Genesis 39
39
1 Meanwhile, Joseph was led into Egypt. And Putiphar, a eunuch of Pharaoh, a leader of the army, an Egyptian man, purchased him from the hand of the Ishmaelites, by whom he was brought.
2 And the Lord was with him, and he was a man who prospered in everything that he did. And he lived in the house of his lord,
3 who knew very well that the Lord was with him, and that all the things that were done by him were directed by his hand.
4 And Joseph found favor in the sight of his lord, and he ministered to him. And, having been placed in charge of everything by him, he governed the house that was entrusted to him and all the things that had been delivered to him.
5 And the Lord blessed the house of the Egyptian, because of Joseph, and he multiplied all his substance, as much in the buildings, as in the fields.
6 Neither did he know anything other than the bread that he ate. Now Joseph was beautiful in form, and stately in appearance.
7 And so, after many days, his mistress cast her eyes on Joseph, and she said, "Sleep with me."
8 And without consenting at all to the wicked act, he said to her: "Behold, my lord has delivered all things to me, and he does not know what he has in his own house.
9 Neither is there anything which is not in my power, or that he has not delivered to me, except you, for you are his wife. How then can I do this evil act and sin against my God?"
10 With such words as these, throughout each day, the woman was pestering the young man, and he was refusing the adultery.
11 Then it happened, on a certain day, that Joseph entered the house, and he was doing something, without any witnesses.
12 And she, grasping the hem of his garment, said, "Sleep with me." But he, leaving behind the cloak in her hand, fled and went outside.
13 And when the woman saw the garment in her hands and herself being treated with disrespect,
14 she called to herself the men of her house, and she said to them: "Lo, he has brought in a Hebrew man to abuse us. He entered toward me, in order to join with me; and when I had shouted out,
15 and he had heard my voice, he left behind the cloak that I held, and he fled outside."
16 As a proof, therefore, of her fidelity, she retained the cloak, and she showed it to her husband, when he returned home.
17 And she said: "The Hebrew servant, whom you have brought in to me, approached me to abuse me.
18 And when he had heard me cry out, he left behind the cloak that I held, and he fled outside."
19 His lord, upon hearing these things, and having excessive trust in the words of his mate, was very angry.
20 And he delivered Joseph into prison, where the prisoners of the king were kept, and he was enclosed in that place.
21 But the Lord was with Joseph, and, having mercy on him, he gave him favor in the sight of the leader of the prison,
22 who delivered into his hand all the prisoners who were held in custody. And whatever was done, was under him.
23 Neither did he himself know anything, having entrusted all things to him. For the Lord was with him, and he directed everything that he did.
Genesis 39
39
Joseph Is Sold to Potiphar
1Now Joseph had been taken down to Egypt. An Egyptian named Potiphar was an officer to the king of Egypt and the captain of the palace guard. He bought Joseph from the Ishmaelites who had brought him down there. 2The Lord was with Joseph, and he became a successful man. He lived in the house of his master, Potiphar the Egyptian.
3Potiphar saw that the Lord was with Joseph and that the Lord made Joseph successful in everything he did. 4So Potiphar was very happy with Joseph and allowed him to be his personal servant. He put Joseph in charge of the house, trusting him with everything he owned. 5When Joseph was put in charge of the house and everything Potiphar owned, the Lord blessed the people in Potiphar’s house because of Joseph. And the Lord blessed everything that belonged to Potiphar, both in the house and in the field. 6So Potiphar left Joseph in charge of everything he owned and was not concerned about anything except the food he ate.
Joseph Is Put into Prison
Now Joseph was well built and handsome. 7After some time the wife of Joseph’s master began to desire Joseph, and one day she said to him, “Have sexual relations with me.”
8But Joseph refused and said to her, “My master trusts me with everything in his house. He has put me in charge of everything he owns. 9There is no one in his house greater than I. He has not kept anything from me except you, because you are his wife. How can I do such an evil thing? It is a sin against God.”
10The woman talked to Joseph every day, but he refused to have sexual relations with her or even spend time with her.
11One day Joseph went into the house to do his work as usual and was the only man in the house at that time. 12His master’s wife grabbed his coat and said to him, “Come and have sexual relations with me.” But Joseph left his coat in her hand and ran out of the house.
13When she saw that Joseph had left his coat in her hands and had run outside, 14she called to the servants in her house and said, “Look! This Hebrew slave was brought here to shame us. He came in and tried to have sexual relations with me, but I screamed. 15My scream scared him and he ran away, but he left his coat with me.” 16She kept his coat until her husband came home, 17and she told him the same story. She said, “This Hebrew slave you brought here came in to shame me! 18When he came near me, I screamed. He ran away, but he left his coat.”
19When Joseph’s master heard what his wife said Joseph had done, he became very angry. 20So Potiphar arrested Joseph and put him into the prison where the king’s prisoners were put. And Joseph stayed there in the prison.
21But the Lord was with Joseph and showed him kindness and caused the prison warden to like Joseph. 22The prison warden chose Joseph to take care of all the prisoners, and he was responsible for whatever was done in the prison. 23The warden paid no attention to anything that was in Joseph’s care because the Lord was with Joseph and made him successful in everything he did.
The Holy Bible, New Century Version, Copyright © 2005 Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved.