Genesis 39
39
Joseph and Potiphar’s Wife
1Now Joseph had been taken down to Egypt. Potiphar, an Egyptian who was one of Pharaoh’s officials, the captain of the guard, bought him from the Ishmaelites who had taken him there.
2The Lord was with Joseph so that he prospered, and he lived in the house of his Egyptian master. 3When his master saw that the Lord was with him and that the Lord gave him success in everything he did, 4Joseph found favor in his eyes and became his attendant. Potiphar put him in charge of his household, and he entrusted to his care everything he owned. 5From the time he put him in charge of his household and of all that he owned, the Lord blessed the household of the Egyptian because of Joseph. The blessing of the Lord was on everything Potiphar had, both in the house and in the field. 6So Potiphar left everything he had in Joseph’s care; with Joseph in charge, he did not concern himself with anything except the food he ate.
Now Joseph was well-built and handsome, 7and after a while his master’s wife took notice of Joseph and said, “Come to bed with me!”
8But he refused. “With me in charge,” he told her, “my master does not concern himself with anything in the house; everything he owns he has entrusted to my care. 9No one is greater in this house than I am. My master has withheld nothing from me except you, because you are his wife. How then could I do such a wicked thing and sin against God?” 10And though she spoke to Joseph day after day, he refused to go to bed with her or even be with her.
11One day he went into the house to attend to his duties, and none of the household servants was inside. 12She caught him by his cloak and said, “Come to bed with me!” But he left his cloak in her hand and ran out of the house.
13When she saw that he had left his cloak in her hand and had run out of the house, 14she called her household servants. “Look,” she said to them, “this Hebrew has been brought to us to make sport of us! He came in here to sleep with me, but I screamed. 15When he heard me scream for help, he left his cloak beside me and ran out of the house.”
16She kept his cloak beside her until his master came home. 17Then she told him this story: “That Hebrew slave you brought us came to me to make sport of me. 18But as soon as I screamed for help, he left his cloak beside me and ran out of the house.”
19When his master heard the story his wife told him, saying, “This is how your slave treated me,” he burned with anger. 20Joseph’s master took him and put him in prison, the place where the king’s prisoners were confined.
But while Joseph was there in the prison, 21the Lord was with him; he showed him kindness and granted him favor in the eyes of the prison warden. 22So the warden put Joseph in charge of all those held in the prison, and he was made responsible for all that was done there. 23The warden paid no attention to anything under Joseph’s care, because the Lord was with Joseph and gave him success in whatever he did.
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Genesis 39
39
1And Joseph was brought into Egypt; and Putiphar an eunuch of Pharao, chief captain of the army, an Egyptian, bought him of the Ismaelites, by whom he was brought.
2And the Lord was with him, and he was a prosperous man in all things: and he dwelt in his master's house,
3Who knew very well that the Lord was with him, and made all that he did to prosper in his hand.
4And Joseph found favour in the sight of his master, and ministered to him: and being set over all by him, he governed the house committed to him, and all things that were delivered to him:
5And the Lord blessed the house of the Egyptian for Joseph's sake: and multiplied all his substance, both at home, and in the fields.
6Neither knew he any other thing, but the bread which he ate. And Joseph was of a beautiful countenance, and comely to behold.
7And after many days his mistress cast her eyes on Joseph, and said: Lie with me.
8But he, in no wise consenting to that wicked act, said to her: Behold, my master hath delivered all things to me, and knoweth not what he hath in his own house.
9Neither is there any thing which is not in my power, or that he hath not delivered to me, but thee, who art his wife: How then can I do this wicked thing, and sin against my God?
10With such words as these, day by day, both the woman was importunate with the young man, and he refused the adultery.
11Now it happened on it certain day, that Joseph went into the house, and was doing some business without any man with him:
12And she catching the skirt of his garment, said: Lie with me. But he leaving the garment in her hand fled, and went out.
13And when the woman saw the garment in her hands, and herself disregarded,
14She called to her the men of her house, and said to them: See, he hath brought in a Hebrew, to abuse us. He came in to me, to lie with me: and when I cried out,
15And he heard my voice, he left the garment that I held, and got him out.
16For a proof therefore of her fidelity, she kept the garment, and shewed it to her husband when he returned home:
17And said: The Hebrew servant, whom thou last brought, came to me to abuse me.
18And when he heard me cry, he left the garment which I held, and fled out.
19His master hearing these things, and giving too much credit to his wife's words, was very angry:
20And cast Joseph into the prison, where the king's prisoners were kept. And he was there shut up.
21But the Lord was with Joseph, and having mercy upon him gave him favour in the sight of the chief keeper of the prison:
22Who delivered into his hand all the prisoners that were kept in custody: and whatsoever was done was under him.
23Neither did he himself know any thing, having committed all things to him: for the Lord was with him, and made all that he did to prosper.
An historical text maintained by the British and Foreign Bible Society.