New American Standard Bible 1995

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Genesis

39

:

11

Now it happened one day that he went into the house to do his work, and none of the men of the household was there inside.

Lexicon

Verse part Definition: Part of speech: Strong's: Hebrew: Transliteration:
Now it happened to fall out, come to pass, become, be Verb H1961 וַיְהִי֙ vay·hi
one this, here Pronoun H2088 הַזֶּ֔ה haz·zeh,
Analysis:

One: God

Refers to HaShem (God), Who is One. This number can also refer to unity. The first place the number "one" occurs is in Genesis 1:5. There one reads, "And there was an evening and there was a morning— one day". Later on in this same book of Genesis, it is stated concerning the man and his wife, "And they became one flesh" (Genesis 2:24). It is very significant that in both of these examples there was a multiplicity for the subject. In the first example, the evening and the morning became one day and in the second example, it was Adam and Eve who became one flesh.

One of the most famous passages in the Torah concerning HaShem is Deuteronomy 6:4 which states, "Hear O Israel the Lord your God the Lord is One." The question that a person must ask himself is what is the connection between the use of the Hebrew word אחד "one" which identifies a multiplicity being one and the fact that the Lord God of Israel is One? The answer is that the Hebrew word אחד can relate to the concept for one as in "unification". There is another Hebrew word that would have been possible to be used if the author wanted to refer to an absolute oneness or singleness. This is the Hebrew word יחיד. In fact, there is a well-known prayer in Judaism which states, "אחד ואין יחיד כיחודו". This phrase should be translated as, "(God is) One and there is no singularity as His singularity." The idea that is being expressed in this prayer is that the Lord God of Israel is One; but not an absolute One; rather there is a uniqueness and a complexity to His Oneness.

The number one is frequently employed to express in the Scriptures one object, such as one man or one tabernacle. This usage would be the simple or common purpose that the number one or for that matter any number, would appear in a Biblical text. Often the appearance of a number does not contain any of the significance that Hebrew numerology might offer. Therefore, the reader must always consider when coming across a verse which contains a number, that the number only expresses an amount and no additional significance. 

Because the number one is often associated with God, there is a unique phenomenon in the Scriptures concerning this number. Sometimes the number one is employed to express a unique relationship that the object has to HaShem. For example,

"And it will be one day, it will be known to HaShem..." Zechariah 14:7

In the text above, Zechariah could have stated simply, "And it will be a day…" The fact that the prophet said "one day" is to convey that this day is uniquely related to God. Similarly, it is stated by the prophet Ezekiel in chapter 37, "one King", "one nation" and "one Shepherd" (see Ezekiel 37:22, 24). Each of these objects—King, nation and Shepherd—has a connection to HaShem. The King and Shepherd is Messiah Yeshua, the Son of God and the one nation is Israel, the people of God.

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day day Noun H3117 כְּהַיֹּ֣ום ke·hai·yo·vm
that he went to come in, come, go in, go Verb H935 וַיָּבֹ֥א vai·ya·vo
into the house a house Noun H1004 הַבַּ֖יְתָה hab·bay·tah
to do do, make Verb H6213 לַעֲשֹׂ֣ות la·'a·so·vt
his work, occupation, work Noun H4399 מְלַאכְתֹּ֑ו me·lach·tov;
and none nothing, nought Particle H369 וְאֵ֨ין ve·'ein
of the men man Noun H376 מֵאַנְשֵׁ֥י me·'an·shei
of the household a house Noun H1004 הַבַּ֛יִת hab·ba·yit
was there there, thither Adverb H8033 שָׁ֖ם sham
inside. a house Noun H1004 בַּבָּֽיִת׃ bab·ba·yit.

People

Joseph

  Joseph There are three famous people in the Bible named Joseph: All three of their profiles are shown below: Joseph, a son of Jacob/Israel Joseph was one of 12 sons of Jacob. He was the first born son of Rachel (Gen 30:22-24). He received preferential treatment which angered his ten older brothers. His brothers faked his death to their father Jacob, and sold him to a caravan of Ishmaelite traders who were on their way to Egypt. God ga... View Details

Parallel Verses

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Added text
New American Standard Bible 1995 Now it happened one day that he went into the house to do his work, and none of the men of the household was there inside.
King James Bible Now And it happened one day came to pass about this time, that he Joseph went into the house to do his work, business; and there was none of the men of the household was house there inside.within.
Hebrew Greek English Now it happened one day that he went into the house to do his work, and none of the men of the household was there inside.