Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Genesis 39:13
And it came to pass, when she saw that he had left his garment in her hand, and was fled forth,
13. his garment ] This accident provided the only circumstantial piece of evidence for the charge brought against him.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Gen 39:13-18
See, he hath brought in an Hebrew unto us to mock us
The false charge against Joseph
I.
THE BOLDNESS OF IT.
II. THE MALIGNITY OF IT. The vengeance of disappointed passion.
III. THE ART AND CUNNING OF IT.
IV. THE LESSONS OF THIS HISTORY.
1. That impurity and falsehood are closely allied.
2. That Gods saints should be patient under false accusations.
3. That we should do the thing that is right in utter disregard of all evil consequences to ourselves. (T. H. Leale.)
Lessons
1. Disappointments of lust occasion it to rage, and turn it into madness.
2. Innocencys flight from sin may occasion its misery.
3. Sight of lust defeated by chastity stirs up the wicked to accuse the righteous (Gen 39:13). (G. Hughes, B. D.)
The delicate and problematical character of circumstantial proof
There are not a few cases, in which it is the only description of evidence which can at all be had; and sometimes it is of such a nature as to carry as full conviction to the mind as the most direct and satisfactory testimony. This was not, indeed, the case in the instance before us: for it would not be difficult to institute widely different processes of hypothetical argument on the simple fact of the mantle having been left in her possession. There are cases, however, in which it is almost irresistibly conclusive. And yet true it is that there have been instances in which sentence has been passed on the ground of circumstantial evidence such has, at the time, appeared clear beyond controversy, and has carried the fullest conviction to counsel, and jury, and judge–in which, notwithstanding, the innocence of the party condemned has subsequently been brought unexpectedly and strangely to light. All that can be said, therefore, is that while it is a species of proof which it is impossible to discard, and which it would be the height of absurdity to speak of discarding, yet it is one which ought to be investigated with the utmost caution and minuteness, and all delay possible afforded for subjecting it to the test of time–so long as there seems any likelihood of new circumstances coming to light, or of any conscience which fear may be holding in its bonds, and by this means sealing the lips, relenting and disclosing. And wherever there is room for the slightest doubt, the benefit of it should be given to the accused. (R. Wardlaw, D. D)
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Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell
And it came to pass, when she saw that he had left his garment in her hand,…. And so all hopes of succeeding in her addresses to him were over:
and [he] was fled forth; into the streets, or into some out house, where business was carried on by servants under him.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
When this daring assault upon Joseph’s chastity had failed, on account of his faithfulness and fear of God, the adulterous woman reversed the whole affair, and charged him with an attack upon her modesty, in order that she might have her revenge upon him and avert suspicion from herself. She called her house-servants and said, “ See, he (her husband, whom she does not think worth naming) has brought us a Hebrew man (“no epitheton ornans to Egyptian ears: Gen 43:32”) to mock us ( to show his wantonness; us, the wife and servants, especially the female portion): he came in unto me to lie with me; and I cried with a loud voice…and he left his garment by me.” She said “by my side,” not “in my hand,” as that would have shown the true state of the case. She then left the garment lying by her side till the return of Joseph’s master, to whom she repeated her tale.
Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament
13 And it came to pass, when she saw that he had left his garment in her hand, and was fled forth, 14 That she called unto the men of her house, and spake unto them, saying, See, he hath brought in an Hebrew unto us to mock us; he came in unto me to lie with me, and I cried with a loud voice: 15 And it came to pass, when he heard that I lifted up my voice and cried, that he left his garment with me, and fled, and got him out. 16 And she laid up his garment by her, until his lord came home. 17 And she spake unto him according to these words, saying, The Hebrew servant, which thou hast brought unto us, came in unto me to mock me: 18 And it came to pass, as I lifted up my voice and cried, that he left his garment with me, and fled out.
