Now Joseph was well built and good-looking.²⁰^39:7Soon after these things, his master’s wife took notice of²¹ Joseph and said, “Have sex with me.”²²^39:8But he refused, saying²³ to his master’s wife, “Look, my master does not give any thought²⁴ to his household with me here,²⁵ and everything that he owns he has put into my care.²⁶^39:9There is no one greater in this household than I am. He has withheld nothing from me except you because you are his wife. So how could I do²⁷ such a great evil and sin against God?”

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Footnotes

15 Heb “he”; the referent (Potiphar) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
16 The Hebrew verb translated left indicates he relinquished the care of it to Joseph. This is stronger than what was said earlier. Apparently Potiphar had come to trust Joseph so much that he knew it was in better care with Joseph than with anyone else.
17 Heb “hand.” This is a metonymy for being under the control or care of Joseph.
18 Heb “did not know.”
19 The expression except the food he ate probably refers to Potiphar’s private affairs and should not be limited literally to what he ate.
20 Heb “handsome of form and handsome of appearance.” The same Hebrew expressions were used in Gen 29:17 for Rachel.
21 Heb “she lifted up her eyes toward,” an expression that emphasizes her deliberate and careful scrutiny of him.
22 Heb “lie with me.” Here the expression “lie with” is a euphemism for sexual intercourse. The story of Joseph and Potiphar’s wife has long been connected with the wisdom warnings about the strange woman who tries to seduce the young man with her boldness and directness (see Prov 5–7, especially 7:6–27). This is part of the literary background of the story of Joseph that gives it a wisdom flavor. See G. von Rad, God at Work in Israel, 19–35; and G. W. Coats, “The Joseph Story and Ancient Wisdom: A Reappraisal,” 35 (1973): 285–97.
23 Heb “and he said.”
24 Heb “know.”
25 The word “here” has been supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
26 Heb “hand.” This is a metonymy for being under the control or care of Joseph.
27 The nuance of potential imperfect fits this context.

In other versions

ESVEnglish Standard Version

So he left all that he had in Joseph’s charge, and because of him he had no concern about anything but the food he ate.

Now Joseph was handsome in form and appearance. And after a time his master’s wife cast her eyes on Joseph and said, “Lie with me.” But he refused and said to his master’s wife, “Behold, because of me my master has no concern about anything in the house, and he has put everything that he has in my charge. He is not greater in this house than I am, nor has he kept back anything from me except you, because you are his wife. How then can I do this great wickedness and sin against God?”

NIVNew International Version (2011)

So Potiphar left everything he had in Joseph’s care; with Joseph in charge, he did not concern himself with anything except the food he ate.

Now Joseph was well-built and handsome, and after a while his master’s wife took notice of Joseph and said, “Come to bed with me!”

But he refused. “With me in charge,” he told her, “my master does not concern himself with anything in the house; everything he owns he has entrusted to my care. No one is greater in this house than I am. My master has withheld nothing from me except you, because you are his wife. How then could I do such a wicked thing and sin against God?”

CSBChristian Standard Bible

He left all that he owned under Joseph’s authority; he did not concern himself with anything except the food he ate.

Now Joseph was well-built and handsome. After some time his master’s wife looked longingly at Joseph and said, “Sleep with me.”

But he refused. “Look,” he said to his master’s wife, “with me here my master does not concern himself with anything in his house, and he has put all that he owns under my authority. No one in this house is greater than I am. He has withheld nothing from me except you, because you are his wife. So how could I do this immense evil, and how could I sin against God?”

NLTNew Living Translation

So Potiphar gave Joseph complete administrative responsibility over everything he owned. With Joseph there, he didn’t worry about a thing—except what kind of food to eat!

Joseph was a very handsome and well-built young man, and Potiphar’s wife soon began to look at him lustfully. “Come and sleep with me,” she demanded.

But Joseph refused. “Look,” he told her, “my master trusts me with everything in his entire household. No one here has more authority than I do. He has held back nothing from me except you, because you are his wife. How could I do such a wicked thing? It would be a great sin against God.”

LEBThe Lexham English Bible

And he left all that he had in the hand of Joseph, and he did not worry about anything except the food that he ate. Now Joseph was well built and handsome. And it happened that after these things his master’s wife cast her eyes on Joseph, and she said, “Lie with me.” But he refused and said to his master’s wife, “Look, my master does not worry about what is in the house, and everything he owns he has put in my hand. He has no greater authority in this house than me, and he has not withheld anything from me except you, since you are his wife. Now how could I do this great wickedness and sin against God?”

KJV 1900King James Version

And he left all that he had in Joseph’s hand; and he knew not ought he had, save the bread which he did eat. And Joseph was a goodly person, and well favoured. And it came to pass after these things, that his master’s wife cast her eyes upon Joseph; and she said, Lie with me. But he refused, and said unto his master’s wife, Behold, my master wotteth not what is with me in the house, and he hath committed all that he hath to my hand; There is none greater in this house than I; neither hath he kept back any thing from me but thee, because thou art his wife: how then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?

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