Genesis 39

1  AND JOSEPH was brought down to Egypt; and Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh, the captain and chief executioner of the [royal] guard, an Egyptian, bought him from the Ishmaelites who had brought him down there.2  But the Lord was with Joseph, and he [though a slave] was a successful and prosperous 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 that he did to flourish and succeed in his hand. 4  So Joseph pleased [Potiphar] and found favor in his sight, and he served him. And [his master] made him supervisor over his house and he put all that he had in his charge.5  From the time that he made him supervisor in his house and over all that he had, the Lord blessed the Egyptian’s house for Joseph’s sake; and the Lord’s blessing was on all that he had in the house and in the field.6  And [Potiphar] left all that he had in Joseph’s charge and paid no attention to anything he had except the food he ate. Now Joseph was an attractive person and fine-looking.7  Then after a time his master’s wife cast her eyes upon Joseph, and she said, Lie with me.8  But he refused and said to his master’s wife, See here, with me in the house my master has concern about nothing; he has put all that he has in my care.9  He is not greater in this house than I am; nor has he kept anything from me except you, for you are his wife. How then can I do this great evil and sin against God?10  She spoke to Joseph day after day, but he did not listen to her, to lie with her or to be with her.11  Then it happened about this time that Joseph went into the house to attend to his duties, and none of the men of the house were indoors.12  And she caught him by his garment, saying, Lie with me! But he left his garment in her hand and fled and got out [of the house].13  And when she saw that he had left his garment in her hand and had fled away,14  She called to the men of her household and said to them, Behold, he [your master] has brought in a Hebrew to us to mock and insult us; he came in where I was to lie with me, and I screamed at the top of my voice.15  And when he heard me screaming and crying, he left his garment with me and fled and got out of the house.16  And she laid up his garment by her until his master came home.17  Then she told him the same story, saying, The Hebrew servant whom you brought among us came to me to mock and insult me.18  And when I screamed and cried, he left his garment with me and fled out [of the house].19  And when [Joseph’s] master heard the words of his wife, saying to him, This is the way your servant treated me, his wrath was kindled.20  And Joseph’s master took him and put him in the prison, a place where the state prisoners were confined; so he was there in the prison.21  But the Lord was with Joseph, and showed him mercy and loving-kindness and gave him favor in the sight of the warden of the prison.22  And the warden of the prison committed to Joseph’s care all the prisoners who were in the prison; and whatsoever was done there, he was in charge of it.23  The prison warden paid no attention to anything that was in [Joseph’s] charge, for the Lord was with him and made whatever he did to prosper.

1. Mosebok 39

Josef hos Potifar

1 Josef ble ført ned til Egypt. Potifar, en egypter som var hoffmann hos farao og sjef for livvakten, kjøpte ham av ismaelittene, som hadde tatt ham med seg dit. t 2 Men Herren var med Josef, så lykken fulgte ham. Han var i huset hos sin egyptiske husbond. t 3 Og da husbonden så at Herren var med ham og lot alt det han gjorde, lykkes, 4 møtte Josef velvilje hos ham og fikk være hans tjener. Potifar satte ham til å styre sitt hus og ha tilsyn med alt det han eide. 5 Og fra den tid egypteren satte ham over sitt hus og over hele sin eiendom, velsignet Herren hans hus for Josefs skyld. Herrens velsignelse hvilte over alt det han hadde, både i huset og på marken. t

6 Så lot han Josef rå over alt det han eide. Når Potifar hadde ham, bekymret han seg ikke om noen ting uten om maten han spiste.
Josef var både velvoksen og vakker. 7 En tid etter hendte det at husbondens kone kastet sine øyne på ham. «Kom og ligg med meg!» sa hun. 8 Men han ville ikke og sa til henne: «Når jeg er her, trenger ikke min husbond å bekymre seg om noe i huset. Han har gitt meg tilsyn med alt det han eier. 9 Han har ikke mer å si her i huset enn jeg, og har ikke nektet meg noen ting unntatt deg, siden du er hans kone. Hvorledes skulle jeg da gjøre denne store ondskap og synde mot Gud?»

10 Enda hun snakket til Josef dag etter dag, gikk han ikke med på å ligge hos henne og ha omgang med henne.
11 Så hendte det en dag at han kom inn i huset for å gjøre sitt arbeid. Ingen av husets folk var inne. 12 Da grep hun fatt i kappen hans og sa: «Kom og ligg med meg!» Men han slapp kappen, lot henne stå der med den og rømte ut av huset. 13 Da hun så at han hadde rømt og latt kappen bli igjen hos henne, 14 ropte hun på sine husfolk og sa til dem: «Her kan dere se! Mannen min har dratt inn i huset en hebreer, som farer og gjør tilnærmelser. Han kom inn og ville ligge med meg; men jeg ropte så høyt jeg kunne.

15 Og da han hørte at jeg satte i å rope, løp han fra kappen sin og rømte ut av huset.»
16 Så lot hun kappen ligge der til husbonden kom hjem. 17 Da fortalte hun det samme til ham: «Den hebraiske trellen som du har dratt inn i huset til oss, kom inn til meg og gjorde tilnærmelser.

18 Men da jeg satte i å rope, løp han fra kappen sin og rømte ut av huset.»

Josef i fengsel

20 Han tok Josef og satte ham i fengslet der kongens fanger satt lenket.
Nå ble Josef sittende der i fengslet. 21 Men Herren var med ham og laget det så at han ble godt likt, og at den øverste fangevokteren fikk godvilje for ham. 22 Han satte Josef til å se etter alle fangene i fengslet. Alt som skulle gjøres der, var det han som gjorde. 23 Fangevokteren selv hadde ikke tilsyn med noe av det som var overlatt til Josef. For Herren var med ham, og alt det han foretok seg, lot Herren lykkes.