EasyEnglish Bible 2018
Genesis 39:9
9No one has more authority in this house than I do. My master keeps nothing from me, except you. That is because you are his wife. I could not do such a bad thing. I could not do a sin that is against God.’
Genesis 39:9 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)There is none greater in this house than I; neither hath he kept back any thing from me but thee, because thou art his wife: how then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?
- New International Version (NIV)No one is greater in this house than I am. My master has withheld nothing from me except you, because you are his wife. How then could I do such a wicked thing and sin against God?”
- English Standard Version (ESV)He is not greater in this house than I am, nor has he kept back anything from me except you, because you are his wife. How then can I do this great wickedness and sin against God?"
- New King James Version (NKJV)There is no one greater in this house than I, nor has he kept back anything from me but you, because you are his wife. How then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?”
Context of Genesis 39:9
7After some time had passed, Potiphar's wife saw that Joseph was handsome. She said, ‘Come to bed with me!’ 8But Joseph refused to do that. He said, ‘My master does not need to think about anything in the house. I take care of everything that belongs to him. No one has more authority in this house than I do. My master keeps nothing from me, except you. That is because you are his wife. I could not do such a bad thing. I could not do a sin that is against God.’ 10Potiphar's wife continued to speak to Joseph every day. But he would not agree to go to bed with her. He would not even go near her. 11One day Joseph went into the house to do his work. None of the other servants were there in the house.
Read all of Genesis 39Genesis 39:9 word by word
אֵינֶ֨נּוּ גָד֜וֹל בַּבַּ֣יִת הַזֶּה֮ מִמֶּנִּי֒ וְלֹֽא־חָשַׂ֤ךְ מִמֶּ֙נִּי֙ מְא֔וּמָה כִּ֥י אִם־אוֹתָ֖ךְ בַּאֲשֶׁ֣ר אַתְּ־אִשְׁתּ֑וֹ וְאֵ֨יךְ אֶֽעֱשֶׂ֜ה הָרָעָ֤ה הַגְּדֹלָה֙ הַזֹּ֔את וְחָטָ֖אתִי לֵֽאלֹהִֽים׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- none greaterגָּדוֹלgâdôl gâdôl · great: largeH1419
- in this houseבַּ֫יִתbayith · house: householdH1004
- than I; neitherלֹאlô' lô' lôh · notH3808
- hath he kept backחָשַׂךְchâώak · to withholdH2820
- any thingמְא֫וּמָהme'ûmâh · anythingH3972
- from me but thee, becauseבַאֲשֶׁר'ăsher · in whichH834
- thouאַתְּ'attâh 'attâ 'ath 'attîy 'attem 'atten 'attênâh 'attênnâh · you(f.s.)H859
- his wifeאִשָּׁה'ishshâh nâshîym · woman: wifeH802
- how then can I doעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to make: doH6213
- wickednessרָעָהra‛ râ‛âh · distress: evilH7451
- and sinחָטָאchâţâ' · to sinH2398
- against Godאֱלֹהִים'ĕlôhîym · GodH430
Cross-references for Genesis 39:9
- 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.
- Nehemiah 6:11But I said, ‘I am not a man who would run away to be safe. I will not go into the temple to save my life.’
- Luke 12:48But another servant perhaps does not know what his master wants him to do. So he does wrong things. The master will punish him because he did those wrong things. But he will not hit him as much. If God gives a lot to somebody, he will want a lot back in return. And God will want much more from the person to whom he has given authority over much more.
- 1 Corinthians 4:2Anyone who has that kind of job must do what his master wants. That is the important thing.
- Genesis 20:3But God appeared to Abimelech in a dream. He said to Abimelech, ‘Now you will die! The woman that you have taken to be your wife is already a married woman.’
- Leviticus 20:10If a man has sex with another man's wife you must kill him and the woman.
- 2 Samuel 11:27The time for Uriah's wife to weep for her husband came to an end. Then David sent some of his men to bring her to his palace. She became David's wife. Later, she gave birth to a son. But the Lord was not pleased with David because of the bad things that David had done.
- Job 31:9I have not wanted to love any woman except my wife. I have not hidden outside my friend's house to wait for his wife to be alone.
- Proverbs 6:29It is the same when a man has sex with another man's wife. Anyone who does that will receive punishment that hurts him.
- Jeremiah 5:8They are like strong male horses. They cannot wait to have sex with another man's wife.’
- 1 Corinthians 6:9People who do wrong things like that will never belong to God's kingdom. You surely know that. Do not think that people like this will receive God's good things: People who have sex in wrong ways. People who worship idols. People who have sex with anyone that they are not married to. Men who have sex with other men.
- Galatians 5:19Everyone knows the kinds of bad things that weak people want to do. They have sex with people that they are not married to. They do things that are bad and disgusting.
- Hebrews 13:4When a man and a woman have married each other, they must each respect the marriage. Husbands and wives must only have sex with each other. God will punish anyone who has sex with another person's husband or wife. He will punish anyone who has sex in a wrong way.
- Revelation 21:8But I will punish other people. They include: people who are afraid of trouble; people who do not believe in Jesus; people who do disgusting things; people who murder other people; people who have sex in a wrong way; people who use magic to hurt people; people who worship idols; people who tell lies. All these people will go into the lake of fire that burns with sulphur. That is the second death for people.’
- Revelation 22:15But other people must stay outside the city: wicked people; people who do magic; people who have sex in a wrong way; people who murder other people; people who worship idols; everyone who likes to tell lies and deceive people.
- Genesis 42:18On the third day Joseph said to them, ‘Do what I say. Then you will stay alive, because I respect God.
Commentaries on Genesis 39:9
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 9How then - ואיך veeik, and how? Joseph gives two most powerful reasons for his noncompliance with the wishes of his mistress: Gratitude to his master, to whom he owed all that he had. His fear of God, in whose sight it would be a heinous offense, and who would not fail to punish him for it. With the kindness of his master and the displeasure of God before his eyes, how could he be capable of committing an act of transgression, which would at once have…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
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 7-12Verses 7-12 Beauty either in men or women, often proves a snare both to themselves and others. This forbids pride in it, and requires constant watchfulness against the temptation that attends it. We have great need to make a covenant with our eyes, lest the eyes infect the heart. When lust has got power, decency, and reputation, and conscience, are all sacrificed. Potiphar's wife showed that her heart was fully set to do evil. Satan, when he found he…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 6-10A major theme in wisdom literature (wise teaching about how to live well; see study note on 37:2–50:26) is a warning to young people: sexual sin and other wrong behavior will lead to harm and ruin (compare Proverbs 5–7). Joseph resisted temptation because he had godly wisdom. He was guided by the fear of the Lord (a deep respect and reverence for God that leads to obedience; Proverbs 1:7; 9:10).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 99. How then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?--This remonstrance, when all inferior arguments had failed, embodied the true principle of moral purity--a principle always sufficient where it exists, and alone sufficient.Read the comment
Topics related to Genesis 39:9
In the dictionaries
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
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