Genesis 39:21

Genesis 39:21

But the LORD was with Joseph, and shewed him mercy, and gave him favour in the sight of the keeper of the prison.

a. NLT: But the LORD was with Joseph in the prison and showed him his faithful love. And the LORD made Joseph a favorite with the prison warden. [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: But Jehovah was with Joseph, and showed kindness unto him, and gave him favor in the sight of the keeper of the prison. [Thomas Nelson & Sons first published the American Standard Version in 1901. This translation of the Bible is in the public domain.]

c. YLT: And Jehovah is with Joseph, and stretcheth out kindness unto him, and putteth his grace in the eyes of the chief of the round-house; [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: But the Lord was with Joseph, and showed him mercy and loving-kindness and gave him favor in the sight of the warden of the prison. [Amplified Bible, Classic Edition (AMPC) Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation]

e. Septuagint: And the Lord was with Joseph, and poured down mercy upon him; and he gave him favour in the sight of the chief keeper of the prison.

f. Stone Edition Torah/Prophets/ Writings: HASAHEM was with Joseph, and he endowed him with charisma, and he put His favor in the eyes of the prison warden. [The Artscroll Series/Stone Edition, THE TANACH--STUDENT SIZE EDITION Copyright 1996, 1998 by Mesorah Publications, Ldt.]

1. “But the LORD was with Joseph, and shewed him mercy…”

a. [But the] LORD [Strong: 3068 Yhovah yeh-ho-vaw' from 1961; (the) self-Existent or Eternal; Jehovah, Jewish national name of God:--Jehovah, the Lord.

b. was [Strong: 1961 hayah haw-yaw a primitive root (Compare 1933); to exist, i.e. be or become, come to pass (always emphatic, and not a mere copula or auxiliary):--beacon, X altogether, be(-come), accomplished, committed, like), break, cause, come (to pass), do, faint, fall, + follow, happen, X have, last, pertain, quit (one-)self, require, X use.]

c. with [Strong: 854 'eth ayth probably from 579; properly, nearness (used only as a preposition or an adverb), near; hence, generally, with, by, at, among, etc.:--against, among, before, by, for, from, in(-to), (out) of, with. Often with another prepositional prefix.]

d. Joseph [Strong: 3130 Yowceph yo-safe' future of 3254; let him add (or perhaps simply active participle adding); Joseph, the name of seven Israelites:--Joseph.]

e. [and] shewed [Strong: 5186 natah naw-taw' a primitive root; to stretch or spread out; by implication, to bend away (including moral deflection); used in a great variety of application (as follows):--+ afternoon, apply, bow (down, - ing), carry aside, decline, deliver, extend, go down, be gone, incline, intend, lay, let down, offer, outstretched, overthrown, pervert, pitch, prolong, put away, shew, spread (out), stretch (forth, out), take (aside), turn (aside, away), wrest, cause to yield.]

f. [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).]

g. [him] mercy [Strong: 2617 checed kheh'-sed from 2616; kindness; by implication (towards God) piety: rarely (by opposition) reproof, or (subject.) beauty:--favour, good deed(-liness, -ness), kindly, (loving-)kindness, merciful (kindness), mercy, pity, reproach, wicked thing.]

2. “...and gave him favour in the sight of the keeper of the prison.”

a. [and] gave [him] [Strong: 5414 nathan naw-than' a primitive root; to give, used with greatest latitude of application (put, make, etc.):--add, apply, appoint, ascribe, assign, X avenge, X be ((healed)), bestow, bring (forth, hither), cast, cause, charge, come, commit, consider, count, + cry, deliver (up), direct, distribute, do, X doubtless, X without fail, fasten, frame, X get, give (forth, over, up), grant, hang (up), X have, X indeed, lay (unto charge, up), (give) leave, lend, let (out), + lie, lift up, make, + O that, occupy, offer, ordain, pay, perform, place, pour, print, X pull , put (forth), recompense, render, requite, restore, send (out), set (forth), shew, shoot forth (up), + sing, + slander, strike, (sub-)mit, suffer, X surely, X take, thrust, trade, turn, utter, + weep, + willingly, + withdraw, + would (to) God, yield.]

b. favor [Strong: 2580 chen khane from 2603; graciousness, i.e. subjective (kindness, favor) or objective (beauty):--favour, grace(-ious), pleasant, precious, (well-)favoured.]

c. [in the] sight [Strong: 5869 `ayin ah'-yin probably a primitive word; an eye (literally or figuratively); by analogy, a fountain (as the eye of the landscape):--affliction, outward appearance, + before, + think best, colour, conceit, + be content, countenance, + displease, eye((-brow), (-d), -sight), face, + favour, fountain, furrow (from the margin), X him, + humble, knowledge, look, (+ well), X me, open(-ly), + (not) please, presence, + regard, resemblance, sight, X thee, X them, + think, X us, well, X you(-rselves).]

d. [of the] keeper [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.]

e. [Strong: 1004 bayith bah'-yith probably from 1129 abbreviated; a house (in the greatest variation of applications, especially family, etc.):--court, daughter, door, + dungeon, family, + forth of, X great as would contain, hangings, home(born), (winter)house(-hold), inside(-ward), palace, place, + prison, + steward, + tablet, temple, web, + within(-out).]

f. [of the] prison [Strong: 5470 cohar so'-har from the same as 5469; a dungeon (as surrounded by walls):--prison.]

1). An interesting fact in this is that Potiphar himself was in charge of this prison.

a). Genesis 40:3 And he put them in ward in the house of the captain of the guard, into the prison, the place where Joseph was bound.

2). Not only that but “the keeper of the prison” who undoubtedly was under Potiphar gave Joseph the charge of all the prisoners in the prison. Why Potiphar did not make it horribly bad for Joseph when he could have perhaps says something. Jewish tradition and some conservative Christian writers have written that its possible that Potiphar knew that Joseph was innocent but to save face had Joseph thrown in prison, but purposely made it as easy as possible for him. Joseph was in prison for at least two years but probably more, the Biblical record really does not say. I tend to lean that he was in Potiphar's house for about ten years and in prison for three years.

3). There is a passage in Psalms that is about Joseph that reports that Joseph was bound with fetters.

a). Psalm 105:16-20  Moreover he called for a famine upon the land: he brake the whole staff of bread.

105:17 He sent a man before them, even Joseph, who was sold for a servant:

105:18 Whose feet they hurt with fetters: he was laid in iron:

105:19 Until the time that his word came: the word of the LORD tried him.

105:20 The king sent and loosed him; even the ruler of the people, and let him go free.

105:21 He made him lord of his house, and ruler of all his substance: