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.

Meanwhile, the descendants of Ishmael took Joseph down to Egypt. There Potiphar bought Joseph from them. Potiphar was an Egyptian who was one of the king’s officials and the captain of the king’s (palace guards/guards who protected the king).

2 The Lord was with Joseph and made him successful. He lived in his Egyptian master's house.

Because Yahweh helped Joseph, he was able to do his work very well, and lived in the house of his Egyptian master.

3 His master noticed that the Lord was with him and made him successful in everything he did.

His master saw that Yahweh was helping Joseph and enabling him to be successful in everything that he did.

4 Potiphar appreciated Joseph and his service, and put him in charge of his household and made him responsible for everything he owned.

Joseph’s master was pleased with him, so he appointed him to be his personal servant. Then he appointed him to be the one who would take care of everything in his household and all of his possessions.

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.

From the time Potiphar appointed Joseph to take care of everything in his household and all that he owned, Yahweh blessed the people who lived in Potiphar’s house because of Joseph. He also caused Potiphar’s crops to grow well.

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,

Potiphar allowed Joseph to take care of everything that he owned. Potiphar needed to decide only about the food he ate. He was not concerned about anything else in his house. Joseph was well-built/muscular and handsome.

7 so some time later he caught the eye of his master's wife. She propositioned him, saying, “Come here! Sleep with me!”

Because of that, after a while, his master’s wife started to look fondly at Joseph. So one day she said to him, “Have sex [EUP] 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, saying to his master’s wife, “Listen! My master is not concerned about anything in this house. He has appointed me to take care of everything that he owns.

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?”

No one in this household has more authority than I do. The only thing that he has not allowed me to have is you, because you are his wife! So (how could I do this wicked thing [that you are asking me to do]?/I certainly could not do this wicked thing!) [RHQ] I would be sinning against God if I did that!”

10 Day after day she persisted in asking him, but he refused to sleep with her and tried to avoid her.

She kept on asking Joseph day after day to have sex [EUP] with her, but he refused. He would not even go near her.

11 But one day he went into the house to do his work and none of the other servants were there.

One day Joseph went into the house to do his work, and none of the other household servants were in the house.

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.

Potiphar’s wife grabbed his cloak and said, “Have sex [EUP] with me!” Joseph ran out of the house, but his cloak was still in her hand!

13 Seeing that he'd left his clothing in her hand, and had ran out of the house,

When she saw that he had run outside leaving his cloak in her hand,

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 the household servants. She said to them, “Look! This Hebrew man that my husband brought to us is (insulting/trying to do something disgraceful to) us! He came into my room and tried to (rape me/make me have sex [EUP] with him), but I screamed loudly.

15 When he heard me scream for help, he left his clothing beside me and ran outside.”

As soon as he heard me scream loudly, he left his loincloth with me and ran outside!”

16 She kept his clothing with her until her husband came home.

She kept the loincloth beside her until her husband, Joseph’s 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.

Then she told him this story: “That Hebrew slave whom you brought here came into my room and tried to rape me!

18 But as soon as I screamed and called for help, he left his clothing beside me and ran outside.”

As soon as I screamed loudly, he ran outside, leaving me holding his loincloth!”

19 When Potiphar heard the story his wife told him, saying, “This is what your servant did to me,” he became angry.

When Joseph’s master heard this story that his wife told him, saying “This is how your slave treated me,” he was very angry.

20 He took Joseph and put him in the prison where the king's prisoners were kept, and there he stayed.

Joseph’s master took Joseph and put him in prison, the place where all the king’s prisoners were put, and Joseph stayed there.

21 But the Lord was with Joseph, showing him trustworthy love, and made the chief jailer pleased with him.

But Yahweh was kind to Joseph and helped him, and caused the (prison warden/man who was in charge of the prison) to be pleased with him.

22 So the chief jailer put Joseph in charge of all the prisoners there and gave him the responsibility for running the prison.

So the prison warden put Joseph in charge of all those who were in the prison, and in charge of all the work 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 warden was not concerned with anything that Joseph was taking care of, because Yahweh helped Joseph to do well everything that he did.