Genesis 39:1-20

Joseph in Potiphar's House

1 Now Joseph had been taken to Egypt. An Egyptian [named] Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh and the captain of the guard, bought him from the Ishmaelites who had brought him there.

2 The Lord was with Joseph, and he became a successful man, serving^[a] in the household of his Egyptian master.

3 When his master saw that the Lord was with him and that the Lord made everything he did successful,

4 Joseph found favor in his master's sight and became his personal attendant. Potiphar also put him in charge of his household and placed all that he owned under his authority.^[b]

5 From the time that he put him in charge of his household and of all that he owned, the Lord blessed the Egyptian's house because of Joseph. The Lord's blessing was on all that he owned, in his house and in his fields.

6 He left all that he owned under Joseph's authority;^[c] he did not concern himself with anything except the food he ate. Now Joseph was well-built and handsome.

7 After some time^[d] his master's wife looked longingly at Joseph and said, "Sleep with me."

8 But he refused and said to his master's wife, "Look, my master does not concern himself with anything in his house, and he has put all that he owns under my authority.^[e]

9 No one in this house is greater than I am. He has withheld nothing from me except you, because you are his wife. So how could I do such a great evil and sin against God?"^[f]

10 Although she spoke to Joseph day after day, he refused^[g] 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.^[h]

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.

15 When he heard me screaming for help,^[i] he left his garment with me and ran outside."

16 She put Joseph's garment beside her until his master came home.

17 Then she told him the same story: "The Hebrew slave you brought to us came to me to make fun of me,

18 but when I screamed for help,^[j] he left his garment with me and ran outside."

19 When his master heard the story his wife told him-"These are the things your slave did to me"-he was furious

20 and had him thrown into prison, where the king's prisoners were confined. So Joseph was there in prison.

Genesis 39:1-20 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.

Footnotes

• [a]. Lit and he was
• [b]. Lit owned in his hand
• [c]. Lit owned in Joseph's hand
• [d]. Lit And after these things
• [e]. Lit owns in my hand
• [f]. Pr 6:29
• [g]. Lit did not listen to her
• [h]. Lit there in the house
• [i]. Lit me raise my voice and scream
• [j]. Lit I raised my voice and screamed