Genesis 39:8
in Genesis 39But he refused. “Look,” he said to his master’s wife, “with me here, my master does not concern himself with anything in his house, and he has entrusted everything he owns to my care.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
But he refused, and said unto his master’s wife, Behold, my master knoweth not what is with me in the house, and he hath put all that he hath into my hand:
KJV
But he refused, and said unto his master’s wife, Behold, my master wotteth not what is with me in the house, and he hath committed all that he hath to my hand;
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This verse in Genesis 39
Commentary
7 notes on this verseBut what should I say about the arrangement of his private house, which he governed? However, he accomplished more by ruling himself before others. And even though he was attractive in appearance and very handsome, he did not use the beauty of his face to cause harm to others, but preserved it for his own grace. He believed himself to be more beautiful if he could prove himself more attractive through modesty and the cultivation of chastity rather than through the loss of his virtue.
This site's exposition
cast her eyes upon Joseph
on Genesis 39:7-9
Joseph refuses and gives two reasons in order, the trust his master put in him, and then God. He calls it sin against God. Nothing has been withheld from him except her, and the verse gives the reason, that she is his master's wife. Everything given and one thing held back is the shape of Genesis 2:16 and 17.
This site's exposition
But he refused
Refused translates ma'en, the verb of Jacob refusing all comfort at Genesis 37:35. In the Hebrew text the word carries the shalshelet, a rare accent found only four times in the Torah and sung as a long wavering note. Here the son refuses his master's wife in his master's house.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
"Afterwards," it says. What is meant by "afterwards"? After Joseph had been entrusted with control of the whole household and after his being shown such esteem by his master, "his master's wife set her eye on Joseph." See the shamelessness of this wanton woman. It was not because she considered herself to be mistress of the house that she took this into her head; it was not because he was a servant. Instead, under the spell of Joseph's charm and aflame with satanic desire, she endeavored at this point to assail the young man. With this evil intent fixed in her mind, she looked for a suitable moment of privacy for putting into effect this illicit endeavor. "But he refused," the text says. He did not submit, nor did he accept the invitation. Joseph realized, you see, the great ruin it would bring him. Instead of thinking of himself, he was greatly concerned as well to deliver her from this folly and improper desire, as far as was possible. He offered her advice calculated to awaken her to a sense of shame and make her realize what was for her good.
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
But he refused, and said unto his master's wife,....
Note, We are bound in honour, as well as justice and gratitude, not in any thing to injure those that have a good opinion of us and place a trust in us, how secretly soever it may be done.
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
My master wotteth not - Knoweth not, from the old Anglo-Saxon, witan, to know; hence, wit, intellect, understanding, wisdom, prudence.
The words behind it
18 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַיְמָאֵ֓ן׀ | vaymaen | and he refused | H3985 → | 41 times |
| וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ | vaiyomer | and he said | H559 → | 5305 times |
| אֶל־ | ʾel- | to | H413 → | 5510 times |
| אֵ֣שֶׁת | ʾeshet | [the] wife of | H802 → | 781 times |
| אֲדֹנָ֔יו | ʾadonav | master<s> his | H113 → | 333 times |
| הֵ֣ן | hen | here! | H2005 → | 316 times |
| אֲדֹנִ֔י | ʾadoni | lord my | H113 → | 333 times |
| לֹא־ | lo'- | not | H3808 → | 5168 times |
| יָדַ֥ע | yada' | he knows | H3045 → | 945 times |
| אִתִּ֖י | ʾiti | with me | H854 → | 929 times |
| מַה־ | mah- | what? | H4100 → | 752 times |
| בַּבָּ֑יִת | babayit | [is] in the house | H1004 → | 2046 times |
| וְכֹ֥ל | vekhol | and all | H3605 → | 5413 times |
| אֲשֶׁר־ | ʾasher- | that | H834 → | 5497 times |
| יֶשׁ־ | yesh- | there | H3426 → | 140 times |
| ל֖וֹ | lo | [belongs] to <the> him | ||
| נָתַ֥ן | natan | he has given | H5414 → | 2011 times |
| בְּיָדִֽי׃ | beyadi | in hand my | H3027 → | 1618 times |
וַיְמָאֵ֓ן׀and he refused
vaymaenH3985 →41 times
וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙and he said
vaiyomerH559 →5305 times
אֶל־to
ʾel-H413 →5510 times
אֵ֣שֶׁת[the] wife of
ʾeshetH802 →781 times
אֲדֹנָ֔יוmaster<s> his
ʾadonavH113 →333 times
הֵ֣ןhere!
henH2005 →316 times
אֲדֹנִ֔יlord my
ʾadoniH113 →333 times
לֹא־not
lo'-H3808 →5168 times
יָדַ֥עhe knows
yada'H3045 →945 times
אִתִּ֖יwith me
ʾitiH854 →929 times
מַה־what?
mah-H4100 →752 times
בַּבָּ֑יִת[is] in the house
babayitH1004 →2046 times
וְכֹ֥לand all
vekholH3605 →5413 times
אֲשֶׁר־that
ʾasher-H834 →5497 times
יֶשׁ־there
yesh-H3426 →140 times
ל֖וֹ[belongs] to <the> him
lo
נָתַ֥ןhe has given
natanH5414 →2011 times
בְּיָדִֽי׃in hand my
beyadiH3027 →1618 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
Proverbs 1:10My son, if sinners entice you, do not yield to them.
it leads to
- Ephesians 5:11
Have no fellowship with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them.
- Psalms 1:1
Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, or set foot on the path of sinners, or sit in the seat of mockers.
- Proverbs 16:29
A violent man entices his neighbor and leads him down a path that is not good.
- Proverbs 13:20
He who walks with the wise will become wise, but the companion of fools will be destroyed.
- Deuteronomy 13:8
you must not yield to him or listen to him. Show him no pity, and do not spare him or shield him.
- Ephesians 5:11
Through
Proverbs 22:14The mouth of an adulteress is a deep pit; he who is under the wrath of the LORD will fall into it.
it leads to
- Ecclesiastes 7:26
And I find more bitter than death the woman who is a snare, whose heart is a net, and whose hands are chains. The man who pleases God escapes her, but the sinner is…
- Proverbs 23:27
For a prostitute is a deep pit, and an adulteress is a narrow well.
- Proverbs 6:24–29
to keep you from the evil woman, from the smooth tongue of the adulteress.
- Ecclesiastes 7:26
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies1
About Genesis
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Ambrose of Milan, ON JOSEPH 5.22; John Chrysostom, HOMILIES ON GENESIS 62.17; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament; Keil and Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.