Arcana Coelestia (Elliott) n. 4959

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4959. The reason the Lord speaks of all these things being done to Himself is that He is present in those kinds of people, which is why He also says,

Truly I say to you, insofar as you did it to one of the least of these My brothers you did it to Me. Matt 25:40-45.

GENESIS 39

  1. And Joseph was made to go down to Egypt, and Potiphar bought him - Pharaoh's bedchamber servant, the chief of the attendants, an Egyptian man - from the hand of the Ishmaelites who made him go down there.
  2. And Jehovah was with Joseph, and he was a prosperous man; and he was in the house of his lord the Egyptian.
  3. And his lord saw that Jehovah was with him, and everything that he did Jehovah made to prosper in his hand.
  4. And Joseph found favour in his eyes, and ministered to him; and he put him in charge over his house, and whatever he had he gave into his hand.
  5. And it happened from the time he put him in charge in his house and over all that he had, that Jehovah blessed the Egyptian's house for Joseph's sake; and the blessing of Jehovah was on all that he had in the house and in the field.
  6. And he left all that he had in Joseph's hand, and did not concern himself with anythinga except the bread that he ate. And Joseph was beautiful in form and beautiful in appearance.
  7. And it happened after these events, that his lord's wife lifted up her eyes towards Joseph and said, Lie with me.
  8. And he refused and said to his lord's wife, Behold, my lord does not concern himself with anythingb in the house, and all that he has he has given into my hand.
  9. He himself is no greater in this house than I am, and he has not held back anything from me except yourself, in that you are his wife. How then shall I do this great evil, and sin against God?
  10. And it happened as she spoke to Joseph day after day, that he did not listen to her, to lie with her, to be with her.
  11. And it happened on a certain day, that he went to the house to do his work, and none of the menc of the house was there in the house.
  12. And she took hold of him by his garment, saying, Lie with me. And he left his garment in her hand and fled, and went out of doors.
  13. And it happened as she saw that he had left his garment in her hand and had fled out of doors,
  14. That she cried out to the men of her house, and said to them - she said, See, he has brought us a Hebrew man to make sport of us. He came to me to lie with me, and I cried out with a loud voice.
  15. And it happened as he was hearing [me], that I lifted up my voice and cried out, and he left his garment with me, and fled, and went out of doors.
  16. And she kept his garment with her until his lord came to his house.
  17. And she spoke to him ind these words, saying, The Hebrew slave whom you have brought to us came to me, to make sport of me.
  18. And it happened as I lifted up my voice and cried out, that he left his garment with me and fled out of doors.
  19. And it happened - as his lord heard his wife's words which she spoke to him, saying, This is whate your slave did to me - that his anger flared up.
  20. And Joseph's lord took him and committed him to the prison-house, a place where the king's bound ones were bound; and he was there in the prison-house.
  21. And Jehovah was with Joseph, and showed mercy to him, and gave him favour in the eyes of the governorf of the prison-house.
  22. And the governorf of the prison-house gave into Joseph's hand all the bound who were in the prison-house; and everything they did there, he was the doer of it.g
  23. The governor of the prison-house oversaw nothing whatever that was in his hand, in that Jehovah was with him; and whatever he did, Jehovah made it prosper.

Notes

a lit. did not know anything with him
b lit. does not know what is with me
c lit. no man from the men
d lit. according to
e lit. According to these words
f lit. prince or chief
g i.e. it was done under his instructions


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