Font Size
Genesis 39
Amplified Bible
Genesis 39
Amplified Bible
Joseph’s Success in Egypt
39 Now Joseph had been taken down to Egypt; and Potiphar, an Egyptian officer of Pharaoh, the captain of the [royal] guard, bought him from the Ishmaelites, who had taken him down there. 2 The Lord was with Joseph, and he [even though a slave] became a successful and prosperous man; and he was in the house of his master, the Egyptian. 3 Now his master saw that the Lord was with him and that the Lord caused all that he did to prosper (succeed) in his hand.(A) 4 So Joseph pleased Potiphar and found favor in his sight and he served him as his personal servant. He made Joseph overseer over his house, and he put all that he owned in Joseph’s charge. 5 It happened that from the time that he made Joseph overseer in his house and [put him in charge] over all that he owned, that the Lord blessed the Egyptian’s house because of Joseph; so the Lord’s blessing was on everything that Potiphar owned, in the house and in the field. 6 So Potiphar left all that he owned in Joseph’s charge; and with Joseph there he did not [need to] [a]pay attention to anything except the food he ate.
Now Joseph was handsome and attractive in form and appearance.(B) 7 Then after a time his master’s wife [b]looked at Joseph with desire, and she said, “Lie with me.” 8 But he refused and said to his master’s wife, “Look, with me in the house, my master does not concern himself with anything; he has put everything that he owns in my charge. 9 He is not greater in this house than I am, nor has he kept anything from me except you, because you are his wife. How then could I do this great evil and sin against God [and your husband]?” 10 And so it was that she spoke to Joseph [persistently] day after day, but he did not listen to her [plea] to lie beside her or be with her. 11 Then it happened one day that Joseph went into the house to attend to his duties, and none of the men of the household was there in the house. 12 She caught Joseph by his [outer] robe, saying, “Lie with me!” But he left his robe in her hand and ran, and got outside [the house]. 13 When she saw that he had left his robe in her hand and had run outside, 14 she called to the men of her household and said to them, “Look at this, your master has brought a Hebrew [into the household] to mock and insult us; he came to me to lie with me, and I screamed. 15 When he heard me screaming, he left his robe with me and ran outside [the house].” 16 So she left Joseph’s [outer] robe beside her until his master came home. 17 Then she told her husband the same story, saying, “The Hebrew servant, whom you brought among us, came to me to mock and insult me; 18 then as soon as I raised my voice and screamed, he left his robe with me and ran outside [the house].”
Joseph Imprisoned
19 And when Joseph’s master heard the words of his wife, saying, “This is the way your servant treated me,” his anger burned. 20 So Joseph’s master took him and put him in the prison, a place where the king’s prisoners were confined; so he was there in the prison. 21 But the Lord was with Joseph and extended lovingkindness to him, and gave him favor in the sight of the warden. 22 The warden committed to Joseph’s care (management) all the prisoners who were in the prison; so that whatever was done there, he was [c]in charge of it. 23 The warden paid no attention to anything that was in Joseph’s care because the Lord was with him; whatever Joseph did, the Lord made to prosper.
Footnotes
- Genesis 39:6 Lit know.
- Genesis 39:7 Lit cast her eyes on.
- Genesis 39:22 Lit the doer.
Genesis 39
King James Version
Genesis 39
King James Version
39 And Joseph was brought down to Egypt; and Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh, captain of the guard, an Egyptian, bought him of the hands of the Ishmeelites, which had brought him down thither.
2 And the Lord was with Joseph, and he was a prosperous man; and he was in the house of his master the Egyptian.
3 And his master saw that the Lord was with him, and that the Lord made all that he did to prosper in his hand.
4 And Joseph found grace in his sight, and he served him: and he made him overseer over his house, and all that he had he put into his hand.
5 And it came to pass from the time that he had made him overseer in his house, and over all that he had, that the Lord blessed the Egyptian's house for Joseph's sake; and the blessing of the Lord was upon all that he had in the house, and in the field.
6 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.
7 And it came to pass after these things, that his master's wife cast her eyes upon Joseph; and she said, Lie with me.
8 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;
9 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?
10 And it came to pass, as she spake to Joseph day by day, that he hearkened not unto her, to lie by her, or to be with her.
11 And it came to pass about this time, that Joseph went into the house to do his business; and there was none of the men of the house there within.
12 And she caught him by his garment, saying, Lie with me: and he left his garment in her hand, and fled, and got him out.
13 And it came to pass, when she saw that he had left his garment in her hand, and was fled forth,
14 That she called unto the men of her house, and spake unto them, saying, See, he hath brought in an Hebrew unto us to mock us; he came in unto me to lie with me, and I cried with a loud 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 got him out.
