Genesis 39:3 - Printer Friendly

ESV: His master saw that the Lord was with him and that the Lord caused all that he did to succeed in his hands.

NIV: When his master saw that the Lord was with him and that the Lord gave him success in everything he did,

NASB: Now his master saw that the Lord was with him and that the Lord made all that he did prosper in his hand.

CSB: When his master saw that the Lord was with him and that the Lord made everything he did successful,

NLT: Potiphar noticed this and realized that the Lord was with Joseph, giving him success in everything he did.

KJV: And his master saw that the Lord was with him, and that the Lord made all that he did to prosper in his hand.

NKJV: And his master saw that the Lord was with him and that the Lord made all he did to prosper in his hand.

From an outsider's perspective, Joseph's life had taken a terrible turn. He had been cruelly betrayed by his jealous brothers and sold into slavery in a foreign country (Genesis 37:26–28). His story did not end there, though, because the Lord remained with Joseph. The evidence of the Lord's presence was that Joseph succeeded in everything he did above and beyond what would have been considered normal for a slave (Genesis 39:2).

Potiphar, as well, concluded that Joseph's success was due to the influence of God. It's likely Joseph was quick to give God the credit for his own superb performance. His reputation for success will result in Potiphar giving Joseph enormous trust (Genesis 39:6).

Genesis 39:1–18 describes Joseph's rise and fall as the slave of Potiphar, the captain of the guard in Egypt. He arrives in this situation after being sold by his own brothers (Genesis 37:26–28). The Lord continues to be with Joseph and to bless him. Potiphar promotes Joseph to the head manager of his household, even giving credit to the Joseph's God for all the success that follows. Potiphar's wife is also impressed with Joseph, but in a less honorable way. She persistently tempts him to sleep with her. When Joseph refuses, she unfairly frames the young Hebrew slave for attempted rape.

Joseph's arrival as a slave in Egypt is not the end of his story. The Lord continues to be with him and to bless him. Joseph rises to become the right-hand man of his master, Potiphar, the captain of the guard. Eventually, he is betrayed by a false accusation of rape by his master's scorned wife. Even then, Joseph finds the Lord is still with him, still blessing him, even in prison. Soon Joseph oversees every aspect of the prison, serving once again under God's faithful blessing.

In chapter 37, Joseph narrowly escaped being murdered by his own brothers (Genesis 37:18–20), only to be sold as a slave (Genesis 37:26–28). Chapter 39 picks up his story after taking a detour into the scandalous life of Judah. Though a slave in Egypt, Joseph thrives under the Lord's blessing. He rises to the top position in his master's household, only to be jailed on a false accusation of attempted rape. Still, Joseph continues to be blessed by God, again rising to become the jailer's most trusted servant. Joseph's reputation and ability to interpret dreams will factor into his rise within the government of Egypt.

The book of Genesis establishes fundamental truths about God. Among these are His role as the Creator, His holiness, His hatred of sin, His love for mankind, and His willingness to provide for our redemption. We learn not only where mankind has come from, but why the world is in its present form. The book also presents the establishment of Israel, God's chosen people. Many of the principles given in other parts of Scripture depend on the basic ideas presented here in the book of Genesis. Within the framework of the Bible, Genesis explains the bare-bones history of the universe leading up to the captivity of Israel in Egypt, setting the stage for the book of Exodus.

Accessed 11/23/2024 2:46:04 AM