Tanach · Rishonim on Tanach · Ramban · Torah

Ramban on Genesis 39:3/רמב"ן על בראשית ל״ט:ג׳

אכִּי ה' אִתּוֹ שֵׁם שָׁמַיִם שָׁגוּר בְּפִיו, לְשׁוֹן רַשִׁ"י (רש"י על בראשית ל"ט:ג'). וְאֵינוֹ נִרְאֶה, אֲבָל "וַיַּרְא אֲדֹנָיו כִּי ה' אִתּוֹ", כִּי יַצְלִיחוּ מַעֲשָׂיו בְּכָל עֵת יוֹתֵר מִכָּל אָדָם, וְיָדַע כִּי מֵאֵת אֱלֹהִים הוּא לוֹ, וְכֵן (בראשית כ"ו:כ"ח) "רָאֹה רָאִינוּ כִּי הָיָה ה' עִמָּךְ", וַיִּמְצָא חֵן בְּעֵינָיו וְשָׂמוֹ מְשָׁרֵת לְעַצְמוֹ וּפָקִיד עַל בֵּיתוֹ:

1THAT THE ETERNAL WAS WITH HIM. The name of G-d was a familiar word in his mouth. This is Rashi’s language. But it does not appear to be correct.²¹³ Instead, And his lord saw that the Eternal was with him, means that he saw that his endeavors were always more successful than that of anyone else, so he knew that success came to him from G-d. In a similar sense is the verse, We have surely seen that the Eternal was with thee.²¹⁴ Thus Joseph found favor in his lord’s eyes, and he appointed him as his personal attendant and overseer of his house.