Genesis 39:5
in Genesis 39From the time that he put Joseph in charge of his household and all he owned, the LORD blessed the Egyptian’s household on account of him. The LORD’s blessing was on everything he owned, both in his house and in his field.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And it came to pass from the time that he made him overseer in his house, and over all that he had, that Jehovah blessed the Egyptian’s house for Joseph’s sake; and the blessing of Jehovah was upon all that he had, in the house and in the field.
KJV
And it came to pass from the time that he had made him overseer in his house, and over all that he had, that the Lord blessed the Egyptian’s house for Joseph’s sake; and the blessing of the Lord was upon all that he had in the house, and in the field.
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This verse in Genesis 39
Commentary
4 notes on this verseThis site's exposition
the LORD blessed the Egyptian’s household
on Genesis 39:5-6
A pagan household is blessed on account of one Hebrew slave inside it. The blessing promised to Abraham at Genesis 12:3 is working here at the smallest scale, on a man who owns nothing. Potiphar leaves everything in Joseph's care and concerns himself with the food he eats.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
8 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; 9 There is none greater in this house than I; neither hath he kept back any thing from me but thee, because thou art his wife: how then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?
quarantine:scripture (2026-07-29) — verbatim-scripture
And it came to pass from the time that he had made him overseer in his house, and over all that he had,....
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
the Lord blessed the Egyptian's house for Joseph's sake, &c.--It might be--it probably was--that a special, a miraculous blessing was poured out on a youth who so faithfully and zealously served God amid all the disadvantages of his place.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase
The words behind it
26 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַיְהִ֡י | vayhi | and it was | H1961 → | 3559 times |
| מֵאָז֩ | meaz | from then | H227 → | 141 times |
| הִפְקִ֨יד | hifkid | he appointed | H6485 → | 303 times |
| אֹת֜וֹ | ʾoto | <obj.> him | H853 → | 10935 times |
| בְּבֵית֗וֹ | beveito | in household his | H1004 → | 2046 times |
| וְעַל֙ | veal | and over | H5921 → | 5755 times |
| כָּל־ | kol- | all | H3605 → | 5413 times |
| אֲשֶׁ֣ר | ʾasher | that | H834 → | 5497 times |
| יֶשׁ־ | yesh- | there | H3426 → | 140 times |
| ל֔וֹ | lo | [belonged] to <the> him | ||
| וַיְבָ֧רֶךְ | vayvarekh | and he blessed | H1288 → | 330 times |
| יְהוָ֛ה | yahweh | Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| בֵּ֥ית | beit | [the] household of | H1004 → | 2046 times |
| הַמִּצְרִ֖י | hamitzri | the Egyptian | H4713 → | 70 times |
| בִּגְלַ֣ל | biglal | on account of | H1558 → | 10 times |
| יוֹסֵ֑ף | yosef | Joseph | H3130 → | 213 times |
| וַיְהִ֞י | vayhi | and it was | H1961 → | 3559 times |
| בִּרְכַּ֤ת | birkat | [the] blessing of | H1293 → | 69 times |
| יְהוָה֙ | yahweh | Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| בְּכָל־ | bekhol | on all | H3605 → | 5413 times |
| אֲשֶׁ֣ר | ʾasher | that | H834 → | 5497 times |
| יֶשׁ־ | yesh- | there | H3426 → | 140 times |
| ל֔וֹ | lo | [belonged] to <the> him | ||
| בַּבַּ֖יִת | babayit | in the house | H1004 → | 2046 times |
| וּבַשָּׂדֶֽה׃ | uvasadeh | and in the field | H7704 → | 334 times |
וַיְהִ֡יand it was
vayhiH1961 →3559 times
מֵאָז֩from then
meazH227 →141 times
הִפְקִ֨ידhe appointed
hifkidH6485 →303 times
אֹת֜וֹ<obj.> him
ʾotoH853 →10935 times
בְּבֵית֗וֹin household his
beveitoH1004 →2046 times
וְעַל֙and over
vealH5921 →5755 times
כָּל־all
kol-H3605 →5413 times
אֲשֶׁ֣רthat
ʾasherH834 →5497 times
יֶשׁ־there
yesh-H3426 →140 times
ל֔וֹ[belonged] to <the> him
lo
וַיְבָ֧רֶךְand he blessed
vayvarekhH1288 →330 times
יְהוָ֛הYahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
בֵּ֥ית[the] household of
beitH1004 →2046 times
הַמִּצְרִ֖יthe Egyptian
hamitzriH4713 →70 times
בִּגְלַ֣לon account of
biglalH1558 →10 times
יוֹסֵ֑ףJoseph
yosefH3130 →213 times
וַיְהִ֞יand it was
vayhiH1961 →3559 times
בִּרְכַּ֤ת[the] blessing of
birkatH1293 →69 times
יְהוָה֙Yahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 times
בְּכָל־on all
bekholH3605 →5413 times
אֲשֶׁ֣רthat
ʾasherH834 →5497 times
יֶשׁ־there
yesh-H3426 →140 times
ל֔וֹ[belonged] to <the> him
lo
בַּבַּ֖יִתin the house
babayitH1004 →2046 times
וּבַשָּׂדֶֽה׃and in the field
uvasadehH7704 →334 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
Genesis 12:2I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, so that you will be a blessing.
it leads to
- 2 Samuel 7:9
I have been with you wherever you have gone, and I have cut off all your enemies from before you. Now I will make for you a name like the greatest in the land.
- Galatians 3:14
He redeemed us in order that the blessing promised to Abraham would come to the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit.
- Genesis 18:18
Abraham will surely become a great and powerful nation, and through him all the nations of the earth will be blessed.
- Genesis 17:4–6
“As for Me, this is My covenant with you: You will be the father of many nations.
- Genesis 28:3–4
May God Almighty bless you and make you fruitful and multiply you, so that you may become a company of peoples.
- 2 Samuel 7:9
Through
Psalms 72:17May his name endure forever; may his name continue as long as the sun shines. In him may all nations be blessed; may they call him blessed.
it leads to
- Isaiah 7:14
Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call Him Immanuel.
- Matthew 1:23
“Behold, the virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call Him Immanuel” (which means, “God with us”).
- Isaiah 7:14
Through
Genesis 30:27But Laban replied, “If I have found favor in your eyes, please stay. I have learned by divination that the LORD has blessed me because of you.”
it leads to
- Isaiah 61:9
Their descendants will be known among the nations, and their offspring among the peoples. All who see them will acknowledge that they are a people the LORD has blessed.
- Isaiah 61:9
Where this verse is studied
About Genesis
Who and where
1 name in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.