Genesis 39

1 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).

And Joseph was brought down to Egypt; and Petephres the eunuch of Pharao, the captain of the guard, an Egyptian, bought him of the hands of the Ismaelites, who brought him down there.

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

And the Lord was with Joseph, and he was a prosperous man; and he was in the house with his lord the Egyptian.

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

And his master knew that the Lord was with him, and the Lord prospers in his hands whatever he happens to do.

4 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.

And Joseph found grace in the presence of his lord, and was well-pleasing to him; and he set him over his house, and all that he had he gave into the hand of Joseph.

5 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.

And it came to pass after that he was set over his house, and over all that he had, that the Lord blessed the house of the Egyptian for Joseph's sake; and the blessing of the Lord was on all his possessions in the house, and in his field.

6 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.

And he committed all that he had into the hands of Joseph; and he knew not of anything that belonged to him, save the bread which he himself ate. And Joseph was handsome in form, and exceedingly beautiful in countenance.

7 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!”

And it came to pass after these things, that his master's wife cast her eyes upon Joseph, and said, Lie with me.

8 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.

But he would not; but said to his master's wife, If because of me my master knows nothing in his house, and has given into my hands all things that belong to him:

9 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!”

and in this house there is nothing above me, nor has anything been kept back from me, but you, because you are his wife—how then shall I do this wicked thing, and sin against God?

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

And when she talked with Joseph day by day, and he listened not to her to sleep with her, so as to be with her,

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

it came to pass on a certain day, that Joseph went into the house to do his business, and there was no one of the household within.

12 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!

And she caught hold of him by his clothes, and said, Lie with me; and having left his clothes in her hands, he fled, and went forth.

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

And it came to pass, when she saw that he had left his clothes in her hands, and fled, and gone forth,

14 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.

that she called those that were in the house, and spoke to them, saying, See, he has brought in to us a Hebrew servant to mock us—he came in to me, saying, Lie with me, and I cried with a loud voice.

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

And when he heard that I lifted up my voice and cried, having left his clothes with me, he fled, and went forth out.

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

So she leaves the clothes by her, until the master came to his house.

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

And she spoke to him according to these words, saying, The Hebrew servant, whom you brought in to us, came in to me to mock me, and said to me, I will lie with you.

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

And when he heard that I lifted up my voice and cried, having left his clothes with me, he fled and departed forth.

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

And it came to pass, when his master heard all the words of his wife, that she spoke to him, saying, Thus did your servant to me, that he was very angry.

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

And his master took Joseph, and cast him into the prison, into the place where the king's prisoners are kept, there in the prison.

21 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.

And the Lord was with Joseph, and poured down mercy upon him; and he gave him favour in the sight of the chief keeper of the prison.

22 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.

And the chief keeper of the prison gave the prison into the hand of Joseph, and all the prisoners as many as were in the prison; and all things whatever they do there, he did them.

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

Because of him the chief keeper of the prison knew nothing, for all things were in the hand of Joseph, because the Lord was with him; and whatever things he did, the Lord made them to prosper in his hands.