Joseph’s mistress, having tried in vain to make him a criminal, now endeavours to represent him as one; so to be revenged on him for his virtue. Now was her love turned into the utmost rage and malice, and she pretends she cannot endure the sight of him whom awhile ago she could not endure out of her sight. Chaste and holy love will continue, though slighted; but sinful love, like Amnon’s to Tamar, is easily changed into sinful hatred. 1. She accused him to his fellow servants (v. 13-15) and gave him a bad name among them. Probably they envied him his interest in their master’s favour, and his authority in the house; and perhaps found themselves aggrieved sometimes by his fidelity, which prevented their purloining; and therefore they were glad to hear any thing that might tend to his disgrace, and, if there was room for it, incensed their mistress yet more against him. Observe, When she speaks of her husband, she does not call him her husband, or her lord, but only he; for she had forgotten the covenant of her God, that was between them. Thus the adulteress (Prov. vii. 19) calls her husband the good man. Note, Innocence itself cannot secure a man’s reputation. Not every one that keeps a good conscience can keep a good name. 2. She accused him to his master, who had power in his hand to punish him, which his fellow servants had not, Gen 39:17; Gen 39:18. Observe, (1.) What an improbable story she tells, producing his garment as an evidence that he had offered violence to her, which was a plain indication that she had offered violence to him. Note, Those that have broken the bonds of modesty will never be held by the bonds of truth. No marvel that she who had impudence enough to say, Lie with me, had front enough to say, “He would have lien with me.” Had the lie been told to conceal her own crime it would have been bad enough, yet, in some degree, excusable; but it was told to be revenged upon his virtue, a most malicious lie. And yet, (2.) She manages it so as to incense her husband against him, reflecting upon him for bringing this Hebrew servant among them, perhaps at first against her mind, because he was a Hebrew. Note, It is no new thing for the best of men to be falsely accused of the worst of crimes by those who themselves are the worst of criminals. As this matter was represented, one would have thought chaste Joseph a very bad man and his wanton mistress a virtuous woman; it is well that there is a day of discovery coming, in which all shall appear in their true characters. This was not the first time that Joseph’s coat was made use of as a false witness concerning him; his father had been deceived by it before, now his master.
Fuente: Matthew Henry’s Whole Bible Commentary
CRITICAL NOTES.
Gen. 39:14. An Hebrew.] A Hebrew is still the only national designation proper to Joseph. (Gen. 14:13.) Jacobs 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. (Gen. 43:32.) (Murphy.)
Gen. 39:15. Left his garment with me.] Not in her hand, which would have been suspicious. (Murphy.)
Gen. 39:20. The prison.] Heb. House of roundness, or round-house. Called a dungeon. (Gen. 41:14) A place where the kings prisoners were bound. An added explanation.
MAIN HOMILETICS OF THE PARAGRAPH.Gen. 39:13-18
THE FALSE CHARGE AGAINST JOSEPH
I. The boldness of it. With her consciousness of guilt, thus to set herself up as a model of immovable virtue, was a most daring boldness.
II. The malignity of it. The charge was preferred out of pure malignity. It was the vengeance of disappointed passion. She plots the destruction of a good man for no other reason but his incomparable virtues. No worse wickedness can be ascribed to the devil.
III. The art and cunning of it. She calls the servants and tells them her unblushing lie, so that they might be witnesses of the insult offered to her by this Hebrew. As the appearances were altogether against Joseph, they might consider themselves all but eye-witnesses of his guilt. She speaks to them in a contemptuous manner of her husband, throwing all the blame upon him; and she does not scruple even to impute the same to his face. See, he hath brought in an Hebrew unto us to mock us. The Hebrew servant which thou hast brought unto us, came in unto me to mock me. (Gen. 39:14; Gen. 39:17). She says nothing concerning the injury done to her husband, but charges him with being the cause of this attack upon her virtue. This would excite his wrath and put him upon the vindication of his honour. He would be ready to excuse her words spoken under the inspiration of the noble rage of offended virtue. Yet a discerning mind might perceive here that her cunning really overshot its mark. The fact that she speaks so disrespectfully of her husband reveals the estrangement of her heart from him, and also a design to annoy him by holding him up to the contempt of his servants.
IV. The lessons of this history.
1. That impurity and falsehood are closely allied. The devil, as he is an unclean spirit, so he is also a liar. This is the first example of gross calumniation recorded in Scripture, and it comes from an adulterous woman.
