23
The chiefשַׂרof the prisonבֵּית הַסֹּהַרdid notאֵיןlook intoרֹאֶהanythingאֶת כָּל מְאוּמָהin his hand,בְּיָדוֹbecauseבַּאֲשֶׁרYHWHיְהוָהwas with him;אִתּוֹand whateverוַאֲשֶׁרheהוּאdid,עֹשֶׂהYHWHיְהוָהmade successful.מַצְלִיחַ
Genesis 39:23
Study it in the app“The chief of the prison did not look into anything in his hand, because YHWH was with him; and whatever he did, YHWH made successful.”
With the Hebrew beneath
Genesis 39:23, word by word
- 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- look intoרֹאֶהroe
realize
To realize: "he saw that it was good".
Where else “roe” appears- anythingמְאוּמָהmeuma
anything
Something, anything; with "not", nothing.
Where else “meuma” appears- in his handיָדyad
hand
The part of the body with which one takes, gives and works; also what one does.
Where else “yad” appears- 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- didעֹשֶׂהose
do
To carry out an act or to deal with someone in a certain way, for good or ill.
Where else “ose” appears- made successfulמַצְלִיחַmatsliach
give success
To make something succeed.
Where else “matsliach” appears
The context
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.
23 · This verse (above)
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?