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Ge 39:1-23.
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Ge 39:1-23. JOSEPH IN POTIPHAR'S HOUSE.
1. Potiphar--This name, Potiphar, signifies one "devoted to the sun," the local deity of On or Heliopolis, a circumstance which fixes the place of his residence in the Delta, the district of Egypt bordering on Canaan.
officer--literally, "prince of the Pharoah"--that is, in the service of government.
captain of the guard--The import of the original term has been variously interpreted, some considering it means "chief cook," others, "chief inspector of plantations"; but that which seems best founded is "chief of the executioners," the same as the captain of the watch, the zabut of modern Egypt [WILKINSON].
bought him . . . of the Ishmaelites--The age, appearance, and intelligence of the Hebrew slave would soon cause him to be picked up in the market. But the unseen, unfelt influence of the great Disposer drew the attention of Potiphar towards him, in order that in the house of one so closely connected with the court, he might receive that previous training which was necessary for the high office he was destined to fill, and in the school of adversity learn the lessons of practical wisdom that were to be of greatest utility and importance in his future career. Thus it is that when God has any important work to be done, He always prepares fitting agents to accomplish it.
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2. 他住在他主人……的家中——那些作战俘来的奴仆，通常被送去田间劳作，在监工的“棍子”下受苛待。但那些用钱买来的，则作家中使用，受善待，享受现代埃及同等人所得的自由。
영문 원문
2. he was in the house of his master--Those slaves who had been war captives were generally sent to labor in the field and subjected to hard treatment under the "stick" of taskmasters. But those who were bought with money were employed in domestic purposes, were kindly treated, and enjoyed as much liberty as the same class does in modern Egypt.
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3. 他主人见耶和华与他同在——约瑟虽处境改变，心志却不改；虽然被剥去那装饰他身体的彩衣，他并未失去那标榜他品格的属灵美德；虽然与地上的父亲分离，他仍与天上的父相交；虽在拜偶像者的家中，他仍旧敬拜真神。
영문 원문
3. his master saw that the Lord was with him--Though changed in condition, Joseph was not changed in spirit; though stripped of the gaudy coat that had adorned his person, he had not lost the moral graces that distinguished his character; though separated from his father on earth, he still lived in communion with his Father in heaven; though in the house of an idolater, he continued a worshipper of the true God.
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5. 耶和华因约瑟的缘故赐福给那埃及人的家，等——也许——很可能——一种特别、神奇之福倾注在一个这样忠心热心事奉神的少年身上，尽管他的地位有种种不利。但可留意的是：这样的福通常也随寻常事的轨迹而来；最属世、最无原则的主人，看见仆人的信仰有良心的原则和一贯的生活为支持时，也总是钦佩并尊重的。
派他管理家务——我们不知道约瑟初入波提乏家是任何种身份；但他主人那善于观察的眼睛不久便发现了他优越的品质，立他为总管，为亲信仆人（参
Eph 6:7； Col 3:23)。
家奴的升迁并不罕见；在一家中过了一两年的人不获提拔，被视为大辱。但约瑟这种非常的升迁乃是耶和华的作为；不过在波提乏一方面，则是因观察约瑟在他一切所行的事上所得惊人之兴旺的结果。
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5. the Lord blessed the Egyptian's house for Joseph's sake, &c.--It might be--it probably was--that a special, a miraculous blessing was poured out on a youth who so faithfully and zealously served God amid all the disadvantages of his place. But it may be useful to remark that such a blessing usually follows in the ordinary course of things; and the most worldly, unprincipled masters always admire and respect religion in a servant when they see that profession supported by conscientious principle and a consistent life.
made him overseer in his house--We do not know in what capacity Joseph entered into the service of Potiphar; but the observant eye of his master soon discovered his superior qualities and made him his chief, his confidential servant (compare
Eph 6:7; Col 3:23).
The advancement of domestic slaves is not uncommon, and it is considered a great disgrace not to raise one who has been a year or two in the family. But this extraordinary advancement of Joseph was the doing of the Lord, though on the part of Potiphar it was the consequence of observing the astonishing prosperity that attended him in all that he did.
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7. 主人的妻向约瑟以目送情——埃及妇女并不像如今大多数东方国家的女子那样被禁锢。她们受对待的方式更配得上一个文明的民族——事实上在家中在外都享有许多自由。因此波提乏的妻子常有见约瑟的机会。但古埃及妇女在道德上很放纵。私情和酗酒在他们中间是极普遍的恶习，纪念碑也明明证实〔WILKINSON〕。波提乏的妻子大概并不比同级的许多妇女更坏，她向约瑟所作的可耻举动，是因她地位优越。
영문 원문
7. his master's wife cast her eyes upon Joseph--Egyptian women were not kept in the same secluded manner as females are in most Oriental countries now. They were treated in a manner more worthy of a civilized people--in fact, enjoyed much freedom both at home and abroad. Hence Potiphar's wife had constant opportunity of meeting Joseph. But the ancient women of Egypt were very loose in their morals. Intrigues and intemperance were vices very prevalent among them, as the monuments too plainly attest [WILKINSON]. Potiphar's wife was probably not worse than many of the same rank, and her infamous advances made to Joseph arose from her superiority of station.
