Lectionary Calendar
Wednesday, May 7th, 2025
the Third Week after Easter
Attention!
Tired of seeing ads while studying? Now you can enjoy an "Ads Free" version of the site for as little as 10¢ a day and support a great cause!
Click here to learn more!

Read the Bible

Good News Translation

Genesis 39:20

and had Joseph arrested and put in the prison where the king's prisoners were kept, and there he stayed.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Accusation, False;   Chastity;   Criminals;   Decision;   Imprisonment;   Malice;   Master;   Prison;   Prisoners;   Punishment;   Rulers;   Servant;   Women;   Thompson Chain Reference - Bible Stories for Children;   Bondage, Physical;   Business Life;   Capital and Labour;   Children;   Employers (Masters);   Home;   Imprisonment;   Injustice;   Joseph;   Justice-Injustice;   Masters (Employers);   Pleasant Sunday Afternoons;   Religion;   Stories for Children;   Suffering for Righteousness' S;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Afflicted Saints;   Egypt;   Injustice;   Prisons;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Egypt;   Joseph;   Pharaoh;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Prison;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Dungeon;   Prison;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Joseph;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Genesis;   Prison, Prisoners;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Pharaoh;   Potiphar;   Prison;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Punishment;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Potiphar;   Smith Bible Dictionary - Pot'iphar,;  

Parallel Translations

Hebrew Names Version
Yosef's master took him, and put him into the prison, the place where the king's prisoners were bound, and he was there in the custody.
King James Version
And Joseph's master took him, and put him into the prison, a place where the king's prisoners were bound: and he was there in the prison.
Lexham English Bible
And Joseph's master took him and put him into prison, the place that the king's prisoners were confined. And he was there in prison.
New Century Version
So Potiphar arrested Joseph and put him into the prison where the king's prisoners were put. And Joseph stayed there in the prison.
New English Translation
Joseph's master took him and threw him into the prison, the place where the king's prisoners were confined. So he was there in the prison.
Amplified Bible
So Joseph's master took him and put him in the prison, a place where the king's prisoners were confined; so he was there in the prison.
New American Standard Bible
So Joseph's master took him and put him into the prison, the place where the king's prisoners were confined; and he was there in the prison.
Geneva Bible (1587)
And Iosephs master tooke him and put him in prison, in the place, where the kings prisoners lay bounde: and there he was in prison.
Legacy Standard Bible
So Joseph's master took him and put him into the jail, the place where the king's prisoners were confined; and he was there in the jail.
Contemporary English Version
and threw Joseph in the same prison where the king's prisoners were kept. While Joseph was in prison,
Complete Jewish Bible
Yosef's master took him and put him in prison, in the place where the king's prisoners were kept; and there he was in the prison.
Darby Translation
And Joseph's lord took him and put him into the tower-house, [the] place where the king's prisoners were confined; and he was there in the tower-house.
Easy-to-Read Version
So Potiphar put Joseph into the prison where the king's enemies were held, and that is where Joseph remained.
English Standard Version
And Joseph's master took him and put him into the prison, the place where the king's prisoners were confined, and he was there in prison.
George Lamsa Translation
And Josephs master took him, and put him into the prison, a place where the kings prisoners were confined; and he remained there in the prison.
Christian Standard Bible®
and had him thrown into prison, where the king’s prisoners were confined. So Joseph was there in prison.
Literal Translation
And Joseph's master took him and put him into the prison house, the place where the king's prisoners were bound. And he was there in the prison house.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Then his master toke him, and put him in the preson, wherin the kinges presoners laie. And there he laye in preson.
American Standard Version
And Joseph's master took him, and put him into the prison, the place where the king's prisoners were bound: and he was there in the prison.
Bible in Basic English
And Joseph's master took him and put him in prison, in the place where the king's prisoners were kept in chains, and he was there in the prison-house.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
And Iosephes maister toke hym, and put hym in pryson, euen into the place where the kynges prysoners laye bounde: and there continued he in prison.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
And Joseph's master took him, and put him into the prison, the place where the king's prisoners were bound; and he was there in the prison.
King James Version (1611)
And Iosephs master tooke him, and put him into the prison, a place, where ye kings prisoners were bound: and he was there in the prison.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And his master took Joseph, and cast him into the prison, into the place where the king’s prisoners are kept, there in the prison.
English Revised Version
And Joseph's master took him, and put him into the prison, the place where the king's prisoners were bound: and he was there in the prison.
Berean Standard Bible
So Joseph's master took him and had him thrown into the prison where the king's prisoners were confined. While Joseph was there in the prison,
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
and he bitook Joseph in to prisoun, where the bounden men of the kyng weren kept, and he was closid there.
Young's Literal Translation
and Joseph's lord taketh him, and putteth him unto the round-house, a place where the king's prisoners [are] bound; and he is there in the round-house.
Update Bible Version
And Joseph's master took him, and put him into the prison, the place where the king's prisoners were bound: and he was there in the prison.
Webster's Bible Translation
And Joseph's master took him, and put him into the prison, a place where the king's prisoners [were] bound: and he was there in the prison.
World English Bible
Joseph's master took him, and put him into the prison, the place where the king's prisoners were bound, and he was there in the custody.
New King James Version
Then Joseph's master took him and put him into the prison, a place where the king's prisoners were confined. And he was there in the prison.
New Living Translation
So he took Joseph and threw him into the prison where the king's prisoners were held, and there he remained.
New Life Bible
So Joseph's boss took him and put him in prison, the place where the men who did wrong against the king were put in chains. So there he was in prison.
New Revised Standard
And Joseph's master took him and put him into the prison, the place where the king's prisoners were confined; he remained there in prison.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
So Joseph's lord took him and delivered him up to the prison,: the place where, the prisoners of the king, were imprisoned, - so he was there, in the prison.
Douay-Rheims Bible
And cast Joseph into the prison, where the king’s prisoners were kept, and he was there shut up.
Revised Standard Version
And Joseph's master took him and put him into the prison, the place where the king's prisoners were confined, and he was there in prison.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
So Joseph's master took him and put him into the jail, the place where the king's prisoners were confined; and he was there in the jail.