2. That Gods saints should be patient under false accusations. All things concerning the righteous, even their persecutions, are under the control of God; and in the long run, He will vindicate their honour. He will bring forth their righteousness as the light, and their judgment as the noonday, though it may have been long hidden under the clouds of calumny. God may seem to bring His people down to the very grave, and yet He will surely bring them up. The 37th Psalm teaches us how we are to consider this affliction of Joseph.
3. That we should do the thing that is right in utter disregard of all evil consequences to ourselves. By maintaining his integrity and purity, Joseph exposed himself to the imputation of being regarded as a monster of iniquity. In the cause of righteousness he had literally to bear sin. But he heeded not consequences. He only thought of obligation. He bore the reputation of a sinner, but his record was on high, his judgment with his God. What we have to avoid is the sin itself; against the lie there may be found a remedy.
SUGGESTIVE COMMENTS ON THE VERSES
Gen. 39:13. The danger incurred by this was very obvious. Her resentment might improve it as the instrument of his destruction; or, if she endeavoured, for her own sake, to conceal it, an accident might probably discover it, and raise very dark suspicions against him. But convinced that sin was an infinitely worse evil than disgrace or death, he is determined to fly at all hazards.(Bush.)
Gen. 39:14-18. The disappointed passion of Potiphars wife had settled down into malice. There are two kinds of love: that love which ever increases, and that which, usurping the name of love, contains within itself the germ of its own destruction.(Robertson).
The demon of lust is soon converted into that of rage and revenge. (2Sa. 13:15.)
Doubtless he denied the fact, but he dare not accuse the offender. There is not only the praise of patience, but of times of wisdom, even in unjust sufferings. He knew that God would find time to clear his innocence, and to regard his chaste faithfulness.(Bp. Hall).
Fuente: The Preacher’s Complete Homiletical Commentary Edited by Joseph S. Exell
Joseph Accused and Imprisoned
v. 13. And it came to pass, when she saw that he had left his garment in her hand, and was fled forth, v. 14. that she called unto the men of her house, and spake unto them, saying, See, he hath brought in an Hebrew unto us to mock us. v. 15. and it came to pass, when he heard that I lifted up my voice and cried, that he left his garment with me! and fled, and got him out. v. 16. And she laid up his garment by her until his lord came home.
v. 17. And she spake unto him according to these words, saying, The Hebrew servant which thou hast brought unto us came in unto me to mock me; v. 18. and it came to pass, as I lifted up my voice and cried, that he left his garment with me, and fled out. v. 19. And it came to pass, when his master heard the words of his wife which she spake unto him, saying, After this manner did thy servant to me; that his wrath was kindled. v. 20. 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. v. 21. But the Lord was with Joseph, and showed him mercy, and gave him favor in the sight of the keeper of the prison. v. 22. And the keeper of the prison committed to Joseph’s hand all the prisoners that were in the prison; and whatsoever they did there, he was the doer of it. v. 23. The keeper of the prison looked not to anything that was under his hand,
Fuente: The Popular Commentary on the Bible by Kretzmann
Gen 39:13 And it came to pass, when she saw that he had left his garment in her hand, and was fled forth,
Ver. 13. And it came to pass, &c. ] Incontinency is a breeder. It never goes alone, as some say the asp doth not, but hath many vices; impudency, subtlety, treacherous cruelty, &c., that come of it, and accompany it; crying out, and calling to one another, as they once did; “Now Moab to the spoil.” 2Ki 3:23
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Imprisoned Though Innocent The unfortunate truth is that people who do what is right do not always receive right treatment. Though Joseph had honored his master and God, Potiphar’s wife lied about him. She called the other servants together and told them Joseph had tried to lie with her. She claimed he fled when she cried out. She said the proof was found in the coat he had left beside her. Notice, she did not say left his coat in my hand as that might have shown the true nature of the case.
When Potiphar came home, she repeated her lie. Potiphar was enraged and cast Joseph into prison. This was actually a very mild punishment for the crime supposedly committed ( Gen 39:13-20 ). Whether one thinks Potiphar may not have believed every detail as related by his wife, or not, still it must ultimately be said God protected Joseph (compare 1Co 10:13 ). Such is clearly seen in his being placed in a special prison used for the king’s prisoners.