Genesis 39:12

12 She grabbed him by his garment and said, "Sleep with me!" But leaving his garment in her hand, he escaped 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 Although she spoke to Joseph day after day, he refused to go to bed with her.

11 Now one day he went into the house to do his work, and none of the household servants was there.

12 She grabbed him by his garment and said, "Sleep with me!" But leaving his garment in her hand, he escaped and ran outside.

13 When she realized that he had left his garment with her and had run outside,

14 she called the household servants. "Look," she said to them, "my husband brought a Hebrew man to us to make fun of us. He came to me so he could sleep with me, and I screamed as loud as I could.