16 And she laid up his garment by her, until his lord came home.
17 And she spake unto him according to these words, saying, The Hebrew servant, which thou hast brought unto us, came in unto me to mock me:
18 And it came to pass, as I lifted up my voice and cried, that he left his garment with me, and fled out.
19 And it came to pass, when his master heard the words of his wife, which she spake unto him, saying, After this manner did thy servant to me; that his wrath was kindled.
20 And Joseph's master took him, and put him into the prison, a place where the king's prisoners were bound: and he was there in the prison.
21 But the Lord was with Joseph, and shewed him mercy, and gave him favour in the sight of the keeper of the prison.
22 And the keeper of the prison committed to Joseph's hand all the prisoners that were in the prison; and whatsoever they did there, he was the doer of it.
23 The keeper of the prison looked not to any thing that was under his hand; because the Lord was with him, and that which he did, the Lord made it to prosper.
Genesis 39
Holman Christian Standard Bible
Genesis 39
Holman Christian Standard Bible
Joseph in Potiphar’s House
39 Now Joseph had been taken to Egypt. An Egyptian named Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh and the captain of the guard, bought him from the Ishmaelites(A) who had brought him there. 2 The Lord was with Joseph,(B) and he became a successful man, serving[a] in the household of his Egyptian master. 3 When his master saw that the Lord was with him and that the Lord made everything he did successful,(C) 4 Joseph found favor in his master’s sight(D) and became his personal attendant. Potiphar also put him in charge of his household and placed all that he owned under his authority.[b] 5 From the time that he put him in charge of his household and of all that he owned, the Lord blessed the Egyptian’s house because of Joseph.(E) The Lord’s blessing was on all that he owned, in his house and in his fields. 6 He left all that he owned under Joseph’s authority;[c] he did not concern himself with anything except the food he ate.
Now Joseph was well-built and handsome.(F) 7 After some time[d] his master’s wife looked longingly at Joseph and said, “Sleep with me.”
8 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.[e] 9 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 such a great evil and sin against God?”(G)
10 Although she spoke to Joseph day after day, he refused[f] to go to bed with her.[g] 11 Now one day he went into the house to do his work, and none of the household servants were there.[h] 12 She grabbed him by his garment and said, “Sleep with me!” But leaving his garment in her hand, he escaped and ran outside. 13 When she saw that he had left his garment with her and had run outside, 14 she called the household servants. “Look,” she said to them, “my husband brought a Hebrew man to make fools of us. He came to me so he could sleep with me, and I screamed as loud as I could. 15 When he heard me screaming for help,[i] he left his garment with me and ran outside.”
16 She put Joseph’s garment beside her until his master came home. 17 Then she told him the same story: “The Hebrew slave you brought to us came to make a fool of me, 18 but when I screamed for help,[j] he left his garment with me and ran outside.”
19 When his master heard the story his wife told him—“These are the things your slave did to me”—he was furious 20 and had him thrown into prison,(H) where the king’s prisoners were confined. So Joseph was there in prison.
Joseph in Prison
21 But the Lord was with Joseph and extended kindness to him.(I) He granted him favor in the eyes of the prison warden.(J) 22 The warden put all the prisoners who were in the prison under Joseph’s authority,[k] and he was responsible for everything that was done there. 23 The warden did not bother with anything under Joseph’s authority,[l] because the Lord was with him, and the Lord made everything that he did successful.(K)
Footnotes
- Genesis 39:2 Lit and he was
- Genesis 39:4 Lit owned in his hand
- Genesis 39:6 Lit owned in Joseph’s hand
- Genesis 39:7 Lit And after these things
- Genesis 39:8 Lit owns in my hand
- Genesis 39:10 Lit did not listen to her
- Genesis 39:10 Lit refused to lie beside her, to be with her
- Genesis 39:11 Lit there in the house
- Genesis 39:15 Lit me raise my voice and scream
- Genesis 39:18 Lit I raised my voice and screamed
- Genesis 39:22 Lit prison in the hand of Joseph
- Genesis 39:23 Lit anything in his hand
Genesis 39
New International Version
Genesis 39
New International Version
Joseph and Potiphar’s Wife
39 Now Joseph(A) had been taken down to Egypt. Potiphar, an Egyptian who was one of Pharaoh’s officials, the captain of the guard,(B) bought him from the Ishmaelites who had taken him there.(C)
2 The Lord was with Joseph(D) so that he prospered, and he lived in the house of his Egyptian master. 3 When his master saw that the Lord was with him(E) and that the Lord gave him success in everything he did,(F) 4 Joseph found favor in his eyes(G) and became his attendant. Potiphar put him in charge of his household,(H) and he entrusted to his care everything he owned.(I) 5 From the time he put him in charge of his household and of all that he owned, the Lord blessed the household(J) of the Egyptian because of Joseph.(K) The blessing of the Lord was on everything Potiphar had, both in the house and in the field.(L) 6 So Potiphar left everything he had in Joseph’s care;(M) with Joseph in charge, he did not concern himself with anything except the food he ate.
