Genesis 39

1 After Joseph had been taken to Egypt by the Ishmaelites, Potiphar an Egyptian, one of Pharaoh's officials and the manager of his household, bought him from them.

2-6  As it turned out, God was with Joseph and things went very well with him. He ended up living in the home of his Egyptian master. His master recognized that God was with him, saw that God was working for good in everything he did. He became very fond of Joseph and made him his personal aide. He put him in charge of all his personal affairs, turning everything over to him. From that moment on, God blessed the home of the Egyptian—all because of Joseph. The blessing of God spread over everything he owned, at home and in the fields, and all Potiphar had to concern himself with was eating three meals a day.

7  Joseph was a strikingly handsome man. As time went on, his master's wife became infatuated with Joseph and one day said, "Sleep with me."

8-9  He wouldn't do it. He said to his master's wife, "Look, with me here, my master doesn't give a second thought to anything that goes on here—he's put me in charge of everything he owns. He treats me as an equal. The only thing he hasn't turned over to me is you. You're his wife, after all! How could I violate his trust and sin against God?"

10  She pestered him day after day after day, but he stood his ground. He refused to go to bed with her.

11-15  On one of these days he came to the house to do his work and none of the household servants happened to be there. She grabbed him by his cloak, saying, "Sleep with me!" He left his coat in her hand and ran out of the house. When she realized that he had left his coat in her hand and run outside, she called to her house servants: "Look—this Hebrew shows up and before you know it he's trying to seduce us. He tried to make love to me but I yelled as loud as I could. With all my yelling and screaming, he left his coat beside me here and ran outside."

16-18  She kept his coat right there until his master came home. She told him the same story. She said, "The Hebrew slave, the one you brought to us, came after me and tried to use me for his plaything. When I yelled and screamed, he left his coat with me and ran outside."

19-23  When his master heard his wife's story, telling him, "These are the things your slave did to me," he was furious. Joseph's master took him and threw him into the jail where the king's prisoners were locked up. But there in jail God was still with Joseph: He reached out in kindness to him; he put him on good terms with the head jailer. The head jailer put Joseph in charge of all the prisoners—he ended up managing the whole operation. The head jailer gave Joseph free rein, never even checked on him, because God was with him; whatever he did God made sure it worked out for the best.

Genesis 39

Joseph and Potiphar’s Wife

1 Now Joseph had been brought down to Egypt.t An Egyptian named Potiphar, an official of Pharaoh and the captain of the guard,s purchased him fromt the Ishmaelites who had brought him there.2 The Lord was with Joseph. He was successfult and livedt in the household of his Egyptian master.3 His master observed that the Lord was with him and that the Lord made everything he was doing successful.t4 So Joseph found favor in his sight and became his personal attendant.s Potiphar appointed Josepht overseer of his household and put him in charget of everything he owned.5 From the timet Potiphart appointed him over his household and over all that he owned, the Lord blesseds the Egyptian’s household for Joseph’s sake. The blessing of the Lord was on everything that he had, botht in his house and in his fields.s

6 So Potiphart lefts everything he had in Joseph’s care;t he gave no thoughtt to anything except the food he ate.s
Now Joseph was well built and good-looking.t7 Soon after these things, his master’s wife took notice oft Joseph and said, “Have sex with me.”ts8 But he refused, sayingt to his master’s wife, “Look, my master does not give any thoughtt to his household with me here,t and everything that he owns he has put into my care.t9 There is no one greater in this household than I am. He has withheld nothing from me except you because you are his wife. So how could I dot such a great evil and sin against God?”

10 Even though she continued to speakt to Joseph day after day, he did not respondt to her invitation to have sex with her.t
11 One dayt he went into the house to do his work when none of the household servantst were there in the house.12 She grabbed him by his outer garment, saying, “Have sex with me!” But he left his outer garment in her hand and rant outside.s13 When she saw that he had left his outer garment in her hand and had run outside,14 she called for her household servants and said to them, “See, my husband broughtt in a Hebrew mans to us to humiliate us.t He tried to have sex with me,t but I screamed loudly.t

15 When he heard me raiset my voice and scream, he left his outer garment beside me and ran outside.”
16 So she laid his outer garment beside her until his master came home.17 This is what she said to him:t “That Hebrew slaves you brought to us tried to humiliate me,t

18 but when I raised my voice and screamed, he left his outer garment and ran outside.”
19 When his master heard his wife say,t “This is the wayt your slave treated me,”t he became furious.t

20 Joseph’s master took him and threw him into the prison,t the place where the king’s prisoners were confined. So he was there in the prison.s
21 But the Lord was with Joseph and showed him kindness.t He granted him favor in the sight of the prison warden.t22 The warden put all the prisoners under Joseph’s care. He was in charge of whatever they were doing.t

23 The warden did not concern himselft with anything that was in Joseph’st care because the Lord was with him and whatever he was doing the Lord was making successful.