Genesis 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.

Learn More About Douay-Rheims Challoner Revision 1752

Genesis 39

Joseph and Potiphar’s Wife

1Now Joseph had been brought down to Egypt, and #ch. 37:36 Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh, the captain of the guard, an Egyptian, #ch. 37:28 had bought him from the #ch. 37:25Ishmaelites who had brought him down there. 2#ver. 21; Acts 7:9; [ch. 21:22; 26:24, 28; 28:15; 1 Sam. 16:18; 18:14, 28]The Lord was with Joseph, and he became a successful man, and he was in the house of his Egyptian master. 3His master saw that the Lord was with him and that the Lord #2 Chr. 26:5; Ps. 1:3caused all that he did to succeed in his hands. 4So Joseph #ver. 21; ch. 19:19; 33:10 found favor in his sight and attended him, and he made him overseer of his house #ver. 8and put him in charge of all that he had. 5From the time that he made him overseer in his house and over all that he had, the Lord blessed the Egyptian’s house #[ch. 30:27]for Joseph’s sake; the blessing of the Lord was on all that he had, in house and field. 6So he left all that he had in Joseph’s charge, and because of him he had no concern about anything but the food he ate.

Now Joseph was #[ch. 29:17; 1 Sam. 16:12]handsome in form and appearance. 7And after a time his master’s wife cast her eyes on Joseph and said, “Lie with me.” 8But he refused and said to his master’s wife, “Behold, because of me my master has no concern about anything in the house, and #ver. 4he has put everything that he has in my charge. 9He is not greater in this house than I am, nor has he kept back anything from me except you, because you are his wife. How then can I do this great wickedness and #2 Sam. 12:13; Ps. 51:4sin against God?” 10And as she spoke to Joseph day after day, he #[Prov. 1:10]would not listen to her, to lie beside her or to be with her.

11But one day, when he went into the house to do his work and none of the men of the house was there in the house, 12#[Prov. 7:13, 18]she caught him by his garment, saying, “Lie with me.” But he left his garment in her hand and fled and got out of the house. 13And as soon as she saw that he had left his garment in her hand and had fled out of the house, 14she called to the men of her household and said to them, “See, he has brought among us a Hebrew to laugh at us. He came in to me to lie with me, and I cried out with a loud voice. 15And as soon as he heard that I lifted up my voice and cried out, he left his garment beside me and fled and got out of the house.” 16Then she laid up his garment by her until his master came home, 17and she told him the same story, saying, “The Hebrew servant, whom you have brought among us, came in to me to laugh at me. 18But as soon as I lifted up my voice and cried, he left his garment beside me and fled out of the house.”

19As soon as his master heard the words that his wife spoke to him, “This is the way your servant treated me,” his anger was kindled. 20And Joseph’s master took him and #Ps. 105:18 put him into the #ch. 40:3, 5; [ch. 40:15; 41:14]prison, the place where the king’s prisoners were confined, and he was there in prison. 21But #ver. 2; Acts 7:9, 10 the Lord was with Joseph and showed him steadfast love #Ex. 3:21; 11:3; 12:36and gave him favor in the sight of the keeper of the prison. 22And the keeper of the prison #ch. 40:4put Joseph in charge of all the prisoners who were in the prison. Whatever was done there, he was the one who did it. 23The keeper of the prison paid no attention to anything that was in Joseph’s charge, because #ver. 2, 3the Lord was with him. And whatever he did, the Lord made it succeed.

Learn More About English Standard Version 2016