Genesis 39:12

12 she caught hold of his garment, saying, "Lie with me!" But he left his garment in her hand, and fled and ran outside.

Genesis 39:12 Meaning and Commentary

Genesis 39:12

And she caught him by his garment, saying, lie with me
It is very probable that before this time, as soon as ever she began to speak to him, he got away as fast as he could, and would not hear her; wherefore she now laid hold on his garment, in order to detain him, that she might have time to parley with him, and so prevail: and he left his garment in her hand, and fled, and got him out;
it was his outward loose garment she laid hold on, out of which he slipped himself, and so got clear of her, and ran away, and got out of the house as fast as he could: this he did, because he would not struggle with his mistress for his garment, which no doubt by his strength he could have got from her; and partly lest he should by handling of her have carnal desires excited in him, and so be overcome with her temptation.

Genesis 39:12 In-Context

10 And although she spoke to Joseph day after day, he would not consent to lie beside her or to be with her.

11 One day, however, when he went into the house to do his work, and while no one else was in the house,

12 she caught hold of his garment, saying, "Lie with me!" But he left his garment in her hand, and fled and ran outside.

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

14 she called out to the members of her household and said to them, "See, my husband has brought among us a Hebrew to insult us! He came in to me to lie with me, and I cried out with a loud voice;