Contextual Overview

19 Joseph's master was furious 20 and had Joseph arrested and put in the prison where the king's prisoners were kept, and there he stayed. 21 But the Lord was with Joseph and blessed him, so that the jailer was pleased with him. 22 He put Joseph in charge of all the other prisoners and made him responsible for everything that was done in the prison. 23 The jailer did not have to look after anything for which Joseph was responsible, because the Lord was with Joseph and made him succeed in everything he did.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

into the prison: Baith hassohar, "the round house," from the form of the building according to some; or, "the watch or guard house," from the Arabic sahara, to watch, according to others. Genesis 40:15, Genesis 41:14, Psalms 105:18, Psalms 105:19, Isaiah 53:8, Daniel 3:21, Daniel 3:22, 2 Timothy 2:9, 1 Peter 2:19

the king's: Genesis 40:1-3, Genesis 40:15, Genesis 41:9-14, Psalms 76:10

Reciprocal: Genesis 40:3 - the place Genesis 41:10 - Pharaoh Genesis 41:12 - servant Jeremiah 37:15 - put Hebrews 11:36 - bonds

Cross-References

Genesis 39:1
Now the Ishmaelites had taken Joseph to Egypt and sold him to Potiphar, one of the king's officers, who was the captain of the palace guard.
Genesis 39:3
who saw that the Lord was with Joseph and had made him successful in everything he did.
Genesis 39:9
I have as much authority in this house as he has, and he has not kept back anything from me except you. How then could I do such an immoral thing and sin against God?"
Genesis 39:14
she called to her house servants and said, "Look at this! This Hebrew that my husband brought to the house is insulting us. He came into my room and tried to rape me, but I screamed as loud as I could.
Genesis 39:18
But when I screamed, he ran outside, leaving his robe beside me."
Genesis 39:19
Joseph's master was furious
Genesis 39:21
But the Lord was with Joseph and blessed him, so that the jailer was pleased with him.
Genesis 39:22
He put Joseph in charge of all the other prisoners and made him responsible for everything that was done in the prison.
Genesis 40:15
After all, I was kidnapped from the land of the Hebrews, and even here in Egypt I didn't do anything to deserve being put in prison."
Psalms 76:10
Human anger only results in more praise for you; those who survive the wars will keep your festivals.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And Joseph's master took him, and put him into the prison,.... Which was in or adjoining to his house, Genesis 40:3; of himself he had power to do this, as the captain of the guard; and as he was the chief of the executioners, as some take his office to be, it is much he did not in his passion deliver him up into their hands to put him to death at once; but it may be through the great respect he had had for Joseph, which was not wholly extinguished by this impeachment of him; and especially if he heard Joseph's apology for himself before he committed him, his passion might subside a little, though for the credit of his wife he might take this step; or however things were so overruled by the providence of God, who has the hearts of all men in his hands, that he should do what he did. The word for "prison" has the signification of roundness, and may be rendered the "round house" t, or "round tower"; and some Jewish writers, as Mercer observes, take it to be in this form, that it was made under ground, and at the top of it was an hole which let in light, and at which they went into it. Aben Ezra is at a loss to say whether it is an Hebrew or Egyptian word, and inclines to the latter, because he thinks it is explained in the next clause:

