< Genesis 39 >

1 Joseph had been taken to Egypt by the Ishmaelites, who had sold him to Potiphar, an Egyptian who was one of Pharaoh's officers, the commander of the royal guard.
Now Joseph was brought down to Egypt, and Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh's, the captain of the guard, an Egyptian, bought him from the Ishmaelites who had brought him down there.
2 The Lord was with Joseph and made him successful. He lived in his Egyptian master's house.
And the LORD was with Joseph, and he became a successful man. And he was in the household of his master the Egyptian.
3 His master noticed that the Lord was with him and made him successful in everything he did.
And his master saw that God was with him, and that God made everything that he did to succeed in his hands.
4 Potiphar appreciated Joseph and his service, and put him in charge of his household and made him responsible for everything he owned.
So Joseph found favor in the sight of his master, and attended him, and he made him overseer of his house, and all that he had he put under his authority.
5 From the time he put Joseph in charge and trusted him with all he had, the Lord blessed Potiphar's household because of Joseph. The Lord blessed everything he had, whether in his house or in his fields.
And it came about that from the time that he made him overseer of his household and over all that he had, that the LORD blessed the Egyptian's house because of Joseph; and the blessing of the LORD was on all that he had, in the house and in the field.
6 So Potiphar left Joseph to care for everything he owned. He didn't bother with anything except to decide what food he was going to eat. Now Joseph was handsome, having a good physique,
So he left everything that he had in Joseph's care. He did not concern himself with anything, except for the food which he ate. Now Joseph was handsome in form and appearance.
7 so some time later he caught the eye of his master's wife. She propositioned him, saying, “Come here! Sleep with me!”
And it came to pass after these things that his master's wife took notice of Joseph and she said, "Sleep with me."
8 But he turned her down, telling his master's wife, “Look, my master trusts me so much he doesn't even bother to find out how his household is running. He's put me in charge of everything he owns—
But he refused, and said to his master's wife, "Look, my master does not concern himself with anything in his house, and he has put all that he has into my care.
9 no one in this house has more authority than me! He hasn't held back anything from me except you, because you are his wife. So how could I do such an evil thing as this, and sin against God?”
There is no one greater in this household than I am, nor has he kept back anything from me but you, since you are his wife. How then can I do such a great evil, and sin against God?"
10 Day after day she persisted in asking him, but he refused to sleep with her and tried to avoid her.
And although she spoke to Joseph day after day, he did not listen to her to sleep with her or to be with her.
11 But one day he went into the house to do his work and none of the other servants were there.
Now it happened about this time that he went into the house to do his work, and there were none of the men of the house inside.
12 She grabbed him by his clothing, and demanded, “Sleep with me!” But leaving his clothing in her hand, he ran out of the house.
She grabbed him by his garment, saying, "Sleep with me." And he left his garment in her hand and ran outside.
13 Seeing that he'd left his clothing in her hand, and had ran out of the house,
When she saw that he had left his garment in her hand and had run outside,
14 she shouted out to her servants, “Look at this! He brought this Hebrew slave here to dishonor us! This man came to try and rape me, but I screamed at the top of my voice.
she called to the men of her house, and spoke to them, saying, "Look, he has brought in a Hebrew to us to mock us. He came in to me to sleep with me, and I cried with a loud voice.
15 When he heard me scream for help, he left his clothing beside me and ran outside.”
It happened, when he heard that I raised my voice and cried out, that he left his garment by me and ran outside."
16 She kept his clothing with her until her husband came home.
She left his garment by her, until his master came home.
17 Then she told him her story. It went like this: “That Hebrew slave you brought here tried to come and dishonor me.
And she told him the same story, saying, "The Hebrew servant, whom you have brought to us, came in to me to mock me, and said to me, 'Let me sleep with you.'
18 But as soon as I screamed and called for help, he left his clothing beside me and ran outside.”
But when I raised my voice and cried out, he left his garment beside me and ran outside."
19 When Potiphar heard the story his wife told him, saying, “This is what your servant did to me,” he became angry.
And it happened when his master heard the words that his wife spoke to him, saying, "This is what your servant did to me," that he became furious.
20 He took Joseph and put him in the prison where the king's prisoners were kept, and there he stayed.
Then Joseph's master took him and put him into the prison, the place where the king's prisoners were bound, and he was there in prison.
21 But the Lord was with Joseph, showing him trustworthy love, and made the chief jailer pleased with him.
But God was with Joseph and showed him kindness and gave him favor in the sight of the keeper of the prison.
22 So the chief jailer put Joseph in charge of all the prisoners there and gave him the responsibility for running the prison.
The keeper of the prison put Joseph in charge of all the prisoners who were in the prison; he was made responsible for everything that was done there.
23 The chief jailer didn't bother with anything for Joseph took care of it all for the Lord was with him and made him successful.
The keeper of the prison paid no attention to anything that was under his supervision, because God was with him, and made everything he did successful.

< Genesis 39 >