Genesis 39 · Verse 9

Genesis 39:9

There is none greater in this house than I; neither hath he kept back any thing from me but thee, because thou art his wife: how then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?
Genesis 39:9, King James Version

Genesis 39:9 in other translations

BSBNo one in this house is greater than I am. He has withheld nothing from me except you, because you are his wife. So how could I do such a great evil and sin against God?”
WEBNo one is greater in this house than I am, and he has not kept back anything from me but you, because you are his wife. How then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?”
ASVhe is not greater in this house than I; neither hath he kept back anything from me but thee, because thou art his wife: how then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?
YLTnone is greater in this house than I, and he hath not withheld from me anything, except thee, because thou art his wife; and how shall I do this great evil? --then have I sinned against God.'
DARBYThere is none greater in this house than I; neither has he withheld anything from me but thee, because thou art his wife; and how should I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?
BBESo that no one has more authority in this house than I have; he has kept nothing back from me but you, because you are his wife; how then may I do this great wrong, sinning against God?
WebsterThere is none greater in his house than I; neither hath he kept back any thing from me but thee, because thou art his wife: how then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?

What does Genesis 39:9 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
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.

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

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 9 How then - ואיך veeik, and how? Joseph gives two most powerful reasons for his noncompliance with the wishes of his mistress: 1. Gratitude to his master, to whom he owed all that he had. 2. His fear of God, in whose sight it would be a heinous offense, and who would not fail to punish him for it. With the kindness of his master and the displeasure of God before his eyes, how could he be capable of committing an act of transgression, which would at once have distinguished him as the most ungrateful and the most worthless of men?

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Genesis 39:7-12

Beauty either in men or women, often proves a snare both to themselves and others. This forbids pride in it, and requires constant watchfulness against the temptation that attends it. We have great need to make a covenant with our eyes, lest the eyes infect the heart. When lust has got power, decency, and reputation, and conscience, are all sacrificed. Potiphar's wife showed that her heart was fully set to do evil…

Read the full comment on Genesis 39:7-12 →

Genesis 39:9 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.

אֵינֶ֨נּוּ'ei.Ne.nunot [is] heH369
גָד֜וֹלga.DolgreatH1419
בַּבַּ֣יִתba.Ba.yitin the householdH1004
הַזֶּה֮ha.Zeh<the> thisH2088
מִמֶּנִּי֒mi.me.Nimore than meH4480
וְלֹֽא\־ve.lo'-and notH3808
חָשַׂ֤ךְcha.Sakhhe has withheldH2820
מִמֶּ֙נִּי֙mi.Me.nifrom meH4480
מְא֔וּמָהme.'U.mahanythingH3972
כִּ֥יkithatH3588
אִם\־'im-exceptH518
אוֹתָ֖ךְ'o.Takh<obj.> youH853
בַּאֲשֶׁ֣רba.'a.Sherin thatH834
אַתְּ\־'at-youH859
אִשְׁתּ֑וֹ'ish.To[are] wife hisH802
וְאֵ֨יךְve.'Eikhand how?H349
אֶֽעֱשֶׂ֜ה'e.'e.Sehwill I doH6213
הָרָעָ֤הha.ra.'Ahthe evilH7451
הַגְּדֹלָה֙ha.ge.do.Lah<the> greatH1419
הַזֹּ֔אתha.Zot<the> thisH2063
וְחָטָ֖אתִיve.cha.Ta.tiand I will sinH2398
לֵֽאלֹהִֽים\׃Le.lo.Himto GodH430

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

Cross references for Genesis 39:9

  • 2 Samuel 12:13

    And David said unto Nathan, I have sinned against the Lord. And Nathan said unto David, The Lord also hath put away thy sin; thou shalt not die.

  • Genesis 20:6

    And God said unto him in a dream, Yea, I know that thou didst this in the integrity of thy heart; for I also withheld thee from sinning against me: therefore suffered I thee not to touch her.

  • Genesis 42:18

    And Joseph said unto them the third day, This do, and live; for I fear God:

  • 1 John 3:9

    Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.

  • Luke 12:48

    But he that knew not, and did commit things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes. For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more.

  • Galatians 5:19-21

    Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.

  • Psalms 51:4

    Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight: that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest.

  • 1 Corinthians 4:2

    Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful.

  • Job 31:23

    For destruction from God was a terror to me, and by reason of his highness I could not endure.

  • Numbers 32:23

    But if ye will not do so, behold, ye have sinned against the Lord: and be sure your sin will find you out.

  • 1 Corinthians 6:9-10

    Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.

  • Jeremiah 50:7

    All that found them have devoured them: and their adversaries said, We offend not, because they have sinned against the Lord, the habitation of justice, even the Lord, the hope of their fathers.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
none.
24:2; Ne 6:11; Lu 12:48; 1Co 4:2; Tit 2:10
how then.
20:3,6; Le 20:10; 2Sa 11:27; Job 31:9-12,23; Pr 6:29,32
Jer 5:8,9; 1Co 6:9,10; Ga 5:19-21; Heb 13:4; Re 21:8; 22:15
sin.
42:18; Le 6:2; Nu 32:23; 2Sa 12:13; Ne 5:15; Ps 51:4; Jer 28:16
Jer 50:7; 1Jo 3:9

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

Context

  • Genesis 39:8

    But he refused, and said unto his master’s wife, Behold, my master wotteth not what is with me in the house, and he hath committed all that he hath to my hand;

  • Genesis 39:9

    There is none greater in this house than I; neither hath he kept back any thing from me but thee, because thou art his wife: how then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?

  • Genesis 39:10

    And it came to pass, as she spake to Joseph day by day, that he hearkened not unto her, to lie by her, or to be with her.

Read all of Genesis 39

Genesis 39:9 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909
No hay otro mayor que yo en esta casa, y ninguna cosa me ha reservado sino á ti, por cuanto tú eres su mujer; ¿cómo, pues, haría yo este grande mal, y pecaría contra Dios?
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885
Personne n’est plus grand que moi dans cette maison, et il ne m’a rien interdit que toi, parce que tu es sa femme; et comment ferais-je ce grand mal, et pécherais-je contre Dieu?
German
Elberfelder 1871
Niemand ist größer in diesem Hause als ich, und er hat mir gar nichts vorenthalten als nur dich, indem du sein Weib bist; und wie sollte ich dieses große Übel tun und wider Gott sündigen?
Latin
Clementine Vulgate
nec quidquam est quod non in mea sit potestate, vel non tradiderit mihi, præter te, quæ uxor ejus es: quomodo ergo possum hoc malum facere, et peccare in Deum meum?