of hers, would certainly have appeared incredible. But this disgrace was one of the steps necessary to his promotion. God was with him in the prison, and preserved him from the rage of his lord, though he was “chief of the executioners;” and he gave him the same favour with the keeper of the prison as he had before enjoyed with his master, Potiphar. Still, whatever he did, “the Lord made it to prosper.” Joseph, though a prisoner, is made the head turnkey, (as we should say,) and circumstances are now rapidly advancing, to raise him to a much higher honour than that from which he fell.

Notes on the verses

Chap. XXXIX. Ver. 4. And he served him.—“Waited on him.”—Boothroyd,—Michaelis says, “he made him his own valet;” besides which he seems to have been “steward of the household,” for every thing was “under his hand;” i.e. he kept the keys.
Ver. 6. Joseph was a goodly person.—[Yephath tear, wephath marath, “beautiful in person and beautiful in countenance.” Joseph is the Adonis of the East; his beauty being so celebrated that a handsome man is frequently compared to him; and the Persian poets vie with each other in descriptions of his comeliness. Mohammed spends the 12th chapter of the Koran entirely on Joseph; whom he represents as a perfect beauty, and the most accom-