New International Version
Genesis 39:9
9No 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?”
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?
- 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?”
- New Living Translation (NLT)No one here has more authority than I do. He has held back nothing from me except you, because you are his wife. How could I do such a wicked thing? It would be a great sin against God.”
Context of Genesis 39:9
7and after a while his master’s wife took notice of Joseph and said, “Come to bed with me!” 8But he refused. “With me in charge,” he told her, “my master does not concern himself with anything in the house; everything he owns he has entrusted to my care. 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?” 10And though she spoke to Joseph day after day, he refused to go to bed with her or even be with her. 11One day he went into the house to attend to his duties, and none of the household servants was inside.
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 24:2He said to the senior servant in his household, the one in charge of all that he had, “Put your hand under my thigh.
- Nehemiah 6:11But I said, “Should a man like me run away? Or should someone like me go into the temple to save his life? I will not go!”
- Luke 12:48But the one who does not know and does things deserving punishment will be beaten with few blows. From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked.
- 1 Corinthians 4:2Now it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful.
- Genesis 20:3But God came to Abimelek in a dream one night and said to him, “You are as good as dead because of the woman you have taken; she is a married woman.”
- Leviticus 20:10“ ‘If a man commits adultery with another man’s wife—with the wife of his neighbor—both the adulterer and the adulteress are to be put to death.
- 2 Samuel 11:27After the time of mourning was over, David had her brought to his house, and she became his wife and bore him a son. But the thing David had done displeased the Lord.
- Job 31:9“If my heart has been enticed by a woman, or if I have lurked at my neighbor’s door,
- Proverbs 6:29So is he who sleeps with another man’s wife; no one who touches her will go unpunished.
- Jeremiah 5:8They are well-fed, lusty stallions, each neighing for another man’s wife.
- 1 Corinthians 6:9Or do you not know that wrongdoers will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor men who have sex with men
- Galatians 5:19The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery;
- Hebrews 13:4Marriage should be honored by all, and the marriage bed kept pure, for God will judge the adulterer and all the sexually immoral.
- Revelation 21:8But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars—they will be consigned to the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death.”
- Revelation 22:15Outside are the dogs, those who practice magic arts, the sexually immoral, the murderers, the idolaters and everyone who loves and practices falsehood.
- Genesis 42:18On the third day, Joseph said to them, “Do this and you will live, for I fear 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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