B'resheet (Gen) 39

1(v) Yosef was brought down to Egypt, and Potifar, an officer of Pharaoh’s and captain of the guard, an Egyptian, bought him from the Yishma‘elim who had brought him there. 2Adonai was with Yosef, and he became wealthy while he was in the household of his master the Egyptian. 3His master saw how Adonai was with him, that Adonai prospered everything he did. 4Yosef pleased him as he served him, and his master appointed him manager of his household; he entrusted all his possessions to Yosef. 5From the time he appointed him manager of his household and all his possessions, Adonai blessed the Egyptian’s household for Yosef’s sake; Adonai’s blessing was on all he owned, whether in the house or in the field. 6So he left all his possessions in Yosef’s care; and because he had him, he paid no attention to his affairs, except for the food he ate.

Now Yosef was well-built and handsome as well. (vi) 7In time, the day came when his master’s wife took a look at Yosef and said, “Sleep with me!” 8But he refused, saying to his master’s wife, “Look, because my master has me, he doesn’t know what’s going on in this house. He has put all his possessions in my charge. 9In this house I am his equal; he hasn’t withheld anything from me except yourself, because you are his wife. How then could I do such a wicked thing and sin against God?” 10But she kept pressing him, day after day. Nevertheless, he didn’t listen to her; he refused to sleep with her or even be with her.

11However, one day, when he went into the house to do his work, and none of the men living in the house was there indoors, 12she grabbed him by his robe and said, “Sleep with me!” But he fled, leaving his robe in her hand, and got himself outside. 13When she saw that he had left his robe in her hand and had escaped, 14she called the men of her house and said to them, “Look at this! My husband brought in a Hebrew to make fools of us. He came in and wanted to sleep with me, but I yelled out loudly. 15When he heard me yelling like that, he left his robe with me and ran out.” 16She put the robe aside until his master came home. 17Then she said to him, “This Hebrew slave you brought us came in to make a fool of me. 18But when I yelled out, he left his robe with me and fled outside.” 19When his master heard what his wife said as she showed him, “Here’s what your slave did to me,” he became furious. 20Yosef’s master took him and put him in prison, in the place where the king’s prisoners were kept; and there he was in the prison.

21But Adonai was with Yosef, showing him grace and giving him favor in the sight of the prison warden. 22The prison warden made Yosef supervisor of all the prisoners in the prison; so that whatever they did there, he was in charge of it. 23The prison warden paid no attention to anything Yosef did, because Adonai was with him; and whatever he did, Adonai prospered.

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Genesis 39

Joseph’s rise and betrayal

1When Joseph had been taken down to Egypt, Potiphar, Pharaoh’s chief officer, the commander of the royal guard and an Egyptian, purchased him from the Ishmaelites who had brought him down there. 2The LORD was with Joseph, and he became a successful man and served in his Egyptian master’s household. 3His master saw that the LORD was with him and that the LORD made everything he did successful. 4Potiphar thought highly of Joseph, and Joseph became his assistant; he appointed Joseph head of his household and put everything he had under Joseph’s supervision. 5From the time he appointed Joseph head of his household and of everything he had, the LORD blessed the Egyptian’s household because of Joseph. The LORD blessed everything he had, both in the household and in the field. 6So he handed over everything he had to Joseph and didn’t pay attention to anything except the food he ate.

Now Joseph was well-built and handsome.

7Some time later, his master’s wife became attracted to Joseph and said, “Sleep with me.”

8He refused and said to his master’s wife, “With me here, my master doesn’t pay attention to anything in his household; he’s put everything he has under my supervision. 9No one is greater than I am in this household, and he hasn’t denied me anything except you, since you are his wife. How could I do this terrible thing and sin against God?” 10Every single day she tried to convince him, but he wouldn’t agree to sleep with her or even to be with her.

11One day when Joseph arrived at the house to do his work, none of the household’s men were there. 12She grabbed his garment, saying, “Lie down with me.” But he left his garment in her hands and ran outside. 13When she realized that he had left his garment in her hands and run outside, 14she summoned the men of her house and said to them, “Look, my husband brought us a Hebrew to ridicule us. He came to me to lie down with me, but I screamed. 15When he heard me raise my voice and scream, he left his garment with me and ran outside.” 16She kept his garment with her until Joseph’s master came home, 17and she told him the same thing: “The Hebrew slave whom you brought to us, to ridicule me, came to me; 18but when I raised my voice and screamed, he left his garment with me and ran outside.”

19When Joseph’s master heard the thing that his wife told him, “This is what your servant did to me,” he was incensed. 20Joseph’s master took him and threw him in jail, the place where the king’s prisoners were held. While he was in jail, 21the LORD was with Joseph and remained loyal to him. He caused the jail’s commander to think highly of Joseph. 22The jail’s commander put all of the prisoners in the jail under Joseph’s supervision, and he was the one who determined everything that happened there. 23The jail’s commander paid no attention to anything under Joseph’s supervision, because the LORD was with him and made everything he did successful.

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