Genesis 39:1-18

Joseph's Success in Egypt

1 Now Joseph had been taken down to Egypt; and Potiphar, an Egyptian officer of Pharaoh, the captain of the bodyguard, bought him from the ¹Ishmaelites, who had taken him down there.

2 ²The LORD was with Joseph, so he became a successful man. And he was in the house of his master, the Egyptian.

3 Now his master ³saw that the LORD was with him and how the LORD ⁴caused all that he did to prosper in his hand.

4 So Joseph ⁵found favor in his sight and became his personal servant; and he made him overseer over his house, and ⁶all that he owned he put in his charge.

5 It came about that from the time he made him overseer in his house and over all that he owned, the LORD ⁷blessed the Egyptian's house on account of Joseph; thus ⁸the LORD'S blessing was upon all that he owned, in the house and in the field.

6 So he left everything he owned in Joseph's charge; and with him there he did not concern himself with anything except * the food which he ate. Now Joseph was ⁹handsome in form and appearance.

7 It came about after these events ¹⁰that his master's wife looked * with desire at Joseph, and she said, "¹¹Lie with me."

8 But ¹²he refused and said to his master's wife, "Behold, with me here, my master does not concern himself with anything in the house, and he has put all that he owns in my charge.

9 "¹³There is no one greater in this house than I, and he has withheld nothing * from me except * you, because you are his wife. How then could I do this great evil and ¹⁴sin against God?"

10 As she spoke to Joseph day after day, he did not listen to her to lie beside her or be with her.

11 Now it happened one day that he went into the house to do his work, and none * of the men of the household was there inside.

12 She caught him by his garment, saying, "Lie with me!" And he left his garment in her hand and fled, and went outside.

13 When she saw that he had left his garment in her hand and had fled outside,

14 she called to the men of her household and said to them, "See, he has brought in a Hebrew to us to make sport of us; he came in to me to lie with me, and I screamed * *.

15 "When he heard that I raised my voice and screamed, he left his garment beside me and fled and went outside."

16 So she left his garment beside her until his master came home.

17 Then she ¹⁵spoke to him with these words, "The Hebrew slave, whom you brought to us, came in to me to make sport of me;

18 and as I raised my voice and screamed, he left his garment beside me and fled outside."

Genesis 39:1-18 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO GENESIS 39

In this chapter the history returns to Joseph again, who being brought down to Egypt was sold to Potiphar, with whom he found favour, and who set him over his house, the Lord prospering everything in his hands, Ge 39:1-6; and being a young man of a comely aspect, his mistress lusted after him, and tempted him to lie with her from time to time, but he as constantly refused it, as being both ingratitude to his master, and a sin against God, Ge 39:7-10; at a certain time they being alone in the house, she renewed her solicitations, and laid hold on his garment, which he left in her hand and fled, Ge 39:11,12; upon which she called to her servants without, and accused Joseph of an ill design upon her, and reported the same to her husband when he came home, Ge 39:13-19; upon which his master put him into prison, but he found favour also with the keeper of it, who committed the prisoners and all things relative to them into his hands, Ge 39:20-23.

Cross References

• 1. Gen 37:25, 28, 36; Psalms 105:17
• 2. Gen 39:3, 21, 23; Acts 7:9
• 3. Genesis 21:22; Genesis 26:28
• 4. Psalms 1:3
• 5. Genesis 18:3; Genesis 19:19
• 6. Genesis 24:2; Genesis 39:8, 22
• 7. Genesis 30:27
• 8. Deut 28:3, 4, 11
• 9. Genesis 29:17; 1 Samuel 16:12
• 10. Proverbs 7:15-20
• 11. 2 Samuel 13:11
• 12. Proverbs 6:23, 24
• 13. Genesis 41:40
• 14. Genesis 20:6; Genesis 42:18; 2 Samuel 12:13; Psalms 51:4
• 15. Exodus 23:1; Proverbs 26:28

Footnotes

• [a]. Lit "from the hand of"
• [b]. Or "prosperous"
• [c]. Or "ministered to him"
• [d]. Lit "hand"
• [e]. Lit "hand"
• [f]. Lit "know"
• [g]. Lit "bread"
• [h]. Or "used to eat"
• [i]. Lit "lifted up her eyes at"
• [j]. Lit "does not know what is in the house"
• [k]. Lit "hand"
• [l]. Or "He is not greater"
• [m]. Lit "about this day"
• [n]. Lit "And it came about when"
• [o]. Lit "Hebrew man"
• [p]. Lit "called with a great voice"
• [q]. Lit "called out"
• [r]. Lit "let...lie beside"
• [s]. Lit "according to"
• [t]. Lit "saying, ``The"
• [u]. Lit "called out"