Genesis 39

1 Joseph was brought down to Egypt. Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh’s, the captain of the guard, an Egyptian, bought him from the hand of the Ishmaelites that had brought him down there.

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).

2 The LORD was with Joseph, and he was a prosperous man. He was in the house of his master the Egyptian.

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

3 His master saw that the LORD was with him, and that the LORD made all that he did prosper in his hand.

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

4 Joseph found favour in his sight. He ministered to him, and Potiphar made him overseer over his house, and all that he had he put into his hand.

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.

5 From the time that he made him overseer in his house, and over all that he had, the LORD blessed the Egyptian’s house for Joseph’s sake. The LORD’s blessing was on all that he had, in the house and in the field.

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.

6 He left all that he had in Joseph’s hand. He didn’t concern himself with anything, except for the food which he ate. Joseph was well-built and handsome.

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.

7 After these things, his master’s wife set her eyes on Joseph; and she said, “Lie with me.”

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!”

8 But he refused, and said to his master’s wife, “Behold, my master doesn’t know what is with me in the house, and he has put all that he has into my hand.

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.

9 No one is greater in this house than I am, and he has not kept back anything from me but you, because you are his wife. How then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?”

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!”

10 As she spoke to Joseph day by day, he didn’t listen to her, to lie by her, or to be with her.

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

11 About this time, he went into the house to do his work, and there were none of the men of the house inside.

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

12 She caught him by his garment, saying, “Lie with me!” He left his garment in her hand, and ran outside.

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!

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

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

14 she called to the men of her house, and spoke to them, saying, “Behold, he has brought a Hebrew in to us to mock us. He came in to me to lie with me, and I cried with a loud voice.

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.

15 When he heard that I lifted up my voice and cried, he left his garment by me, and ran outside.”

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

16 She laid up his garment by her, until his master came home.

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

17 She spoke to him according to these words, saying, “The Hebrew servant, whom you have brought to us, came in to me to mock me,

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

18 and as I lifted up my voice and cried, he left his garment by me, and ran outside.”

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

19 When his master heard the words of his wife, which she spoke to him, saying, “This is what your servant did to me,” his wrath was kindled.

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

20 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 custody.

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

21 But the LORD was with Joseph, and showed kindness to him, and gave him favour in the sight of the keeper of the prison.

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.

22 The keeper of the prison committed to Joseph’s hand all the prisoners who were in the prison. Whatever they did there, he was responsible for it.

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.

23 The keeper of the prison didn’t look after anything that was under his hand, because the LORD was with him; and that which he did, the LORD made it prosper.

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