Genesis 39

Joseph a Slave in Egypt

1 Now Joseph had been taken down to Egypt. And Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh, captain of the guard, an Egyptian, bought him from the Ishmaelites who had taken him down there.2 The Lord was with Joseph, and he was a successful man; and he was in the house of his master the Egyptian.3 And his master saw that the Lord was with him and that the Lord made all he did to prosper in his hand.4 So Joseph found favor in his sight, and served him. Then he made him overseer of his house, and all that he had he put under his authority.5 So it was, from the time that he had made him overseer of his house and all that he had, that the Lord blessed the Egyptians house for Josephs sake; and the blessing of the Lord was on all that he had in the house and in the field.6 Thus he left all that he had in Josephs hand, and he did not know what he had except for the bread which he ate. Now Joseph was handsome in form and appearance.7 And it came to pass after these things that his masters wife cast longing eyes on Joseph, and she said, Lie with me.8 But he refused and said to his masters wife, Look, my master does not know what is with me in the house, and he has committed all that he has to my hand.9 There is no one greater in this house than I, nor has he kept back anything from me but you, because you are his wife. How then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?10 So it was, as she spoke to Joseph day by day, that he did not heed her, to lie with her or to be with her.11 But it happened about this time, when Joseph went into the house to do his work, and none of the men of the house was inside,12 that she caught him by his garment, saying, Lie with me. But he left his garment in her hand, and fled and ran outside.13 And so it was, when she saw that he had left his garment in her hand and fled outside,14 that she called to the men of her house and spoke to them, saying, See, he has brought in to us a Hebrew to mock us. He came in to me to lie with me, and I cried out with a loud voice.15 And it happened, when he heard that I lifted my voice and cried out, that he left his garment with me, and fled and went outside.16 So she kept his garment with her until his master came home.17 Then she spoke to him with words like these, saying, The Hebrew servant whom you brought to us came in to me to mock me;18 so it happened, as I lifted my voice and cried out, that he left his garment with me and fled outside.19 So it was, when his master heard the words which his wife spoke to him, saying, Your servant did to me after this manner, that his anger was aroused.20 Then Josephs master took him and put him into the prison, a place where the kings prisoners were confined. And he was there in the prison.21 But the Lord was with Joseph and showed him mercy, and He gave him favor in the sight of the keeper of the prison.22 And the keeper of the prison committed to Josephs hand all the prisoners who were in the prison; whatever they did there, it was his doing.23 The keeper of the prison did not look into anything that was under Josephs authority, because the Lord was with him; and whatever he did, the Lord made it prosper.

GENESIS 39

Joseph and Potiphar's Wife

1 The Ishmaelites took Joseph to Egypt and sold him to Potiphar, the king'st official in charge of the palace guard.

2-3 t So Joseph lived in the home of Potiphar, his Egyptian owner.
Soon Potiphar realized that the [Lord] was helping Joseph to be successful in whatever he did. 4 Potiphar liked Joseph and made him his personal assistant, putting him in charge of his house and all of his property. 5 Because of Joseph, the [Lord] began to bless Potiphar's family and fields.

6 Potiphar left everything up to Joseph, and with Joseph there, the only decision he had to make was what he wanted to eat.
Joseph was well-built and handsome, 7 t and Potiphar's wife soon noticed him. She asked him to make love to her, 8 but he refused and said, “My master isn't worried about anything in his house, because he has placed me in charge of everything he owns. 9 No one in my master's house is more important than I am. The only thing he hasn't given me is you, and that's because you are his wife. I won't sin against God by doing such a terrible thing as this.”

10 She kept begging Joseph day after day, but he refused to do what she wanted or even to go near her.
11 One day, Joseph went to Potiphar's house to do his work, and none of the other servants were there.

12 Potiphar's wife grabbed hold of his coat and said, “Make love to me!” Joseph ran out of the house, leaving his coat there in her hands.
13 When this happened, 14 she called in her servants and said, “Look! This Hebrew has come just to make fools of us. He tried to rape me, but I screamed for help.

15 And when he heard me scream, he ran out of the house, leaving his coat with me.”
16 Potiphar's wife kept Joseph's coat until her husband came home. 17 Then she said, “That Hebrew slave of yours tried to rape me!

18 But when I screamed for help, he left his coat and ran out of the house.”
19 Potiphar became very angry

20 and threw Joseph in the same prison where the king's prisoners were kept.
While Joseph was in prison, 21 t the [Lord] helped him and was good to him. He even made the jailer like Joseph so much that 22 he put him in charge of the other prisoners and of everything that was done in the jail. 23 The jailer did not worry about anything, because the [Lord] was with Joseph and made him successful in all that he did.