21
But YHWHוַ יְהוָהwasיְהִיwith Josephאֶת יוֹסֵףand extendedוַיֵּטto himאֵלָיוloyal love,חָסֶדand gaveוַיִּתֵּןhim favorחִנּוֹin the eyesבְּעֵינֵיof the chiefשַׂרof the prison.בֵּית הַסֹּהַר
Genesis 39:21
Study it in the app“But YHWH was with Joseph and extended to him loyal love, and gave him favor in the eyes of the chief of the prison.”
With the Hebrew beneath
Genesis 39:21, word by word
- But 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- and extendedיֵּטyet
stretch out
To reach out the hand, or set up a tent.
Where else “yet” appears- loyal loveחָסֶדchased
loyal love
God's steadfast kindness, true to his covenant, never forsaking.
Where else “chased” appears- and gaveיִּתֵּןyiten
give
To hand something over to someone: a gift, a payment, a charge or a land.
Where else “yiten” appears- him favorחִנּchin
favor
Someone's goodwill toward another: looking on them kindly.
Where else “chin” appears- in the eyesעֵינֵיene
sight
"In the eyes of" someone: in their view.
Where else “ene” appears- of the chiefשַׂרsar
chief
Someone set over others, in the army or in the state.
Where else “sar” appears- of the prisonבֵּיתbet
house
A building to live in, or an enclosed place to keep something or someone.
Where else “bet” appears- of the prisonסֹּהַרsohar
prison
Prison. The word appears only in the story of Joseph.
Where else “sohar” appears
The context
20Joseph’s lord took him and put him into the prison, the place where the king’s prisoners were confined; and he was there in the prison.
21 · This verse (above)
22The chief of the prison put into the hand of Joseph all the prisoners who were in the prison; and all that was done there, he was the one doing it.
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?