Genesis 39:1
in Genesis 39Meanwhile, Joseph had been taken down to Egypt, where an Egyptian named Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh and captain of the guard, bought him from the Ishmaelites who had taken him there.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
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.
KJV
And Joseph was brought down to Egypt; and Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh, captain of the guard, an Egyptian, bought him of the hands of the Ishmeelites, which had brought him down thither.
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This verse in Genesis 39
Commentary
6 notes on this verseA commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
- Joseph in Potiphar’s House According to our reckoning, Perez and Zerah were born when Judah was in his twenty-eighth year, and therefore, Joseph in his twenty-fourth. Here, then, we go back seven years to resume the story of Joseph.
This site's exposition
taken down to Egypt
on Genesis 39:1-2
Joseph is taken down to Egypt, where Potiphar, the captain of Pharaoh's guard, buys him from the Ishmaelites. He is a slave in a foreign house, sold there by his own brothers. Then comes the sentence that governs the chapter, that the LORD was with Joseph. It is said first of a slave.
The record, by era
The Reformation1 voice
Let us then learn, even amidst our sufferings, to perceive the grace of God; and let it suffice us, when anything severe is to be endured, to have our cup mingled with some portion of sweetness, lest we should be ungrateful to God, who, in this manner, declares that he is present with us.
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
The Jews have a proverb, "If the world did not know the worth of good men, they would hedge them about with pearls." He was sold to an officer of Pharaoh, with whom he might get acquainted with public persons and public business, and so be fitted for the preferment for which he was designed.
And Joseph was brought down to Egypt,....
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
An officer of Pharaoh, captain of the guard - Mr. Ainsworth, supposing that his office merely consisted in having charge of the king’s prisoners, calls Potiphar provost marshal! See Clarke on Gen 37:36 (note), See Clarke on Gen 40:3 (note).
The words behind it
16 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וְיוֹסֵ֖ף | veyosef | and Joseph | H3130 → | 213 times |
| הוּרַ֣ד | hurad | he had been brought down | H3381 → | 381 times |
| מִצְרָ֑יְמָה | mitzrayemah | Egypt towards | H4714 → | 641 times |
| וַיִּקְנֵ֡הוּ | vaiyiknehu | and he bought him | H7069 → | 84 times |
| פּוֹטִיפַר֩ | potifar | Potiphar | H6318 → | |
| סְרִ֨יס | seris | [the] official of | H5631 → | 42 times |
| פַּרְעֹ֜ה | paroh | Pharaoh | H6547 → | 274 times |
| שַׂ֤ר | sar | [the] commander of | H8269 → | 421 times |
| הַטַּבָּחִים֙ | hatabachim | the bodyguards | H2876 → | 32 times |
| אִ֣ישׁ | ʾish | a man | H376 → | 1663 times |
| מִצְרִ֔י | mitzri | an Egyptian | H4713 → | 70 times |
| מִיַּד֙ | miyad | from [the] hand of | H3027 → | 1618 times |
| הַיִּשְׁמְעֵאלִ֔ים | haiyishmeelim | the Ishmaelites | H3459 → | 8 times |
| אֲשֶׁ֥ר | ʾasher | who | H834 → | 5497 times |
| הוֹרִדֻ֖הוּ | horiduhu | they had brought down him | H3381 → | 381 times |
| שָֽׁמָּה׃ | shamah | there towards | H8033 → | 834 times |
וְיוֹסֵ֖ףand Joseph
veyosefH3130 →213 times
הוּרַ֣דhe had been brought down
huradH3381 →381 times
מִצְרָ֑יְמָהEgypt towards
mitzrayemahH4714 →641 times
וַיִּקְנֵ֡הוּand he bought him
vaiyiknehuH7069 →84 times
פּוֹטִיפַר֩Potiphar
potifarH6318 →
סְרִ֨יס[the] official of
serisH5631 →42 times
פַּרְעֹ֜הPharaoh
parohH6547 →274 times
שַׂ֤ר[the] commander of
sarH8269 →421 times
הַטַּבָּחִים֙the bodyguards
hatabachimH2876 →32 times
אִ֣ישׁa man
ʾishH376 →1663 times
מִצְרִ֔יan Egyptian
mitzriH4713 →70 times
מִיַּד֙from [the] hand of
miyadH3027 →1618 times
הַיִּשְׁמְעֵאלִ֔יםthe Ishmaelites
haiyishmeelimH3459 →8 times
אֲשֶׁ֥רwho
ʾasherH834 →5497 times
הוֹרִדֻ֖הוּthey had brought down him
horiduhuH3381 →381 times
שָֽׁמָּה׃there towards
shamahH8033 →834 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Acts 7:9Because the patriarchs were jealous of Joseph, they sold him as a slave into Egypt. But God was with him
it leads to
- Psalms 105:17
He sent a man before them— Joseph, sold as a slave.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Genesis 39:2
And the LORD was with Joseph, and he became a successful man, serving in the household of his Egyptian master.
- Isaiah 43:2
When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you go through the rivers, they will not overwhelm you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be scorched;…
- Genesis 45:4
Then Joseph said to his brothers, “Please come near me.” And they did so. “I am Joseph, your brother,” he said, “the one you sold into Egypt!
- Isaiah 41:10
Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be afraid, for I am your God. I will strengthen you; I will surely help you; I will uphold you with My right hand…
- Psalms 105:17
Through
Psalms 105:17He sent a man before them— Joseph, sold as a slave.
it leads to
- Acts 7:9
Because the patriarchs were jealous of Joseph, they sold him as a slave into Egypt. But God was with him
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Acts 7:9
Through
Genesis 37:25And as they sat down to eat a meal, they looked up and saw a caravan of Ishmaelites coming from Gilead. Their camels were carrying spices, balm, and myrrh on their way down to…
it leads to
- Genesis 37:28
So when the Midianite traders passed by, his brothers pulled Joseph out of the pit and sold him for twenty shekels of silver to the Ishmaelites, who took him to Egypt.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Genesis 37:28
Through
Genesis 37:28So when the Midianite traders passed by, his brothers pulled Joseph out of the pit and sold him for twenty shekels of silver to the Ishmaelites, who took him to Egypt.
it leads to
- Genesis 45:4–5
Then Joseph said to his brothers, “Please come near me.” And they did so. “I am Joseph, your brother,” he said, “the one you sold into Egypt!
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Genesis 45:4–5
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies1
About Genesis
Who and where
2 names in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Chuck Missler, The Book of Genesis; John Calvin, Commentaries; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.