Genesis 39:1

1 Now the Ishmaelites had taken Joseph to Egypt and sold him to Potiphar, one of the king's officers, who was the captain of the palace guard.

Genesis 39:1 Meaning and Commentary

Genesis 39:1

And Joseph was brought down to Egypt
By the Ishmaelites, ( Genesis 37:28 ) ; as in a following clause: and Potiphar an officer of Pharaoh, captain of the guard, an Egyptian;
as his name also shows, which signifies the fruit of Pot or Phut, that is, the son or grandson of one of that name F13; which might be common in Egypt, since it was the name of a son of Ham, ( Genesis 10:6 ) , from whom the land of Egypt is called the land of Ham, ( Psalms 105:23 Psalms 105:27 ) ( 106:22 ) ; of this man and his offices, (See Gill on Genesis 37:36); he bought him:
that is, "Joseph", of the hands of the Ishmaelites, who had brought him down thither;
what they gave for him we know, but what they sold him for to Potiphar is not said; no doubt they got a good price for him, and his master had a good bargain too, as appears by what follows.


FOOTNOTES:

F13 Onomastic. Sacr. p. 671, 672.

Genesis 39:1 In-Context

1 Now the Ishmaelites had taken Joseph to Egypt and sold him to Potiphar, one of the king's officers, who was the captain of the palace guard.
2 The Lord was with Joseph and made him successful. He lived in the house of his Egyptian master,
3 who saw that the Lord was with Joseph and had made him successful in everything he did.
4 Potiphar was pleased with him and made him his personal servant; so he put him in charge of his house and everything he owned.
5 From then on, because of Joseph the Lord blessed the household of the Egyptian and everything that he had in his house and in his fields.
Scripture taken from the Good News Translation - Second Edition, Copyright 1992 by American Bible Society. Used by Permission.