Genesis 39:11

11 it came to pass on a certain day, that Joseph went into the house to do his business, and there was no one of the household within.

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.

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FOOTNOTES:

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

Genesis 39:11 In-Context

9 and in this house there is nothing above me, nor has anything been kept back from me, but thou, because thou art his wife—how then shall I do this wicked thing, and sin against God?

10 And when she talked with Joseph day by day, and he hearkened not to her to sleep with her, so as to be with her,

11 it came to pass on a certain day, that Joseph went into the house to do his business, and there was no one of the household within.

12 And she caught hold of him by his clothes, and said, Lie with me; and having left his clothes in her hands, he fled, and went forth.

13 And it came to pass, when she saw that he had left his clothes in her hands, and fled, and gone forth,

Footnotes

• [a]. Lit. there happened such a day, and, etc.