Genesis 39

Joseph and Potiphar's Wife

1Now the Ishmaelites had taken Joseph to Egypt and sold him to Potiphar, one of the king's officers, who was the captain of the palace guard. 2#Acts 7.9The LORD was with Joseph and made him successful. He lived in the house of his Egyptian master, 3who saw that the LORD was with Joseph and had made him successful in everything he did. 4Potiphar was pleased with him and made him his personal servant; so he put him in charge of his house and everything he owned. 5From then on, because of Joseph the LORD blessed the household of the Egyptian and everything that he had in his house and in his fields. 6Potiphar handed over everything he had to the care of Joseph and did not concern himself with anything except the food he ate.

Joseph was well-built and good-looking, 7and after a while his master's wife began to desire Joseph and asked him to go to bed with her. 8He refused and said to her, “Look, my master does not have to concern himself with anything in the house, because I am here. He has put me in charge of everything he has. 9I have as much authority in this house as he has, and he has not kept back anything from me except you. How then could I do such an immoral thing and sin against God?” 10Although she asked Joseph day after day, he would not go to bed with her.

11But one day when Joseph went into the house to do his work, none of the house servants was there. 12She caught him by his robe and said, “Come to bed with me.” But he escaped and ran outside, leaving his robe in her hand. 13When she saw that he had left his robe and had run out of the house, 14she called to her house servants and said, “Look at this! This Hebrew that my husband brought to the house is insulting us. He came into my room and tried to rape me, but I screamed as loud as I could. 15When he heard me scream, he ran outside, leaving his robe beside me.”

16She kept his robe with her until Joseph's master came home. 17Then she told him the same story: “That Hebrew slave that you brought here came into my room and insulted me. 18But when I screamed, he ran outside, leaving his robe beside me.”

19Joseph's master was furious 20and had Joseph arrested and put in the prison where the king's prisoners were kept, and there he stayed. 21#Acts 7.9But the LORD was with Joseph and blessed him, so that the jailer was pleased with him. 22He put Joseph in charge of all the other prisoners and made him responsible for everything that was done in the prison. 23The jailer did not have to look after anything for which Joseph was responsible, because the LORD was with Joseph and made him succeed in everything he did.

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Genesis 39

CHAPTER 39

1Therefore Joseph was led into Egypt, and Potiphar, a gelding of Pharaoh, prince of the host, a man of Egypt, bought him of the hand of Ishmaelites, of which he was brought thither.

2And the Lord was with him, and he was a man doing with prosperity in all things. And Joseph dwelled in the house of his lord,

3which knew full well that the Lord was with Joseph, and that all things which he did, were dressed of the Lord in his hand.

4And Joseph found grace before his lord, and he served him, of whom Joseph was made sovereign of all things, and he governed the house betaken to him, and all things that were betaken to him.

5And the Lord blessed the Egyptian’s house for Joseph, and multiplied all his chattel [or substance], as well in houses, as in fields;

6neither he knew any other thing, but [the] bread which he ate. Forsooth Joseph was fair in face, and shapely in sight.

7And so after many days the lady of his lord cast her eyes into Joseph, and said, Sleep thou with me;

8which assented not to the unleave-ful work, and said to her, Lo! while all things be betaken to me, my lord wot not what he hath in his house,

9neither anything is, which is not in my power, either which he hath not betaken to me, except thee, which art his wife; how therefore may I do this evil, and do sin against my lord?

10They spake such words by all days or by long time, and the woman was dis-easeful to the young man, and he forsook the adultery.

11Forsooth it befelled in a day, that Joseph entered into the house, and did some work without witnesses.

12And she took the hem of his cloth, and she said, Sleep thou with me; and he left the mantle in her hand, and he fled, and went out.

13And when the woman had seen the cloth in her hands, and that she was despised,

14she called to her the men of her house, and said to them, Lo! my lord hath brought in an Hebrew man, that he should scorn us; he entered to me to do lechery with me, and when I cried,

15and he heard my voice, he left the mantle which I held, and he fled out.

16Therefore into proving of the truth, she showed the mantle, that she held, to her husband turning again home.

17And she said, The Hebrew servant, whom thou broughtest in, entered to me to scorn me;

18and when he saw me cry, he left the mantle that I held, and he fled out.

19And when these things were heard, the lord believed over much to the words of the wife, and he was full wroth;

20and he betook Joseph into prison, where the bound men of the king were kept, and he was enclosed there.

21Forsooth the Lord was with Joseph, and had mercy on him, and gave grace to him, in the sight of the prince of the prison,

22which betook in the hand of Joseph all the prisoners that were holden in keeping, and whatever thing was done, it was done under Joseph,

23neither the prince knew anything, for all things were betaken to Joseph; for the Lord was with him, and dressed all his works.

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