Genesis 39:12 Kommentar

At this chapter we return to the story of Joseph. We have him here, I. A servant, a slave in Potiphar's house (Gen 39:1), and yet there greatly honoured and favoured, I. By the providence of God, which made him, in effect, a master (Gen 39:2-6). 2. By the grace of God, which made him more than a conqueror over a strong temptation to uncleanness (Gen 39:7-12). II. We have him here a sufferer, falsely accused (Gen 39:13-18), imprisoned (Gen 39:19, Gen 39:20), and yet his imprisonment made both honourable and comfortable by the tokens of God's special presence with him (Gen 39:21-23). And herein Joseph was a type of Christ, "who took upon him the form of a servant," and yet then did that which made it evident that "God was with him," who was tempted by Satan, but overcame the temptation, who was falsely accused and bound, and yet had all things committed to his hand.

INTRODUCTION TO GENESIS 39 In this chapter the history returns to Joseph again, who being brought down to Egypt was sold to Potiphar, with whom he found favour, and who set him over his house, the Lord prospering everything in his hands, Gen 39:1; and being a young man of a comely aspect, his mistress lusted after him, and tempted him to lie with her from time to time, but he as constantly refused it, as being both ingratitude to his master, and a sin against God, Gen 39:7; at a certain time they being alone in the house, she renewed her solicitations, and laid hold on his garment, which he left in her hand and fled, Gen 39:11; upon which she called to her servants without, and accused Joseph of an ill design upon her, and reported the same to her husband when he came home, Gen 39:13; upon which his master put him into prison, but he found favour also with the keeper of it, who committed the prisoners and all things relative to them into his hands, Gen 39:20.

And she caught him by his garment, saying, lie with me,.... It is very probable that before this time, as soon as ever she began to speak to him, he got away as fast as he could, and would not hear her; wherefore she now laid hold on his garment, in order to detain him, that she might have time to parley with him, and so prevail: and he left his garment in her hand, and fled, and got him out; it was his outward loose garment she laid hold on, out of which he slipped himself, and so got clear of her, and ran away, and got out of the house as fast as he could: this he did, because he would not struggle with his mistress for his garment, which no doubt by his strength he could have got from her; and partly lest he should by handling of her have carnal desires excited in him, and so be overcome with her temptation.

Further, she said to him, “Lie with me.” The first weapons of the adulteress are those of the eyes, the second those of words, but one who is not seduced by the eyes can resist the word. A defense is at hand when the passions are still free. And so it is written that “he refused.” Therefore Joseph first overcame her attack through a struggle in his heart and drove her back with the shield of his soul, so to speak; then he launched his word like a spear to force her retreat. “And he spoke to the wife of his master.” She is correctly called the wife of the master, and not the mistress of the house, for she could not extort what she wanted to obtain. For how was she the mistress? She did not have the power of one who rules; she did not observe the discipline of a mistress; she provided mere servants with enticements to lust. But Joseph was a master who did not take up the torches of that lover, did not feel the bonds of that seducer, was not terrified by any fear of death and preferred to die free of sin rather than to choose participation in guilty power. He was free who believed it shameful not to make recompense for favor. Indeed, Joseph does not make his excuses as a frightened man, nor is he on his guard as one fearful of danger. Rather, he flees the charge of ingratitude and the stain of sin as one who owes a debt to his master’s kindness and his own blamelessness, and, as a just man, he is terrified of the contagion of guilt. The adulteress threw her third dart by the persistency of her invitation, but Joseph did not listen to her. After the first words, one has something to guard against. Lust is not only impure but insolent, demanding and wanton as well, and the adulteress has respect for nothing. She who felt no sorrow at her first loss of modesty lies in wait to perform her seduction.Finally, when Joseph went in by reason of his duty and the office entrusted to him and the witnesses and household servants were far off, she seized him and said, “Lie with me.” He is absolved by the testimony of Scripture, because he was unable to abandon the service entrusted to him by his master. Indeed, it is not enough that Joseph entered the inside of his house without concern as one who could not be seduced; the just man had an obligation to take care not to give opportunity to a woman in a state of frenzy, else she might be undone by his sin. But while he perceived that the wife of his master was his adversary, still he had to guard against giving offense to his master by neglecting his duty. At the same time, he supposed her forwardness still consisted in speech, not in laying hands on him. Joseph is absolved for having entered in and praised for having slipped away; he did not value the clothing of his body higher than the chastity of his soul. He left the clothing, which the adulteress held back in her hands, as if it were not his, and considered foreign to him the garments that the impure woman had been able to touch and seize. Joseph was, after all, a great man. Although sold, he did not know the nature of a slave. Although much loved, he did not love in return. Although asked, he did not acquiesce. Although seized, he fled away. When he was approached by his master’s wife, he could be held by his garment but not seduced in his soul. He did not endure even her words for long, either, because he judged it to be a contagion if he should delay very long; else the incentives to lust might pass over to him through the hands of the adulteress. Therefore Joseph stripped off his garment and cast off the sin. He left behind the clothing by which he was held and fled away, stripped to be sure, but not naked, because he was covered better by the covering of modesty. Yes, a man is not naked unless guilt has made him naked.

