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).

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

And YHWH was with Joseph, and he became a successful man. And he was in the household of his master 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 saw that God was with him, and that God made everything that he did to succeed in his hands.

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.

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 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 about that from the time that he made him overseer of his household and over all that he had, that YHWH blessed the Egyptian's house because of Joseph; and the blessing of YHWH was on all that he had, in the house and in the 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.

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 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 took notice of Joseph and she said, "Sleep 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 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 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!”

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 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 although she spoke to Joseph day after day, he did not listen to her to sleep with her or 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.

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 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!

She grabbed him by his garment, saying, "Sleep with me." And he left his garment in her hand and ran outside.

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

When she saw that he had left his garment in her hand and had run outside,

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.

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 As soon as he heard me scream loudly, he left his loincloth with 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 the loincloth beside her until her husband, Joseph’s master, came home.

She left his garment by her, until his master came home.

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

But when I raised my voice and cried out, he left his garment beside me and ran outside."

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

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 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.

But YHWH was with Joseph and showed him kindness and gave him favor in the sight of the 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.

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

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.