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Genesis 39:19

in Genesis 39

When his master heard the story his wife told him, saying, “This is what your slave did to me,” he burned with anger.

BSB

The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾

ASV

And it came to pass, when his master heard the words of his wife, which she spake unto him, saying, After this manner did thy servant to me; that his wrath was kindled.

KJV

And it came to pass, when his master heard the words of his wife, which she spake unto him, saying, After this manner did thy servant to me; that his wrath was kindled.

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This verse in Genesis 39

Commentary

5 notes on this verse

A commentator

Ambrose of Milan

On Joseph the Patriarch · Written before 397.

When she could not protect her own vices, she accused the innocent; she joined deceit to deceit, held on to the possessions of others, herself condemned others and set no limit to her fury. Whatever was the reason for her cruelty? Only that she saw that her cravings were meeting with resistance and her forbidden desires were being frustrated of receiving consent. See the reason why the prison opens—to admit the innocent. Why criminals are freed of their chains—that these may be put on the faithful!

This site's exposition

he burned with anger

on Genesis 39:19-20

Potiphar burns with anger and then stops short of what the charge allows. An attempt on his wife could have cost Joseph his life, and he goes to the king's prison instead. Jamieson reads the king's prison as a sign the master did not wholly believe the story. Joseph answers nothing, here or anywhere in the chapter.

The record, by era

The Church Fathers1 voice

A commentator

Caesarius of Arles

SERMON 90.3 · Written before 542.

proposed

That woman, however, did what she threatened, lied to her husband and was believed; and still God was patient. Holy Joseph was thrown into prison. He was held captive like a guilty man, although God was not offended by him.

The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices

And it came to pass, when his master heard the words of his wife,.... The story she related concerning Joseph, which was her own invention, and a lie: which she spake unto him, saying, after this manner did thy servant to me; attempting to violate her chastity, as she pretended: that his wrath was kindled; that is, against Joseph, without strictly examining her words, which they would not bear, her story being but ill put together, and without hearing Joseph's defence.

A commentator

Matthew Henry

1662–1714

Commentary on the Whole Bible (1710)

proposed

Joseph owned and righted by his God, who is, and will be, the just and powerful patron of oppressed innocence. Joseph was at a distance from all his friends and relations, had not them with him to comfort him, or to minister to him, or to mediate for him; but the Lord was with Joseph, and showed him mercy,

The words behind it

17 Hebrew words

Every 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.

  • וַיְהִי֩and it was

    vayhiH1961 →3559 times

  • כִשְׁמֹ֨עַwhen heard

    khishmoa'H8085 →1159 times

  • אֲדֹנָ֜יוmaster<s> his

    ʾadonavH113 →333 times

  • אֶת־<obj.>

    ʾet-H853 →10935 times

  • דִּבְרֵ֣י[the] words of

    divreiH1697 →1440 times

  • אִשְׁתּ֗וֹwife his

    ʾishtoH802 →781 times

  • אֲשֶׁ֨רwhich

    ʾasherH834 →5497 times

  • דִּבְּרָ֤הshe spoke

    diberahH1696 →1141 times

  • אֵלָיו֙to him

    ʾelavH413 →5510 times

  • לֵאמֹ֔ר<to> saying

    lemorH559 →5305 times

  • כַּדְּבָרִ֣יםaccording to the things

    kadevarimH1697 →1440 times

  • הָאֵ֔לֶּה<the> these

    haelehH428 →746 times

  • עָ֥שָׂהּhe did

    ʾasahH6213 →2628 times

  • לִ֖יto <the> me

    li

  • עַבְדֶּ֑ךָservant your

    ʾavdekhaH5650 →799 times

  • וַיִּ֖חַרand it burned

    vaiyicharH2734 →91 times

  • אַפּֽוֹ׃anger his

    ʾapoH639 →276 times

A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.

Related verses

8 in all, six open

The number beside each verse is how many compiled reference works tie it to this one. The strongest six stand open.

Acts 25:16I told them that it is not the Roman custom to hand a man over before he has had an opportunity to face his accusers and defend himself against their charges.2 worksProverbs 29:12If a ruler listens to lies, all his officials will be wicked.2 worksProverbs 6:34–35For jealousy enrages a husband, and he will show no mercy in the day of vengeance.2 works2 Thessalonians 2:11For this reason God will send them a powerful delusion so that they believe the lie,2 worksSong of Solomon 8:7Mighty waters cannot quench love; rivers cannot sweep it away. If a man were to give all the wealth of his house for love, his offer would be utterly scorned.2 worksGenesis 4:5–6but He had no regard for Cain and his offering. So Cain became very angry, and his countenance fell.2 works
The other 2 cross-references, with their words ▾
Proverbs 18:17The first to state his case seems right until another comes and cross-examines him.2 worksJob 29:16I was a father to the needy, and I took up the case of the stranger.2 works

The walk

8 stops

Each 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

    2 Thessalonians 2:11

    For this reason God will send them a powerful delusion so that they believe the lie,

    it leads to

    • Romans 1:28

      Furthermore, since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, He gave them up to a depraved mind, to do what ought not to be done.

    • John 12:39–43

      For this reason they were unable to believe. For again, Isaiah says:

    • 1 Timothy 4:1

      Now the Spirit expressly states that in later times some will abandon the faith to follow deceitful spirits and the teachings of demons,

    • Matthew 24:11

      and many false prophets will arise and mislead many.

    • Psalms 81:11–12

      But My people would not listen to Me, and Israel would not obey Me.

  • Through

    Song of Solomon 8:7

    Mighty waters cannot quench love; rivers cannot sweep it away. If a man were to give all the wealth of his house for love, his offer would be utterly scorned.

    it leads to

    • Proverbs 6:35

      He will not be appeased by any ransom, or persuaded by lavish gifts.

    • Romans 13:8–10

      Be indebted to no one, except to one another in love. For he who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law.

  • Through

    Acts 25:16

    I told them that it is not the Roman custom to hand a man over before he has had an opportunity to face his accusers and defend himself against their charges.

    it leads to

    • John 7:51

      “Does our law convict a man without first hearing from him to determine what he has done?”

Where this verse is studied

On this page

Studies1

About Genesis

The Tower of Babel, Pieter Brueghel the Elder, 1563. Public domain.
The Tower of Babel, Pieter Brueghel the Elder, 1563. Public domain.
Genesis: the study guide →Read Genesis 39 →

This page draws on Ambrose of Milan, On Joseph the Patriarch; Caesarius of Arles, SERMON 90.3; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.

Read on in Genesis 39 →