The Meaning of Genesis 39:20 Explained

Genesis 39:20

KJV: 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.

YLT: and 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.

Darby: And 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.

ASV: And 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.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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. 

What does Genesis 39:20 Mean?

Context Summary

Genesis 39:19-23 - Joseph Fares Well In Prison
These two men remind us of the two thieves crucified beside our Lord; to the one He was a savor of life, to the other of death. Jeremy Taylor says that he must be in love with peevishness who chooses to sit down on his little handful of thorns, when there are so many causes that call for him. Wherever in the world we are, there is a fellowship of sad and lonely hearts for us to cultivate. Like Joseph, let us set about helping others, and so find solace and help for ourselves. We must move in and out among our fellows with "a glorious morning face." Keep your sorrows for your Lord and yourself, but learn from your own experiences how to comfort those who are in any sorrow by the comfort with which you yourself have been comforted of God. How quick Joseph was to detect the added anxiety on the two faces! It was because he had known similar alternations of experience. See 2 Corinthians 1:4. [source]

Chapter Summary: Genesis 39

1  Joseph is bought by Potiphar, and preferred in the family
7  He resists temptation by Potiphar's Wife
13  He is falsely accused by her
20  He is cast into prison
21  God is with him there, and he is advanced by the keeper of prison

What do the individual words in Genesis 39:20 mean?

And took the master of Joseph him and put him into the house of imprisonment a place where - prisoners of the king [were] confined and he was there in the prison
וַיִּקַּח֩ אֲדֹנֵ֨י יוֹסֵ֜ף אֹת֗וֹ וַֽיִּתְּנֵ֙הוּ֙ אֶל־ בֵּ֣ית הַסֹּ֔הַר מְק֕וֹם אֲשֶׁר־ [אסורי] (אֲסִירֵ֥י) הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ אֲסוּרִ֑ים וַֽיְהִי־ שָׁ֖ם בְּבֵ֥ית הַסֹּֽהַר

וַיִּקַּח֩  And  took 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: יָקַח 
Sense: to take, get, fetch, lay hold of, seize, receive, acquire, buy, bring, marry, take a wife, snatch, take away.
אֲדֹנֵ֨י  the  master 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: אָדֹון  
Sense: firm, strong, lord, master.
יוֹסֵ֜ף  of  Joseph 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יׄוסֵף  
Sense: the eldest son of Jacob by Rachel.
וַֽיִּתְּנֵ֙הוּ֙  and  put  him 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular, third person masculine singular
Root: יָתַן 
Sense: to give, put, set.
אֶל־  into 
Parse: Preposition
Root: אֶל  
Sense: to, toward, unto (of motion).
בֵּ֣ית  the  house 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: בַּיִת 
Sense: house.
הַסֹּ֔הַר  of  imprisonment 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: סׄהַר  
Sense: house of roundness, roundhouse, prison.
מְק֕וֹם  a  place 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: מָקֹום  
Sense: standing place, place.
אֲשֶׁר־  where 
Parse: Pronoun, relative
Root: אֲשֶׁר 
Sense: (relative part.).
[אסורי]  - 
Parse: Verb, Qal, QalPassParticiple, masculine plural construct
(אֲסִירֵ֥י)  prisoners 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: אָסַר  
Sense: to tie, bind, imprison.
הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ  of  the  king 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: מֶלֶךְ 
Sense: king.
אֲסוּרִ֑ים  [were]  confined 
Parse: Verb, Qal, QalPassParticiple, masculine plural
Root: אָסַר  
Sense: to tie, bind, imprison.
וַֽיְהִי־  and  he  was 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אֶהְיֶה 
Sense: to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out.
הַסֹּֽהַר  the  prison 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: סׄהַר  
Sense: house of roundness, roundhouse, prison.