Genesis 39:4

Genesis 39:4 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And Joseph found grace in his sight, and he served him: and he made him overseer over his house, and all that he had he put into his hand.
• New International Version (NIV)Joseph found favor in his eyes and became his attendant. Potiphar put him in charge of his household, and he entrusted to his care everything he owned.
• English Standard Version (ESV)So Joseph found favor in his sight and attended him, and he made him overseer of his house and put him in charge of all that he had.
• New King James Version (NKJV)So Joseph found favor in his sight, and served him. Then he made him overseer of his house, and all that he had he put under his authority.

Context of Genesis 39:4

2The Lord was with Joseph, so that good things happened to him. Joseph lived in the house of Potiphar, his Egyptian master. 3Potiphar saw that the Lord was with Joseph. He saw that the Lord helped Joseph to do good work. So Joseph pleased Potiphar. Potiphar gave Joseph authority as his special servant. Joseph took care of everything that belonged to Potiphar. 5From the time that Potiphar gave Joseph authority over everything in his house, the Lord blessed the people of Potiphar's house, his animals and his crops. The Lord blessed Potiphar because of Joseph. 6So Potiphar told Joseph to take care of everything that belonged to him. Potiphar did not worry about anything in his house. The only thing that he thought about was the food that he ate. Joseph was a strong and handsome man.

Genesis 39:4 word by word

וַיִּמְצָ֨א יוֹסֵ֥ף חֵ֛ן בְּעֵינָ֖יו וַיְשָׁ֣רֶת אֹת֑וֹ וַיַּפְקִדֵ֙הוּ֙ עַל־בֵּית֔וֹ וְכָל־יֶשׁ־ל֖וֹ נָתַ֥ן בְּיָדֽוֹ׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And Josephיוֹסֵףyôsêph · JosephH3130
• foundמָצָאmâtsâ' · to findH4672
• graceחֵןchên · favorH2580
• in his sightעַ֫יִן‛ayin · eye: seeingH5869
• and he servedשָׁרַתshârath · to ministerH8334
• him: and he made him overseerפָּקַדpâqad · to reckon: overseerH6485
• over his houseבַּ֫יִתbayith · house: householdH1004
• he hadיֵשׁyêsh · thereH3426
• he putנָתַןnâthan · to give: putH5414
• into his handיָדyâd · hand: powerH3027

Cross-references for Genesis 39:4

• Genesis 39:21While Joseph was there in the prison, the Lord was still with him. He was kind to Joseph. He caused the leader of the prison guards to like Joseph.
• Genesis 18:3Abraham said, ‘Please sir, stop here and let me serve you. That would make me very happy.
• Genesis 19:19I am your humble servant and you have been very kind to me. You have saved my life. But I cannot run away into the mountains. If I try to do that, this punishment will catch me before I reach there. Then I will surely die.
• Genesis 32:5I have cows, donkeys, sheep and goats. I have male and female servants. Now I am sending this message to my lord so that you will be happy with me.” ’
• Genesis 33:8Esau asked Jacob, ‘Why did you send all those animals in front of you?’ Jacob replied, ‘So that you would be happy to see me, my lord.’
• 1 Samuel 16:22Then Saul sent a message to Jesse. He said, ‘I am very pleased with David. Let him stay here as my servant.’
• Nehemiah 2:4The king asked me, ‘What do you want me to do for you?’ So I prayed to our God who rules from heaven.
• Proverbs 16:7If you live in a way that pleases the Lord, even your enemies will become your friends.
• Genesis 39:22So this man gave Joseph authority over all the other prisoners. Joseph was responsible for everything that they did in the prison.
• Genesis 15:2But Abram said, ‘Almighty Lord, there is one gift that I want. I still have no children. When I die, Eliezer of Damascus will receive everything that I have.
• Genesis 24:2Abraham had an important servant in his house. He had authority over everything that belonged to Abraham. Abraham said to him, ‘Come here and make a promise to me. Put your hand between my legs to show that I can trust you.
• Genesis 41:40I will give you authority in my palace. All my people will do whatever you tell them to do. Only I will be greater than you, because I am the king.’
• Proverbs 14:35A king will be pleased with a wise servant. But he will be angry with any servant who brings shame.
• Proverbs 17:2A slave who is wise will have authority over a son who does stupid things. When his master dies, that slave will receive some of his valuable things.
• Proverbs 22:295. A worker with special skills may work for a king. He will no longer have to work for ordinary people.
• Proverbs 27:18If you take care of a fig tree, it will give you fruit to eat. If you take care of your master, he will give you honour.

Commentaries on Genesis 39:4

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 4He made him overseer - הפקיד hiphkid, from פקד pakad, to visit, take care of, superintend; the same as , overseer or bishop, among the Greeks. This is the term by which the Septuagint often express the meaning of the original.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 1-23Verses 1-23 - Joseph in Potiphar‘s House According to our reckoning, Perez and Zerah were born when Judah was in his twenty-eighth year, and therefore, Joseph in his twenty-fourth. Here, then, we go back seven years to resume the story of Joseph. Genesis 39:1-6 Joseph fares well with his first master. “Potiphar.” This is a racapitulation of the narrative in Genesis 12:3. “Beautiful in form and look” Genesis 29:17. This prepares the way for the following…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1-23Joseph was honest and faithful in his work for Potiphar. This is very different from Judah, who failed morally (chapter 38). God was with Joseph (39:2–3, 21, 23). He helped Joseph succeed and become a blessing to others (see study notes on 12:1–9; 28:16–22), even while Joseph was a slave and later in prison.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1-231. 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…Read the comment

Topics related to Genesis 39:4

• Civil Service
• Joseph
• Servant

In the dictionaries

• Prosper
• Temptation
• Antediluvian Patriarchs
• Archaeology; Archaeology and Criticism
• Genesis
• Joseph (2)
• Overseer
• Slave; Slavery
• Steward
• Potiphar

Commentaries on Genesis 39

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings