Genesis 39:4-6

39:4 So Joseph found favor in his sight and became his personal attendant. ¹  Potiphar appointed Joseph ²  overseer of his household and put him in charge ³  of everything he owned. 39:5 From the time ⁴  Potiphar ⁵  appointed him over his household and over all that he owned, the Lord blessed ⁶  the Egyptian’s household for Joseph’s sake. The blessing of the Lord was on everything that he had, both ⁷  in his house and in his fields. ⁸  39:6 So Potiphar ⁹  left ¹⁰  everything he had in Joseph’s care; ¹¹  he gave no thought ¹²  to anything except the food he ate. ¹³ 

Now Joseph was well built and good-looking. ¹⁴ 

Genesis 45:8-9

45:8 So now, it is not you who sent me here, but God. He has made me an adviser ¹⁵  to Pharaoh, lord over all his household, and ruler over all the land of Egypt. 45:9 Now go up to my father quickly ¹⁶  and tell him, ‘This is what your son Joseph says: “God has made me lord of all Egypt. Come down to me; do not delay!

Genesis 45:26

45:26 They told him, “Joseph is still alive and he is ruler over all the land of Egypt!” Jacob was stunned, ¹⁷  for he did not believe them.

Psalms 105:21-22

105:21 He put him in charge of his palace, ¹⁸ 

and made him manager of all his property,

105:22 giving him authority to imprison his officials ¹⁹ 

and to teach his advisers. ²⁰ 

Proverbs 22:29

22:29 Do you see a person skilled ²¹  in his work?

He will take his position before kings;

he will not take his position ²²  before obscure people. ²³ 

Daniel 2:46-48

2:46 Then King Nebuchadnezzar bowed down with his face to the ground ²⁴  and paid homage to Daniel. He gave orders to offer sacrifice and incense to him. 2:47 The king replied to Daniel, “Certainly your God is a God of gods and Lord of kings and revealer of mysteries, for you were able to reveal this mystery!” 2:48 Then the king elevated Daniel to high position and bestowed on him many marvelous gifts. He granted him authority over the entire province of Babylon and made him the main prefect over all the wise men of Babylon.

Daniel 5:29

5:29 Then, on Belshazzar’s orders, ²⁵  Daniel was clothed in purple, a golden collar was placed around his neck, and he was proclaimed third ruler in the kingdom.

Daniel 6:3

6:3 Now this Daniel was distinguishing himself above the other supervisors and the satraps, for he had an extraordinary spirit. In fact, the king intended to appoint him over the entire kingdom.

[39:4]  ¹ sn The Hebrew verb translated became his personal attendant refers to higher domestic service, usually along the lines of a personal attendant. Here Joseph is made the household steward, a position well-attested in Egyptian literature.

[39:4]  ² tn Heb “him”; the referent (Joseph) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[39:4]  ³ tn Heb “put into his hand.”

[39:5]  ⁴ tn Heb “and it was from then.”

[39:5]  ⁵ tn Heb “he”; the referent (Potiphar) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[39:5]  ⁶ sn The Hebrew word translated blessed carries the idea of enrichment, prosperity, success. It is the way believers describe success at the hand of God. The text illustrates the promise made to Abraham that whoever blesses his descendants will be blessed (Gen 12:1-3).

[39:5]  ⁷ tn Heb “in the house and in the field.” The word “both” has been supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[39:5]  ⁸ sn The passage gives us a good picture of Joseph as a young man who was responsible and faithful, both to his master and to his God. This happened within a very short time of his being sold into Egypt. It undermines the view that Joseph was a liar, a tattletale, and an arrogant adolescent.

[39:6]  ⁹ tn Heb “he”; the referent (Potiphar) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[39:6]  ¹⁰ sn The Hebrew verb translated left indicates he relinquished the care of it to Joseph. This is stronger than what was said earlier. Apparently Potiphar had come to trust Joseph so much that he knew it was in better care with Joseph than with anyone else.

[39:6]  ¹¹ tn Heb “hand.” This is a metonymy for being under the control or care of Joseph.

[39:6]  ¹² tn Heb “did not know.”

[39:6]  ¹³ sn The expression except the food he ate probably refers to Potiphar’s private affairs and should not be limited literally to what he ate.

[39:6]  ¹⁴ tn Heb “handsome of form and handsome of appearance.” The same Hebrew expressions were used in Gen 29:17 for Rachel.

[45:8]  ¹⁵ tn Heb “a father.” The term is used here figuratively of one who gives advice, as a father would to his children.

[45:9]  ¹⁶ tn Heb “hurry and go up.”

[45:26]  ¹⁷ tn Heb “and his heart was numb.” Jacob was stunned by the unbelievable news and was unable to respond.

[105:21]  ¹⁸ tn Heb “he made him master of his house.”

[105:22]  ¹⁹ tn Heb “to bind his officials by his will.”

[105:22]  ²⁰ tn Heb “and his elders he taught wisdom.”

[22:29]  ²¹ sn The word translated “skilled” is general enough to apply to any crafts; but it may refer to a scribe or an official (R. N. Whybray, Proverbs [CBC], 134).

[22:29]  ²² tn The verb form used twice here is יִתְיַצֵּב (yityatsev), the Hitpael imperfect of יָצַב (yatsav), which means “to set or station oneself; to take one’s stand” in this stem. With the form לִפְנֵי (life) it means “to present oneself before” someone; so here it has the idea of serving as a courtier in the presence of a king.

[22:29]  ²³ sn The fifth saying affirms that true skill earns recognition and advancement (cf. Instruction of Amenemope, chap. 30, 27:16-17 [ANET 424]).

[2:46]  ²⁴ tn Aram “fell on his face.”

[5:29]  ²⁵ tn Aram “Belshazzar spoke.”