Now Joseph was well-built and handsome,(N) 7 and after a while his master’s wife took notice of Joseph and said, “Come to bed with me!”(O)
8 But he refused.(P) “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.(Q) 9 No one is greater in this house than I am.(R) 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?”(S) 10 And though she spoke to Joseph day after day, he refused(T) to go to bed with her or even be with her.
11 One day he went into the house to attend to his duties,(U) and none of the household servants(V) was inside. 12 She caught him by his cloak(W) and said, “Come to bed with me!”(X) But he left his cloak in her hand and ran out of the house.(Y)
13 When she saw that he had left his cloak in her hand and had run out of the house, 14 she called her household servants.(Z) “Look,” she said to them, “this Hebrew(AA) has been brought to us to make sport of us!(AB) He came in here to sleep with me, but I screamed.(AC) 15 When he heard me scream for help, he left his cloak beside me and ran out of the house.”(AD)
16 She kept his cloak beside her until his master came home. 17 Then she told him this story:(AE) “That Hebrew(AF) slave(AG) you brought us came to me to make sport of me. 18 But as soon as I screamed for help, he left his cloak beside me and ran out of the house.”
19 When his master heard the story his wife told him, saying, “This is how your slave treated me,” he burned with anger.(AH) 20 Joseph’s master took him and put him in prison,(AI) the place where the king’s prisoners were confined.
But while Joseph was there in the prison, 21 the Lord was with him;(AJ) he showed him kindness(AK) and granted him favor in the eyes of the prison warden.(AL) 22 So the warden put Joseph in charge of all those held in the prison, and he was made responsible for all that was done there.(AM) 23 The warden paid no attention to anything under Joseph’s(AN) care, because the Lord was with Joseph and gave him success in whatever he did.(AO)
Genesis 39
The Message
Genesis 39
The Message
39 After Joseph had been taken to Egypt by the Ishmaelites, Potiphar an Egyptian, one of Pharaoh’s officials and the manager of his household, bought him from them.
2-6 As it turned out, God was with Joseph and things went very well with him. He ended up living in the home of his Egyptian master. His master recognized that God was with him, saw that God was working for good in everything he did. He became very fond of Joseph and made him his personal aide. He put him in charge of all his personal affairs, turning everything over to him. From that moment on, God blessed the home of the Egyptian—all because of Joseph. The blessing of God spread over everything he owned, at home and in the fields, and all Potiphar had to concern himself with was eating three meals a day.
6-7 Joseph was a strikingly handsome man. As time went on, his master’s wife became infatuated with Joseph and one day said, “Sleep with me.”
8-9 He wouldn’t do it. He said to his master’s wife, “Look, with me here, my master doesn’t give a second thought to anything that goes on here—he’s put me in charge of everything he owns. He treats me as an equal. The only thing he hasn’t turned over to me is you. You’re his wife, after all! How could I violate his trust and sin against God?”
10 She pestered him day after day after day, but he stood his ground. He refused to go to bed with her.
11-15 On one of these days he came to the house to do his work and none of the household servants happened to be there. She grabbed him by his cloak, saying, “Sleep with me!” He left his coat in her hand and ran out of the house. When she realized that he had left his coat in her hand and run outside, she called to her house servants: “Look—this Hebrew shows up and before you know it he’s trying to seduce us. He tried to make love to me but I yelled as loud as I could. With all my yelling and screaming, he left his coat beside me here and ran outside.”
16-18 She kept his coat right there until his master came home. She told him the same story. She said, “The Hebrew slave, the one you brought to us, came after me and tried to use me for his plaything. When I yelled and screamed, he left his coat with me and ran outside.”
19-23 When his master heard his wife’s story, telling him, “These are the things your slave did to me,” he was furious. Joseph’s master took him and threw him into the jail where the king’s prisoners were locked up. But there in jail God was still with Joseph: He reached out in kindness to him; he put him on good terms with the head jailer. The head jailer put Joseph in charge of all the prisoners—he ended up managing the whole operation. The head jailer gave Joseph free rein, never even checked on him, because God was with him; whatever he did God made sure it worked out for the best.
* * *
Amplified Bible (AMP) 
Copyright © 2015 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, CA 90631. All rights reserved.
Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)
Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers, Nashville Tennessee. All rights reserved.
New International Version (NIV) 
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.
The Message (MSG)
Copyright © 1993, 2002, 2018 by Eugene H. Peterson