Genesis 39 · Verse 20

Genesis 39:20

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.
Genesis 39:20, King James Version

Genesis 39:20 in other translations

BSBSo 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,
WEBJoseph’s master took him, and put him into the prison, the place where the king’s prisoners were bound, and he was there in custody.
ASVAnd 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.
YLTand 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.
DARBYAnd 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.
BBEAnd 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.
WebsterAnd 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.

What does Genesis 39:20 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
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 (Psa 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.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 20 Put him into the prison - בית סהר beith sohar, literally the round house; in such a form the prison was probably built.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Genesis 39:19-23

Joseph's master believed the accusation. Potiphar, it is likely, chose that prison, because it was the worst; but God designed to open the way to Joseph's honour. Joseph was owned and righted by his God. He was away from all his friends and relations; he had none to help or comfort him; but the Lord was with Joseph, and showed him mercy. Those that have a good conscience in a prison, have a good God there. God gave…

Read the full comment on Genesis 39:19-23 →

Genesis 39:20 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

וַיִּקַּח֩vai.yi.Kachand he tookH3947
אֲדֹנֵ֨י'a.do.Nei[the] master<s> ofH113
יוֹסֵ֜ףyo.SefJosephH3130
אֹת֗וֹ'o.To<obj.> himH853
וַֽיִּתְּנֵ֙הוּ֙vai.yi.te.Ne.huand he put himH5414
אֶל\־'el-intoH413
בֵּ֣יתbeit[the] house ofH1004
הַסֹּ֔הַרha.So.harthe prisonH5470
מְק֕וֹםme.Kom[the] placeH4725
אֲשֶׁר\־'a.Sher-<of> whereH834
אֲסִירֵ֥י'a.su.rei[the] prisoners ofH615
הַמֶּ֖לֶךְha.Me.lekhthe kingH4428
אֲסוּרִ֑ים'a.su.Rim[were] imprisonedH631
וַֽיְהִי\־vay.hi-and he wasH1961
שָׁ֖םshamthereH8033
בְּבֵ֥יתbe.Veitin [the] house ofH1004
הַסֹּֽהַר\׃ha.So.harthe prisonH5470

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Genesis 39:20

  • Genesis 40:15

    For indeed I was stolen away out of the land of the Hebrews: and here also have I done nothing that they should put me into the dungeon.

  • 1 Peter 2:19

    For this is thankworthy, if a man for conscience toward God endure grief, suffering wrongfully.

  • Genesis 41:9-14

    Then spake the chief butler unto Pharaoh, saying, I do remember my faults this day: Pharaoh was wroth with his servants, and put me in ward in the captain of the guard’s house, both me and the chief baker: And we dreamed a dream in one night, I and he; we dreamed each man according to the interpretation of his dream. And there was there with us a young man, an Hebrew, servant to the captain of the guard; and we told him, and he interpreted to us our dreams; to each man according to his dream he did interpret. …

  • 2 Timothy 2:9

    Wherein I suffer trouble, as an evil doer, even unto bonds; but the word of God is not bound.

  • Genesis 40:1-3

    And it came to pass after these things, that the butler of the king of Egypt and his baker had offended their lord the king of Egypt. And Pharaoh was wroth against two of his officers, against the chief of the butlers, and against the chief of the bakers. And he put them in ward in the house of the captain of the guard, into the prison, the place where Joseph was bound.

  • Psalms 105:18-19

    Whose feet they hurt with fetters: he was laid in iron: Until the time that his word came: the word of the Lord tried him.

  • Daniel 3:21-22

    Then these men were bound in their coats, their hosen, and their hats, and their other garments, and were cast into the midst of the burning fiery furnace. Therefore because the king’s commandment was urgent, and the furnace exceeding hot, the flame of the fire slew those men that took up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed–nego.

  • Isaiah 53:8

    He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his generation? for he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken.

  • Psalms 76:10

    Surely the wrath of man shall praise thee: the remainder of wrath shalt thou restrain.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture 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.
40:15; 41:14; Ps 105:18,19; Isa 53:8; Da 3:21,22; 2Ti 2:9; 1Pe 2:19
the king's.
40:1-3,15; 41:9-14; Ps 76:10

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Genesis 39:19

    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.

  • Genesis 39:20

    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.

  • 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.

Read all of Genesis 39

Genesis 39:20 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Y tomó su señor á José, y púsole en la casa de la cárcel, donde estaban los presos del rey, y estuvo allí en la casa de la cárcel.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et le seigneur de Joseph le prit, et le mit dans la tour, dans le lieu où les prisonniers du roi étaient enfermés; et il fut là, dans la tour.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Und Josephs Herr nahm ihn und legte ihn in die Feste, an den Ort, wo die Gefangenen des Königs gefangen lagen; und er war daselbst in der Feste.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		tradiditque Joseph in carcerem, ubi vincti regis custodiebantur, et erat ibi clausus.