Genesis 39:10-20

10 She pestered him day after day after day, but he stood his ground. He refused to go to bed with her.
11 On one of these days he came to the house to do his work and none of the household servants happened to be there.
12 She grabbed him by his cloak, saying, "Sleep with me!" He left his coat in her hand and ran out of the house.
13 When she realized that he had left his coat in her hand and run outside,
14 she called to her house servants: "Look - this Hebrew shows up and before you know it he's trying to seduce us. He tried to make love to me but I yelled as loud as I could.
15 With all my yelling and screaming, he left his coat beside me here and ran outside."
16 She kept his coat right there until his master came home.
17 She told him the same story. She said, "The Hebrew slave, the one you brought to us, came after me and tried to use me for his plaything.
18 When I yelled and screamed, he left his coat with me and ran outside."
19 When his master heard his wife's story, telling him, "These are the things your slave did to me," he was furious.
20 Joseph's master took him and threw him into the jail where the king's prisoners were locked up. But there in jail

Genesis 39:10-20 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.

Published by permission. Originally published by NavPress in English as THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language copyright 2002 by Eugene Peterson. All rights reserved.