Genesis  ◦   Chapter 39

1Joseph was taken down to Egypt by Ishmaelite traders, who sold him to an Egyptian named Potiphar, who was one of Pharaoh’s officials – the captain of the guard.

2The Lord was with Joseph, who trusted the Lord, and everything Joseph did flourished as he served in the household of his Egyptian master. 3His master recognized Joseph’s constant success and realized that the Lord was with Joseph. 4Potiphar was very pleased with Joseph and made him his personal aide and the chief steward over his entire estate, placing everything he owned under Joseph’s management.5Once he was put in charge of Potiphar’s estate, the Lord blessed the Egyptian’s household, bringing great prosperity because of Joseph. The Lord caused everything the Egyptian had to flourish, both in his house and fields. 6So Potiphar delegated the responsibility for all he owned to Joseph and didn’t concern himself with anything except what food he would eat.

Joseph was a well-built and handsome young man,
7and Potiphar’s wife began watching him with lust in her eyes and eventually said to him, “Come and have sex with me.”

8But Joseph was repulsed at the idea and said, “My master has placed me in charge of his house because he trusts me and doesn’t have to worry about anything in his estate. Everything he owns he has placed in my care. 9No one has been honored more or given more responsibility than me. My master has trusted me with everything, holding back nothing except for you, because you are his wife. How could I be so wicked to betray his trust and violate every principle of my God?” 10Even though she kept pursuing Joseph and pressuring him day after day, he refused to have sex with her or even be alone in a room with her.

11One day Joseph entered the house to do his work, and there were no household servants inside. 12She seized the opportunity and grabbed him by his coat and pulled him toward herself, saying, “Come have sex with me!” He immediately pulled back, shedding his coat to get away from her, and ran from the house, while she was still holding onto his coat.

13Rejected, and realizing that she was holding his coat (that she had ripped off of him), 14she screamed for her household staff in an attempt to cover up her own indecency. She said, “This Hebrew, whom my husband has put in charge, mocks us! He came in here and tried to rape me, but I screamed, 15and when he heard my scream for help, he fled the house so fast he forgot to take his coat with him.”

16She held onto his coat until Potiphar came home. 17Then she told him this story: “The Hebrew slave, whom you put in charge, tried to rape me. 18But when I screamed for help, he ran away and left his coat behind.”

19When Potiphar heard his wife’s story, he was very angry, for even though he didn’t believe her, her accusation forced him to get rid of Joseph in order to protect the reputation of his house. 20So Joseph’s master put him in the royal prison, where the Pharaoh’s prisoners were kept. And Joseph was imprisoned there.

21But the Lord was with Joseph and poured his love and blessings upon him, which inspired the prison warden to favor him, as he recognized Joseph’s competence and trustworthiness. 22So the warden put Joseph in charge of all the prisoners and made him responsible for all prison operations. 23The warden didn’t worry about anything under Joseph’s care, because the Lord was with Joseph and brought success to everything he did.