Genesis 39:12

12 she seized him by his garment [and] said, "Lie with me!" And he left his garment in her hand and fled, and he went 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 it happened [that] as she spoke to Joseph {day after day}, he did not heed her to lie beside her or to be with her.

11 {But one particular day} he came into the house to do his work and none of the men of the house were there in the house,

12 she seized him by his garment [and] said, "Lie with me!" And he left his garment in her hand and fled, and he went outside.

13 And it happened [that] when she saw that he left his garment in her hand and fled outside,

14 she called to the men of her house and said to them, "Look! He brought a Hebrew man to us to mock us! He came to me to lie with me, and I cried out with a loud voice.