Bible Commentaries
Genesis 39

Verses 1-23

Joseph in the House of Potiphar

5. Overseer] rather, ’house-steward.’

6. Potiphar left everything under Joseph’s control except his own food. There may be here an allusion to the strict caste laws of Egypt: cp. Genesis 43:32; Genesis 46:34.

7. Joseph was yet but a youth, when temptations are strongest, and he was far removed from all the restraining influences of home. But He who was ’the fear of Isaac’ (Genesis 31:42) was ’the fear of Joseph ’also, and his resolute resistance to temptation teaches that the prospect of earthly advantage or pleasure should never for a moment close our ears to the voice of conscience.

A papyrus has been found called ’The Tale of Two Brothers,’ which gives in Egyptian form some incidents similar to this narrative.

8. Wotteth] RV ’knoweth.’

9. And sin against God] Other passages (e.g. Genesis 40:8; Genesis 41:16, Genesis 41:51-52; Genesis 42:18; Genesis 50:19-20) show that Joseph ’made the consciousness of God’s presence and intervention in his affairs, a vital principle of his actions, the law of his life’: cp. Nehemiah 5:15.

20. It is probable from the lightness of Joseph’s punishment that Potiphar was not altogether convinced of his steward’s guilt.