Genesis 39:18
Ver. 18. And it came to pass, as I lifted up my voice and cried,.... For help from the servants, and frightened at his insolent attempt:that he left his garment with me, and fled out; and then she brought it forth, and showed him it. Genesis 39:19Ver. 19. And it came to pass, when his master heard the words of his wife,.... The story she related concerning Joseph, which was her own invention, and a lie:which she spake unto him, saying, after this manner did thy servant to me; attempting to violate her chastity, as she pretended:that his wrath was kindled; that is, against Joseph, without strictly examining her words, which they would not bear, her story being but ill put together, and without hearing Joseph's defence. Genesis 39:20Ver. 20. And Joseph's master took him, and put him into the prison,.... Which was in or adjoining to his house, Ge 40:3; of himself he had power to do this, as the captain of the guard; and as he was the chief of the executioners, as some take his office to be, it is much he did not in his passion deliver him up into their hands to put him to death at once; but it may be through the great respect he had had for Joseph, which was not wholly extinguished by this impeachment of him; and especially if he heard Joseph's apology for himself before he committed him, his passion might subside a little, though for the credit of his wife he might take this step; or however things were so overruled by the providence of God, who has the hearts of all men in his hands, that he should do what he did. The word for "prison" has the signification of roundness, and may be rendered the "round house" {t}, or "round tower"; and some Jewish writers, as Mercer observes, take it to be in this form, that it was made under ground, and at the top of it was an hole which let in light, and at which they went into it. Aben Ezra is at a loss to say whether it is an Hebrew or Egyptian word, and inclines to the latter, because he thinks it is explained in the next clause:a place where the king's prisoners [were] bound; such as were guilty of high treason, or however of high crimes and misdemeanours against him; and so was a prison in which men were strictly kept and used hardly, as was Joseph at first, as appears from Ps 105:18:and he was there in the prison; he continued there, some of the Jewish writers say {u} ten years, others twelve {w}; and so long he must be, if he was but one year in Potiphar's house; for there were thirteen years between his being sold into Egypt, and his appearance before Pharaoh; he was seventeen when he was sold, and he was thirty when he stood before Pharaoh, being took out of prison, see Ge 37:2; but it is more likely that he was a longer time in Potiphar's house, and a lesser time in prison.{t} rhoh tyb "rotundam turrim", Junius & Tremellius; "domum rotundi carceris", Piscator: "round house", Ainsworth; "vox Hebraea significat carcerem rotundum in modum lunae", Vatablus; so Ben Melech. {u} Pirke Eliezer, c. 39. {w} Seder Olam Rabba, c. 2. p. 5. Shalshalet Hakabala, fol. 3. 2. Genesis 39:21Ver. 21. And the Lord was with Joseph,.... Comforting him with his presence under his afflictions; supporting him with his right hand; sanctifying all his troubles to him, and so causing him to bear them patiently and cheerfully:and showed him mercy, and gave him favour in the sight of the keeper of the prison; who was the underkeeper to Potiphar; God so wrought upon the heart of this man, that he was merciful to him, and took off the iron fetters, which hurt his feet, and gave him liberty to walk about; and many other favours and kindnesses he showed unto him, as follow. Genesis 39:22Ver. 22. And the keeper of the prison committed to Joseph's hand all the prisoners that [were] in the prisons,.... Who, as they were state prisoners, were a considerable charge; and this gave Joseph great honour, credit, and influence in the prison:and whatsoever they did there, he was the doer [of it]; not that he learned and exercised every trade the prisoners were of, to get a living by, which is the sense of some, as Aben Ezra relates; or that he in fact did everything that was done in the prison: but the meaning is, that he gave orders for the doing of everything, and there was nothing done without him; all that was done, as the Targum of Jonathan paraphrases it, he commanded it to be done; or, as Onkelos, all that was done was done by his word, that is, by his authority and command. Genesis 39:23Ver. 23. The keeper of the prison looked not to anything [that was] under his hand,.... Under the hand of Joseph; he did not inquire into and examine his conduct and management of things; he took no account of what was in his hands, nor required any of him; so satisfied was he with what he did, and had such an opinion of his prudence and faithfulness. The Targums of Onkelos and Jonathan paraphrase it,"he saw no crime in him,''either in the management of affairs he committed to him, or for which he was put into prison, and therefore did not use him as he did other prisoners:because the Lord was with him; supplying him with his grace, giving him wisdom to do everything in the best manner committed to him, which caused the keeper of the prison to respect him as he did:and [that] which he did the Lord made [it] to prosper; every method he took to secure the prisoners, every scheme he formed to bring them to confession of their crimes, or to clear those that were innocent; and every other thing relative to prison affairs, all through the good hand of God upon him, guiding, directing, and blessing him, succeeded well, which gained him the favour and good will of the keeper and the prisoners.
John Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible.