Genesis 39:11

11 But one day when Joseph went into the house to do his work, none of the house servants was there.

Genesis 39:11 Meaning and Commentary

Genesis 39:11

And it came to pass about this time
About a week, or a month, or rather a year, as Aben Ezra thinks, after she first began her solicitations to him. According to Josephus F18, it was a public festival, at which women used to attend; but she excused herself, pretending illness; and so Jarchi takes it to be some noted day at the idol's temple, to which all used to go; but she pretended she was sick, and could not go, knowing that Joseph would not be there, but at home, and therefore judged this a fit opportunity to attack him once more: and so it was, that [Joseph] went into the house to do his business:
to inspect the accounts, as the Targums of Onkelos and Jonathan paraphrase it, and settle them: and [there was] none of the men of the house there within;
being all gone to the public festival, or however there were none in that part of the house where Joseph was.


FOOTNOTES:

F18 Antiqu. l. 2. c. 4. sect. 3.

Genesis 39:11 In-Context

9 I have as much authority in this house as he has, and he has not kept back anything from me except you. How then could I do such an immoral thing and sin against God?"
10 Although she asked Joseph day after day, he would not go to bed with her.
11 But one day when Joseph went into the house to do his work, none of the house servants was there.
12 She caught him by his robe and said, "Come to bed with me." But he escaped and ran outside, leaving his robe in her hand.
13 When she saw that he had left his robe and had run out of the house,
Scripture taken from the Good News Translation - Second Edition, Copyright 1992 by American Bible Society. Used by Permission.