Genesis 39:11

11 One day Joseph went into the house to take care of his duties. None of the family servants was inside.

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 "No one in this house is in a higher position than I am. My master hasn't held anything back from me, except you. You are his wife. So how could I do an evil thing like that? How could I sin against God?"
10 She spoke to Joseph day after day. But he told her he wouldn't make love to her. He didn't even want to be with her.
11 One day Joseph went into the house to take care of his duties. None of the family servants was inside.
12 Potiphar's wife grabbed hold of him by his coat. "Make love to me!" she said. But he left his coat in her hand. And he ran out of the house.
13 She saw that he had left his coat in her hand and had run out of the house.
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