a place where the king's prisoners [were] bound; such as were guilty of high treason, or however of high crimes and misdemeanours against him; and so was a prison in which men were strictly kept and used hardly, as was Joseph at first, as appears from Psalms 105:18:

and he was there in the prison; he continued there, some of the Jewish writers say u ten years, others twelve w; and so long he must be, if he was but one year in Potiphar's house; for there were thirteen years between his being sold into Egypt, and his appearance before Pharaoh; he was seventeen when he was sold, and he was thirty when he stood before Pharaoh, being took out of prison, see Genesis 37:2; but it is more likely that he was a longer time in Potiphar's house, and a lesser time in prison.

t בית הסהר "rotundam turrim", Junius Tremellius "domum rotundi carceris", Piscator: "round house", Ainsworth; "vox Hebraea significat carcerem rotundum in modum lunae", Vatablus; so Ben Melech. u Pirke Eliezer, c. 39. w Seder Olam Rabba, c. 2. p. 5. Shalshalet Hakabala, fol. 3. 2.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

- Joseph in Potiphar’s House

According to our reckoning, Perez and Zerah were born when Judah was in his twenty-eighth year, and therefore, Joseph in his twenty-fourth. Here, then, we go back seven years to resume the story of Joseph.

Genesis 39:1-6

Joseph fares well with his first master. “Potiphar.” This is a racapitulation of the narrative in Genesis 37:0: “The Lord;” the God of covenant is with Joseph. “In the house.” Joseph was a domestic servant. “And his master saw.” The prosperity that attended all Joseph’s doings was so striking as to show that the Lord was with him. “Set him over” - made him overseer of all that was in his house. “The Lord blessed the Mizrite’s house.” He blesses those who bless his own Genesis 12:3. “Beautiful in form and look” Genesis 29:17. This prepares the way for the following occurrence.

Genesis 39:7-10

Joseph resists the daily solicitations of his master’s wife to lie with her. “None greater in this house than I.” He pleads the unreserved trust his master had reposed in him. He is bound by the law of honor, the law of chastity (this great evil), and the law of piety (sin against God). Joseph uses the common name of God in addressing this Egyptian. He could employ no higher pleas than the above.

Genesis 39:11-18

“At this day,” the day on which the occurrence now to be related took place. “To do his business.” He does not come in her way except at the call of duty. He hath brought in. She either does not condescend, or does not need to name her husband. “A Hebrew to mock us.” Her disappointment now provokes her to falsehood as the means of concealment and revenge. A Hebrew is still the only national designation proper to Joseph Genesis 14:13. Jacob’s descendants had not got beyond the family. The term Israelite was therefore, not yet in use. The national name is designedly used as a term of reproach among the Egyptians Genesis 43:32. “To mock us,” - to take improper liberties, not only with me, but with any of the females in the house. “I cried with a loud voice.” This is intended to be the proof of her innocence Deuteronomy 22:24, Deuteronomy 22:27. “Left his garments by me;” not in her hand, which would have been suspicious.

Genesis 39:19-23

Her husband believes her story and naturally resents the supposed unfaithfulness of his slave. His treatment of him is mild. He puts him in ward, probably to stand his trial for the offence. The Lord does not forsake the prisoner. He gives him favor with the governor of the jail. The same unlimited trust is placed in him by the governor as by his late master.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Genesis 39:20. Put him into the prison — בית סהר beith sohar, literally the round house; in such a form the prison was probably built.


 
adsfree-icon
Ads FreeProfile