Genesis 37:36

Genesis 37:36

And the Midianites sold him into Egypt unto Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh's, and captain of the guard.

a. NLT: Meanwhile, the Midianite traders arrived in Egypt, where they sold Joseph to Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh, the king of Egypt. Potiphar was captain of the palace guard. [Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.]

b. ASV: And the Midianites sold him into Egypt unto Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh’s, the captain of the guard. [Thomas Nelson & Sons first published the American Standard Version in 1901. This translation of the Bible is in the public domain.]

c. YLT: And the Medanites have sold him unto Egypt, to Potiphar, a eunuch of Pharaoh, head of the executioners. [The Young's Literal Translation was translated by Robert Young, who believed in a strictly literal translation of God's word. This version of the Bible is in the public domain.]

d. Classic Amplified: And the Midianites [and Ishmaelites] sold [Joseph] in Egypt to Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh and the captain and chief executioner of the [royal] guard. [Amplified Bible, Classic Edition (AMPC) Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation]

e. Septuagint: And the Madianites sold Joseph into Egypt; to Petephres, the eunuch of Pharao, captain of the guard.

f. Stone Edition Torah/Prophets/ Writings: Now the Midianites had sold him to Egypt, to Potiphar, a courtier of Pharaoh, the Chamberlain of the Butchers. [The Artscroll Series/Stone Edition, THE TANACH--STUDENT SIZE EDITION Copyright 1996, 1998 by Mesorah Publications, Ldt.]

1. “And the Midianites sold him into Egypt unto Potiphar…”

a. [And the] Midianites [Strong: 4084 Midyaniy mid-yaw-nee' patronymical or patrial from 4080; a Midjanite or descend. (native) of Midjan:--Midianite.]

b. sold [Strong: 4376 makar maw-kar' a primitive root; to sell, literally (as merchandise, a daughter in marriage, into slavery), or figuratively (to surrender):--X at all, sell (away, -er, self).]

c. him [Strong: 853 'eth ayth apparent contracted from 226 in the demonstrative sense of entity; properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely):--(as such unrepresented in English).]

d. into [Strong: 413 'el ale (but only used in the shortened constructive form sel {el}); a primitive particle; properly, denoting motion towards, but occasionally used of a quiescent position, i.e. near, with or among; often in general, to:--about, according to ,after, against, among, as for, at, because(-fore, -side), both...and, by, concerning, for, from, X hath, in(- to), near, (out) of, over, through, to(-ward), under, unto, upon, whether, with(-in).]

e. Egypt [Strong: 4714 Mitsrayim mits-rah'-yim dual of 4693; Mitsrajim, i.e. Upper and Lower Egypt:--Egypt, Egyptians, Mizraim.]

f. [unto] Potiphar [Strong: 6318 Powtiyphar po-tee-far' of Egyptian derivation: Potiphar, an Egyptian:--Potiphar.]

2. “...an officer of Pharaoh's, and captain of the guard.”

a. [an] officer [Strong: 5631 cariyc saw-reece' or caric {saw-reece'}; from an unused root meaning to castrate; a eunuch; by implication, valet (especially of the female apartments), and thus, a minister of state:--chamberlain, eunuch, officer.] [AMG: a masculine noun meaning a court official, a eunuch. The term eunuch comes from the custom of placing castrated males in certain key government positions. Potiphar held an official post called the captain of the guard while working in the court of an Egyptian Pharaoh.]

1). The Genesis Record, Henry M. Morris. “Potiphar, to whom Joseph was sold, was captain of Pharaoh’s body guard…He is also called an “officer” of Pharaoh, the Hebrew word means “eunuch”…It was evidently customary in ancient pagan countries…to require prominent officers associated closely with the king’s court to be castrated, perhaps to ensure full-hearted devotion to the duties required of them…Since Potiphar was a married man, it would seem either that Potiphar had consented to such an operation after he was married in order to acquire his high office or else that his wife had married him for political or financial reasons rather than for normal marital relations.”

2). Bible History, Alfred Edersheim. “Potiphar’s office at the court of Pharaoh was that of “chief of the executioners,” most probably (as it is rendered in our Authorized Version) captain of the king’s body guard.”

3). It is interesting that the Rabbinic rendering is “Chamberlain of the butchers”

b. [of] Pharaoh’s [Strong: 6547 Par`oh par-o' of Egyptian derivation; Paroh, a general title of Egyptian kings:--Pharaoh.]

c. [and] captain [Strong: 8269 sar sar from 8323; a head person (of any rank or class):--captain (that had rule), chief (captain), general, governor, keeper, lord, ((-task- ))master, prince(-ipal), ruler, steward.]

d. [of the] guard [Strong: 2876 tabbach tab-bawkh' from 2873; properly, a butcher; hence, a lifeguardsman (because he was acting as an executioner); also a cook (usually slaughtering the animal for food):--cook, guard.]