When Joseph was accused by his master’s wife, he could be held by his clothing but was unable to be captivated in soul. He did not even tolerate her words for a long time, considering it a dangerous influence if he delayed any longer, lest through the hands of the adulteress the attractions of lust penetrate his soul. Therefore by removing his garments he shook off all accusation; leaving the clothes with which he was held he fled, robbed indeed but not naked, for he was covered still more with the clothing of purity. No one is naked except the man whom guilt has exposed. In earlier times too we have the fact that after Adam had disregarded God’s command by his transgression and contracted the debt of serious sin, he was naked; for this reason he himself said, “I heard you in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; and I hid.” Adam asserts he is naked because he has lost the adornment of divine protection; and he hid himself because he did not have the garment of faith, which he had laid aside by his transgression. You see an important fact: Adam was naked, although he did not lose his tunic; Joseph, who was stripped of his clothing, which he left in the hands of the adulteress, was not naked. The same Scripture asserts that the former was naked and the latter was not. Therefore Joseph despoiled himself rather than become naked when he preserved the garments of virtue incorrupt. He stripped himself of the old man with its actions, in order to put on the new man who is renewed unto knowledge according to the image of the Creator. Adam, however, remained naked because he could not clothe himself again after he was stripped of his singularly privileged virtue. For this reason he took a tunic made of skins, since as a sinner he could not have a spiritual one.

Joseph, being brought to Potiphar's house, prospers in all his undertakings, Gen 39:1-3. Potiphar makes him his overseer, Gen 39:4. Is prospered in all his concerns for Joseph's sake, in whom he puts unlimited confidence, Gen 39:5, Gen 39:6. The wife of Potiphar solicits him to criminal correspondence, Gen 39:7. He refuses, and makes a fine apology for his conduct, Gen 39:8, Gen 39:9. She continues her solicitations, and he his refusals, Gen 39:10. She uses violence, and he escapes from her hand, Gen 39:11-13. She accuses him to the domestics, Gen 39:14, Gen 39:15, and afterward to Potiphar, Gen 39:16-18. Potiphar is enraged, and Joseph is cast into prison, Gen 39:19, Gen 39:20. The Lord prospers him, and gives him great favor in the sight of the keeper of the prison, Gen 39:21, who entrusts him with the care of the house and all the prisoners, Gen 39:22, Gen 39:23.

JOSEPH IN POTIPHAR'S HOUSE. (Gen. 39:1-23) Potiphar--This name, Potiphar, signifies one "devoted to the sun," the local deity of On or Heliopolis, a circumstance which fixes the place of his residence in the Delta, the district of Egypt bordering on Canaan. officer--literally, "prince of the Pharoah"--that is, in the service of government. captain of the guard--The import of the original term has been variously interpreted, some considering it means "chief cook," others, "chief inspector of plantations"; but that which seems best founded is "chief of the executioners," the same as the captain of the watch, the zabut of modern Egypt [WILKINSON]. bought him . . . of the Ishmaelites--The age, appearance, and intelligence of the Hebrew slave would soon cause him to be picked up in the market. But the unseen, unfelt influence of the great Disposer drew the attention of Potiphar towards him, in order that in the house of one so closely connected with the court, he might receive that previous training which was necessary for the high office he was destined to fill, and in the school of adversity learn the lessons of practical wisdom that were to be of greatest utility and importance in his future career. Thus it is that when God has any important work to be done, He always prepares fitting agents to accomplish it.

In Potiphar's House. - Potiphar had bought him of the Ishmaelites, as is repeated in Gen 39:1 for the purpose of resuming the thread of the narrative; and Jehovah was with him, so that the prospered in the house of his Egyptian master. מצליח אישׁ: a man who has prosperity, to whom God causes all that he undertakes and does to prosper. When Potiphar perceived this, Joseph found favour in his eyes, and became his servant, whom he placed over his house (made manager of his household affairs), and to whom he entrusted all his property (כּל־ישׁ־לו Gen 39:4 = ישׁ־לו כּל־אשׁר Gen 39:5, Gen 39:6). This confidence in Joseph increased, when he perceived how the blessing of Jehovah (Joseph's God) rested upon his property in the house and in the field; so that now "he left to Joseph everything that he had, and did not trouble himself אתּו (with or near him) about anything but his own eating."