Add parallel Print Page Options

Joseph and Potiphar’s Wife

39 Now Joseph had been taken down to Egypt by the Ishmaelites. And Potiphar, an Egyptian leader, the head of the soldiers of Pharaoh’s house, bought him from the Ishmaelites. The Lord was with Joseph, and all went well with him. He was in the house of his boss the Egyptian. Now his boss saw that the Lord was with him. He saw how the Lord made all that Joseph did go well. So Joseph found favor in his eyes, and worked only for him. Potiphar made him the one to watch over his house and take care of all that he owned. And from the time that he watched over his house and all he owned, the Lord brought good to the Egyptian’s house because of Joseph. The Lord brought good upon all that he owned in the house and in the field. So he put all he owned in Joseph’s care. Having Joseph near, he did not need to think about anything but the food he ate. Now Joseph was strong and good-looking. The time came when his boss’s wife saw him, and she said, “Lie with me.” But he would not do it. He said to his boss’s wife, “See, with me near, my boss does not worry about anything in the house. He has put all he owns in my care. There is no one more important in this house than I. And he has held nothing from me except you, because you are his wife. How then could I do this sinful thing, and sin against God?”

10 She spoke to Joseph day after day. But he did not listen to her. He would not lie with her or be with her. 11 Then one day Joseph went into the house to do his work. None of the men of the house were inside. 12 She caught him by his coat, saying, “Lie with me!” But he ran out of the house leaving the coat in her hand. 13 When she saw that he had left his coat in her hand and had run out of the house, 14 she called the men of her house. And she said to them, “See, this Hebrew has been brought to us to make fun of us. He came in to lie with me, and I cried out with a loud voice. 15 When he heard my loud cry, he left his coat with me and ran outside.”

16 She kept his coat with her until his boss came home. 17 Then she told him the same story, saying, “The Hebrew servant whom you brought to us came to me to lie with me. 18 But when I called out in a loud voice, he left his coat with me and ran outside.” 19 When his boss heard his wife’s story and her words, “This is what your servant did to me,” he became very angry. 20 So Joseph’s boss took him and put him in prison, the place where the men who did wrong against the king were put in chains. So there he was in prison.

21 But the Lord was with Joseph, and showed him kindness. He gave him favor in the eyes of the man who watched over the prison. 22 The head of the prison put all the men who were in prison into Joseph’s care. So whatever was done there was because of Joseph. 23 The head of the prison did not worry about anything under Joseph’s care, because the Lord was with him. The Lord made all go well with whatever Joseph did.

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)

The Lord was with Joseph(D) so that he prospered, and he lived in the house of his Egyptian master. When his master saw that the Lord was with him(E) and that the Lord gave him success in everything he did,(F) 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) 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) 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) and after a while his master’s wife took notice of Joseph and said, “Come to bed with me!”(O)

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) 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)