Genesis 39
1 And Joseph was brought down to Egypt; and Potiphar, a chamberlain of Pharaoh, the captain of the life-guard, an Egyptian, bought him of the hand of the Ishmaelites who had brought him down thither.
Joseph had been taken to Egypt by the Ishmaelites, who had sold him to Potiphar, an Egyptian who was one of Pharaoh's officers, the commander of the royal guard.
2 And Jehovah was with Joseph, and he was a prosperous man; and he was in the house of his master the Egyptian.
The Lord was with Joseph and made him successful. He lived in his Egyptian master's house.
3 And his master saw that Jehovah was with him, and that Jehovah made all that he did to prosper in his hand.
His master noticed that the Lord was with him and made him successful in everything he did.
4 And Joseph found favour in his eyes, and attended on him; and he set him over his house, and all that he had he gave into his hand.
Potiphar appreciated Joseph and his service, and put him in charge of his household and made him responsible for everything he owned.
5 And it came to pass from the time he had set him over his house and all that he had, that Jehovah blessed the Egyptian's house for Joseph's sake; and the blessing of Jehovah was on all that he had in the house and in the field.
From the time he put Joseph in charge and trusted him with all he had, the Lord blessed Potiphar's household because of Joseph. The Lord blessed everything he had, whether in his house or in his fields.
6 And he left all that he had in Joseph's hand, and took cognizance of nothing with him, save the bread that he ate. And Joseph was of a beautiful form and of a beautiful countenance.
So Potiphar left Joseph to care for everything he owned. He didn't bother with anything except to decide what food he was going to eat. Now Joseph was handsome, having a good physique,
7 And it came to pass after these things, that his master's wife cast her eyes on Joseph, and said, Lie with me!
so some time later he caught the eye of his master's wife. She propositioned him, saying, “Come here! Sleep with me!”
8 But he refused, and said to his master's wife, Behold, my master takes cognizance of nothing with me: what is in the house, and all that he has, he has given into my hand.
But he turned her down, telling his master's wife, “Look, my master trusts me so much he doesn't even bother to find out how his household is running. He's put me in charge of everything he owns—
9 There is none greater in this house than I; neither has he withheld anything from me but thee, because thou art his wife; and how should I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?
no one in this house has more authority than me! He hasn't held back anything from me except you, because you are his wife. So how could I do such an evil thing as this, and sin against God?”
10 And it came to pass as she spoke to Joseph day by day and he hearkened not to her, to lie with her [and] to be with her,
Day after day she persisted in asking him, but he refused to sleep with her and tried to avoid her.
11 that on a certain day he went into the house to do his business, and there was none of the men of the house there in the house.
But one day he went into the house to do his work and none of the other servants were there.
12 Then she caught him by his garment, saying, Lie with me! But he left his garment in her hand, and fled and ran out.
She grabbed him by his clothing, and demanded, “Sleep with me!” But leaving his clothing in her hand, he ran out of the house.
13 And it came to pass, when she saw that he had left his garment in her hand and had fled forth,
Seeing that he'd left his clothing in her hand, and had ran out of the house,
14 that she called to the men of her house, and spoke to them, saying, See, he has brought in a Hebrew man to us, to mock us: he came in to me, to lie with me; and I cried with a loud voice;
she shouted out to her servants, “Look at this! He brought this Hebrew slave here to dishonor us! This man came to try and rape me, but I screamed at the top of my voice.
15 and it came to pass when he heard that I lifted up my voice and cried, that he left his garment with me, and fled and went out.
When he heard me scream for help, he left his clothing beside me and ran outside.”
16 And she laid his garment by her until his lord came home.
She kept his clothing with her until her husband came home.
17 And she spoke to him according to these words, saying, The Hebrew bondman that thou hast brought to us came in to me to mock me;
Then she told him her story. It went like this: “That Hebrew slave you brought here tried to come and dishonor me.
18 and it came to pass as I lifted up my voice and cried, that he left his garment with me, and fled forth.
But as soon as I screamed and called for help, he left his clothing beside me and ran outside.”
19 And it came to pass when his lord heard the words of his wife which she spoke to him, saying, After this manner did thy bondman to me, that his wrath was kindled.
When Potiphar heard the story his wife told him, saying, “This is what your servant did to me,” he became angry.
20 And Joseph's lord took him and put him into the tower-house, [the] place where the king's prisoners were confined; and he was there in the tower-house.
He took Joseph and put him in the prison where the king's prisoners were kept, and there he stayed.
21 And Jehovah was with Joseph, and extended mercy to him, and gave him favour in the eyes of the chief of the tower-house.
But the Lord was with Joseph, showing him trustworthy love, and made the chief jailer pleased with him.
22 And the chief of the tower-house committed to Joseph's hand all the prisoners that were in the tower-house; and whatever they had to do there he did.
So the chief jailer put Joseph in charge of all the prisoners there and gave him the responsibility for running the prison.
23 The chief of the tower-house looked not to anything under his hand, because Jehovah was with him; and what he did, Jehovah made it prosper.
The chief jailer didn't bother with anything for Joseph took care of it all for the Lord was with him and made him successful.
