Genesis 39

1 Now, Joseph, was taken down to Egypt, —and Potiphar, courtier of Pharaoh, chief of the royal executioners, an Egyptian bought him, at the hand of the Ishmaelites, who had brought him down thither.

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 And it came to pass that Yahweh, was with Joseph, so that he became a prosperous man, —and was in the house of his lord the Egyptian.

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

3 And his lord saw, that, Yahweh, was with him—and that whatsoever, he was doing, Yahweh, was causing to prosper in his hand.

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

4 So Joseph found favour in his eyes and waited upon him, —and he made him overseer over his house, and all that he had, gave he into his hand.

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 And it came to pass from the time that he made him overseer in his house and over all that he had, that Yahweh blessed the house of the Egyptian, for Joseph’s sake, —yea it came to pass, that the blessing of Yahweh, was with all that he had, in the house and in the field;

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 that he left all that he had in the hand of Joseph, and took note with him of nothing, save only the bread which, he himself, was eating. And so it was that Joseph was comely in form and comely in countenance.

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 And it came to pass after these things, that his lord’s wife lifted up her eyes unto Joseph, —and she said—Come! lie 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 And he refused and said unto his lord’s wife, Lo! my lord, taketh no note with me as to what is in the house, —but, all that pertaineth to him, hath he delivered into my hand:

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 There is no one greater in this house than I, neither hath he withheld from me anything, save only thyself in that thou, art his wife, —how, then could I do this great wickedness, 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 And it came to pass, that although she Spake unto Joseph day after day, yet hearkened he not unto her to lie beside her to be with 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 And it came to pass, when, on a certain day, he went into the house to attend to his business, —and there was no man of the household, there in the house,

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

12 that she caught him by his garment, saying—Come! lie with me. Then left he his garment in her hand, and fled and gat forth outside,

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 And it came to pass when she saw that he had left his garment in her hand, —and fled forth outside,

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

14 that she cried out to the men of her house and spake to them, saying, Look ye! he hath brought in to us a Hebrew man to insult us, —He came in unto me, to lie with me, so I cried out with a loud 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 And it came to pass, when he heard that I lifted high my voice, and cried out, then left he his garment beside me, and fled and gat forth outside.

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

16 So she laid by his garment beside her, —until his lord should come into his house,

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

17 Then spake she unto him, according to these words, saying, —He hath been in unto me—the Hebrew servant whom thou didst bring in to us—to insult me.

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

18 And it came to pass when I lifted high my voice and cried out, then left he his garment beside me, and fled outside.

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

19 And it came to pass, when his lord heard the words of his wife which she spake unto him saying, According to these words, hath thy servant done to me, Then was kindled his anger.

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 So Joseph’s lord took him and delivered him up to the prison: the place where, the prisoners of the king, were imprisoned, —so he was there, in the prison.

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 And it came to pass that, Yahweh, was with Joseph, and extended unto him lovingkindness, —and gave him his favour in the eyes of the chief of the prison.

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 of the prison delivered up, into Joseph’s hand all the prisoners who were in the prison, —and of all that was doing there, he, was the doer.

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 After nothing, was the chief of the prison looking, of whatever was in his hand, —in that Yahweh, was with him, and whatsoever, he was doing, Yahweh, was causing to prosper.

The warden was not concerned with anything that Joseph was taking care of, because Yahweh helped Joseph to do well everything that he did.