Genesis 39
Expanded Bible
Joseph Is Sold to Potiphar
39 Now Joseph had been taken down to Egypt. An Egyptian named Potiphar was an officer to ·the king of Egypt [L Pharaoh] and the chief butcher [37:36]. He bought Joseph from the Ishmaelites who had brought him down there. 2 The Lord was with Joseph [C indicating a covenant relationship], and he ·became a successful man [prospered]. He lived in the house of his master, Potiphar the Egyptian.
3 Potiphar saw that the Lord was with Joseph and that the Lord made Joseph ·successful [prosperous] in everything he did. 4 So ·Potiphar was very happy with Joseph [L Joseph found grace/favor in his eyes] and allowed him to ·be his personal servant [attend him]. He put Joseph in charge of the house, trusting him with everything he owned. 5 When Joseph was put in charge of the house and everything Potiphar owned, the Lord blessed the ·people in Potiphar’s [L the Egyptian’s] house because of Joseph. And the Lord blessed everything that belonged to Potiphar, both in the house and in the field. 6 So Potiphar left Joseph in charge of everything he owned and was not concerned about anything except the food he ate.
Joseph Is Put into Prison
Now Joseph was ·well built [L pleasing in figure/form] and ·handsome [L pleasing in appearance]. 7 After ·some time [L these things] the wife of Joseph’s master ·began to desire [cast her eyes on; L lifted her eyes to] Joseph, and one day she said to him, “·Have sexual relations [L Lie] with me.”
8 But Joseph refused and said to ·her [L his master’s wife], “My master ·trusts me with [L has no concern with me about] everything in his house. He has put me in charge of everything he owns. 9 There is no one in his house greater than I. He has not kept anything from me except you, because you are his wife. How can I do such an evil thing? It is a sin against God [Ex. 20:14; Prov. 5–7].”
10 The woman talked to Joseph every day, but he ·refused [L did not listen to/obey her] to ·have sexual relations with [L lie beside] her or even spend time with her.
11 One day Joseph went into the house to do his work as usual and was the only man in the house at that time. 12 His master’s wife grabbed his coat and said to him, “Come and ·have sexual relations [L lie] with me.” But Joseph left his coat in her hand and ran ·out of the house [L outside].
13 When she saw that Joseph had left his coat in her hands and had run outside, 14 she called to the ·servants in [L the men of] her house and said, “Look! This Hebrew slave was brought here to ·shame [insult; sport with] us. He came in and tried to ·have sexual relations [L lie] with me, but I screamed. 15 ·My scream scared him and [L When he heard me raise my voice and call out] he ran away, but he left his coat with me.” 16 She kept his coat until her ·husband [master] came home, 17 and she told him the same story. She said, “This Hebrew slave you brought here came in to ·shame [insult; make sport of] me! 18 When he came near me, I ·screamed [L raised my voice]. He ·ran away [fled], but he left his coat.”
19 When Joseph’s master heard what his wife said Joseph had done, he became very angry. 20 So Potiphar arrested Joseph and put him into the ·prison [L round house] where the king’s prisoners were ·put [L confined]. And Joseph stayed there in the ·prison [L round house].
21 But the Lord was with Joseph and showed him ·kindness [loyalty; love] and ·caused the prison warden to like Joseph [L gave him favor in the eyes of the chief jailer]. 22 The ·prison warden [chief jailer] chose Joseph to take care of all the prisoners, and he was responsible for whatever was done in the prison [39:20]. 23 The warden paid no attention to anything that was in Joseph’s care because the Lord was with Joseph and made him ·successful [prosper] in everything he did.
Genesis 39
Lexham English Bible
Joseph in Potiphar’s House
39 Now Joseph had been brought down to Egypt, and Potiphar, a court official of Pharaoh, commander of the guard, an Egyptian, bought him from the hand of the Ishmaelites who had brought him down there. 2 And Yahweh was with Joseph, and he became a successful man. And he was in the house of his master, the Egyptian. 3 And his master observed that Yahweh was with him, and everything that was in his hand to do Yahweh made successful. 4 And Joseph found favor in his eyes and he served him. Then he appointed him[a] over his house and all that he owned he put into his hand. 5 And it happened that from the time he appointed him over his house and over all that he had, Yahweh blessed the house of the Egyptian on account of Joseph. And the blessing of Yahweh was upon all that he had in the house and in the field. 6 And he left all that he had in the hand of Joseph, and he did not worry about anything[b] except the food that he ate. Now Joseph was well built and handsome.[c] 7 And it happened that after these things his master’s wife cast her eyes on Joseph, and she said, “Lie with me.” 8 But he refused and said to his master’s wife, “Look, my master does not worry about[d] what is in the house, and everything he owns he has put in my hand. 9 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?” 10 And it happened that as she spoke to Joseph day after day,[e] he did not heed her to lie beside her or to be with her. 11 But one particular day[f] he came into the house to do his work and none of the men of the house were there in the house, 12 she seized him by his garment and said, “Lie with me!” And he left his garment in her hand and fled, and he went outside. 13 And it happened that when she saw that he left his garment in her hand and fled outside, 14 she called to the men of her house and said to them, “Look! He[g] brought a Hebrew man to us to mock us! He came to me to lie with me, and I cried out with a loud voice. 15 And when he heard me, that I raised my voice and called out, he left his garment beside me and fled, and he went outside.” 16 Then she put his garment beside her until his master came to his house. 17 Then she spoke to him according to these words, saying, “The Hebrew slave that you brought to us came to me to make fun of me. 18 And it happened that as I raised my voice and called out, he left his garment beside me and fled outside.” 19 And when his master heard the words of his wife that she spoke to him, “This is what your servant did to me,”[h] he became very angry.[i] 20 And Joseph’s master took him and put him into prison, the place that the king’s prisoners were confined. And he was there in prison. 21 And Yahweh was with Joseph, and showed loyal love to him, and gave him favor in the eyes of the chief of the prison. 22 And the chief of the prison put all the prisoners that were in the prison into the hand of Joseph. And everything that was done there, he was the one who did it. 23 The chief of the prison did not worry about[j] anything in his[k] hand, since Yahweh was with him. And whatever he did Yahweh made it successful.
Footnotes
- Genesis 39:4 That is, Joseph
- Genesis 39:6 Literally “he did not know with him anything”
- Genesis 39:6 Literally “beautiful of form and beautiful of appearance”
- Genesis 39:8 Literally “does not know with me”
- Genesis 39:10 Literally “day, day”
- Genesis 39:11 Literally “and it happened as this day”
- Genesis 39:14 That is, Potiphar
- Genesis 39:19 Literally “according to these words your servant did to me”
- Genesis 39:19 Literally “his nostrils became hot”
- Genesis 39:23 Literally “did not pay heed to”
- Genesis 39:23 That is, Joseph’s
The Expanded Bible, Copyright © 2011 Thomas Nelson Inc. All rights reserved.
2012 by Logos Bible Software. Lexham is a registered trademark of Logos Bible Software