The keeper of the prison looked not to any thing that was under his hand; because the LORD was with him, and that which he did, the LORD made it to prosper.

GENESIS 39:23KJV
Know the Bible

Genesis 39:23 (KJV)

What does Genesis 39:23 mean?

Genesis 39:23 explains why the prison keeper could leave responsibilities in Joseph’s care: the LORD was with Joseph and made his work succeed. Joseph remained a prisoner, but within the prison he had earned the keeper’s confidence.

The phrase “under his hand” pictures matters placed under Joseph’s control. After Joseph is put in charge in verse 22, the narrator describes the freedom he had to carry out those duties without the keeper checking on him.

The Hebrew behind Genesis 39:23

  • “looked” — רָאָה (raʾah): This word commonly means “to see” or “to look.” Here, “looked not” carries the sense that the keeper did not supervise the matters entrusted to Joseph.
  • “hand” — יָד (yad): The word means “hand” and can also speak of a person’s control. In this verse, the phrase points to Joseph’s authority over the things assigned to him.
  • “prosper” — צָלַח (ṣalaḥ): The word can mean “to succeed” or “to prosper.” Here, the success concerns what Joseph did in his prison duties.

Why Genesis 39:23 matters

  • The verse credits the LORD, not merely Joseph’s skill, for the success of his work. The narrator says, “that which he did, the LORD made it to prosper.”
  • Joseph’s position in prison echoes his earlier position in Potiphar’s house. In Genesis 39:3–4, Potiphar also saw Joseph’s work succeed and put him in charge.
  • The trust Joseph received did not mean he had been released. The next chapter still places him in prison, where he meets Pharaoh’s chief butler and baker.

Where else these words appear

“prison” Hebrew H5470 · used in 6 verses

  • 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.
  • Genesis 40:3 And he put them in ward in the house of the captain of the guard, into the prison, the place where Joseph was bound.

“thing” Hebrew H3972 · used in 32 verses

  • Genesis 22:12 And he said, Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou any thing unto him: for now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son from me.
  • 1 Samuel 12:5 And he said unto them, The LORD is witness against you, and his anointed is witness this day, that ye have not found ought in my hand. And they answered, He is witness.
  • 1 Kings 10:21 And all king Solomon's drinking vessels were of gold, and all the vessels of the house of the forest of Lebanon were of pure gold; none were of silver: it was nothing accounted of in the days of Solomon.

“prosper” Hebrew H6743 · used in 64 verses

  • Genesis 24:21 And the man wondering at her held his peace, to wit whether the LORD had made his journey prosperous or not.
  • 1 Chronicles 22:11 Now, my son, the LORD be with thee; and prosper thou, and build the house of the LORD thy God, as he hath said of thee.
  • Isaiah 53:10 Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand.