2
YHWHיְהוָהwasוַיְהִיwith Joseph,אֶת יוֹסֵףand he becameוַיְהִיa successfulמַצְלִיחַman;אִישׁand he wasוַיְהִיin the houseבְּבֵיתof his lordאֲדֹנָיוthe Egyptian.הַמִּצְרִי
Genesis 39:2
Study it in the app“YHWH was with Joseph, and he became a successful man; and he was in the house of his lord the Egyptian.”
With the Hebrew beneath
Genesis 39:2, word by word
- YHWHיְהוָהyehva
YHWH
The personal name of the God of Israel, written in Hebrew with four letters, Y-H-W-H, without vowels. Out of reverence Jews stopped pronouncing it and read "Adonai" (Lord), so many Bibles put "the LORD" or "Jehovah". This translation keeps the four letters. The name is related to the verb "to be" (Exodus 3:14-15). He is not a god other than Elohim: "YHWH Elohim" is the same Creator God, called by his name.
Where else “yehva” appears- wasיְהִיyehi
be
To be: "I will be their Elohim".
Where else “yehi” appears- with Josephיוֹסֵףyosef
Joseph
Joseph, a name borne by several Israelites, above all the son of Jacob and Rachel, sold into Egypt, who became ruler there and saved his family; his sons Ephraim and Manasseh became tribes. The name means "may he add".
Where else “yosef” appears- a successfulמַצְלִיחַmatsliach
prosper
To go well, thrive.
Where else “matsliach” appears- manאִישׁish
man
An adult male person; also each man of a people, a trade or a place.
Where else “ish” appears- in the houseבֵיתvet
house
A building to live in, or an enclosed place to keep something or someone.
Where else “vet” appears- of his lordאֲדֹנָיadonay
lord
The one with authority over another; or a respectful title.
Where else “adonay” appears- the Egyptianמִּצְרִיmitsri
Egyptian
Egyptian.
Where else “mitsri” appears
The context
1Now Joseph had been brought down to Egypt, and Potiphar, an official of Pharaoh, the chief of the guard, an Egyptian man, bought him from the hand of the Ishmaelites who had brought him down there.
2 · This verse (above)
3His lord saw that YHWH was with him and that all that he did, YHWH made successful in his hand.
To study Genesis 39 in a group
1. What it says
What happened to Joseph in Potiphar’s house, and why did he end up in prison (vv. 2-20)?
2. What it means
What does it mean that YHWH was with Joseph even in prison (vv. 21-23)?
3. How I live it
How can you keep your integrity when doing the right thing costs you?