Joseph and Potiphar’s Wife

39:1 Now Joseph had been brought down to Egypt.1 An Egyptian named Potiphar, an official of Pharaoh and the captain of the guard,2 purchased him from3 the Ishmaelites who had brought him there. 39:2 The Lord was with Joseph. He was successful4 and lived5 in the household of his Egyptian master. 39:3 His master observed that the Lord was with him and that the Lord made everything he was doing successful.6 39:4 So Joseph found favor in his sight and became his personal attendant.7 Potiphar appointed Joseph8 overseer of his household and put him in charge9 of everything he owned. 39:5 From the time10 Potiphar11 appointed him over his household and over all that he owned, the Lord blessed12 the Egyptian’s household for Joseph’s sake. The blessing of the Lord was on everything that he had, both13 in his house and in his fields.14 39:6 So Potiphar15 left16 everything he had in Joseph’s care;17 he gave no thought18 to anything except the food he ate.19

Now Joseph was well built and good-looking.20 39:7 Soon after these things, his master’s wife took notice of21 Joseph and said, “Have sex with me.”22 39:8 But 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 39:9 There 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?” 39:10 Even though she continued to speak28 to Joseph day after day, he did not respond29 to her invitation to have sex with her.30

39:11 One day31 he went into the house to do his work when none of the household servants32 were there in the house. 39:12 She grabbed him by his outer garment, saying, “Have sex with me!” But he left his outer garment in her hand and ran33 outside.34 39:13 When she saw that he had left his outer garment in her hand and had run outside, 39:14 she called for her household servants and said to them, “See, my husband brought35 in a Hebrew man36 to us to humiliate us.37 He tried to have sex with me,38 but I screamed loudly.39 39:15 When he heard me raise40 my voice and scream, he left his outer garment beside me and ran outside.”

39:16 So she laid his outer garment beside her until his master came home. 39:17 This is what she said to him:41 “That Hebrew slave42 you brought to us tried to humiliate me,43 39:18 but when I raised my voice and screamed, he left his outer garment and ran outside.”

39:19 When his master heard his wife say,44 “This is the way45 your slave treated me,”46 he became furious.47 39:20 Joseph’s master took him and threw him into the prison,48 the place where the king’s prisoners were confined. So he was there in the prison.49

39:21 But the Lord was with Joseph and showed him kindness.50 He granted him favor in the sight of the prison warden.51 39:22 The warden put all the prisoners under Joseph’s care. He was in charge of whatever they were doing.52 39:23 The warden did not concern himself53 with anything that was in Joseph’s54 care because the Lord was with him and whatever he was doing the Lord was making successful.