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9. 我怎能作这大恶，得罪神呢？——这一番规劝，是在一切次要理由都失效之后，道出了道德纯洁的真原则——这原则在哪里存在，便总是充分的；并且是唯一充分的。
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9. How then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?--This remonstrance, when all inferior arguments had failed, embodied the true principle of moral purity--a principle always sufficient where it exists, and alone sufficient.
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14. 她就呼叫家里的人——失望又受辱，她誓要报复，先向家中的仆人指控约瑟，等她主人回来又向他指控。
看哪，他带了一个希伯来人……要戏弄我们——这是一种矫情而无理的对她丈夫的毁谤，怪他留一个希伯来人在家，而希伯来人正是埃及人所最厌恶的。
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14. Then she called unto the men of her house--Disappointed and affronted, she vowed revenge and accused Joseph, first to the servants of the house, and on his return to her lord.
See, he hath brought in an Hebrew . . . to mock us--an affected and blind aspersion of her husband for keeping in his house an Hebrew, the very abomination of Egyptians.
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20. 约瑟的主人把他拿下，下在监里——即圆屋，因其建筑形式如此称，通常附属于像波提乏这样官员的住宅。它部分是地下室
(Ge 41:14)，
虽然砖砌的墙高出地面相当多，顶上是穹形屋顶，略呈倒碗状。波提乏在第一次怒火发作时，便把约瑟丢进这样的地牢，并吩咐他受他所敢施的最苛刻待遇
(Ps 105:18)；
因主人对奴仆的权柄受法律的适当限制，杀奴是死罪。
就是囚禁王犯的地方——监狱虽似乎总是王宫不可分的附属物，这却不是普通的监狱——它是关押国事犯的所在；因此可推测对犯人施以非常严格的看管。但总的来说，埃及的监狱和别的东方监狱一样，只用于拘留。被控告的人被丢在其中，直到对他们所控之罪得以查办；虽然狱吏对受他看管之人的出庭负责，但只要他们被按时提出，他便从不被问及他看守他们的方式。
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20. Joseph's master took him, and put him into the prison--the roundhouse, from the form of its construction, usually attached to the dwelling of such an officer as Potiphar. It was partly a subterranean dungeon
(Ge 41:14),
though the brick-built walls rose considerably above the surface of the ground, and were surmounted by a vaulted roof somewhat in the form of an inverted bowl. Into such a dungeon Potiphar, in the first ebullition of rage, threw Joseph and ordered him to be subjected further to as great harshness of treatment
(Ps 105:18)
as he dared; for the power of masters over their slaves was very properly restrained by law, and the murder of a slave was a capital crime.
a place where the king's prisoners were bound--Though prisons seem to have been an inseparable appendage of the palaces, this was not a common jail--it was the receptacle of state criminals; and, therefore, it may be presumed that more than ordinary strictness and vigilance were exercised over the prisoners. In general, however, the Egyptian, like other Oriental prisons, were used solely for the purposes of detention. Accused persons were cast into them until the charges against them could be investigated; and though the jailer was responsible for the appearance of those placed under his custody, yet, provided they were produced when called, he was never interrogated as to the way in which he had kept them.
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21-23. 耶和华……使他在狱长眼前蒙恩，等等——鉴于这监狱的位置
(Ge 40:3)，
狱长很可能先前就认识约瑟，有机会知道他对所控之罪的清白，也知道他品格的全部高尚正直。这或许部分解释了他为何对这囚犯如此厚待、如此信任。然而还有更高的影响在动工；因为"耶和华与约瑟同在，耶和华使他所做的尽都顺利。"
영문 원문
21-23. The Lord . . . gave him favour in the sight of the keeper of the prison, &c.--It is highly probable, from the situation of this prison
(Ge 40:3),
that the keeper might have been previously acquainted with Joseph and have had access to know his innocence of the crime laid to his charge, as well as with all the high integrity of his character. That may partly account for his showing so much kindness and confidence to his prisoner. But there was a higher influence at work; for "the Lord was with Joseph, and that which he did, the Lord made it to prosper."
Ge 39:1-23. 约瑟在波提乏家中。
1. 波提乏——波提乏这个名字，意为“献给太阳的”，即安城（也就是赫利奥波利斯）的地方神祇；这一点确定了他在三角洲的居所，那是埃及毗邻迦南的地区。
臣——直译为“法老的臣”，即在政府中供职。
护卫长——原文这个词的含义各有解释：有人认为意为“厨长”，有人认为意为“御园监察长”；但最可信的说法是“行刑长”，即卫兵长，相当于现代埃及的zabut〔WILKINSON〕。
买了他……从以实玛利人手中——这个希伯来奴仆的年龄、外貌和聪明，会使他在市场上很快被看中。然而那位看不见、感觉不到的大掌管者的影响，使波提乏注意到了他，为要叫他在一个与宫廷关系密切的人家中，得到为要担任他将来的高位所必需的前期训练，并在苦难的学校中学习那些对他日后的事工最为有用的实用智慧功课。神每逢有重要的工作要作时，总是预备合适的器皿来完成。