1When Joseph had been taken down to Egypt, Potiphar, Pharaoh’s chief officer, the commander of the royal guard and an Egyptian, purchased him from the Ishmaelites who had brought him down there. 2The LORD was with Joseph, and he became a successful man and served in his Egyptian master’s household. 3His master saw that the LORD was with him and that the LORD made everything he did successful. 4Potiphar thought highly of Joseph, and Joseph became his assistant; he appointed Joseph head of his household and put everything he had under Joseph’s supervision. 5From the time he appointed Joseph head of his household and of everything he had, the LORD blessed the Egyptian’s household because of Joseph. The LORD blessed everything he had, both in the household and in the field. 6So he handed over everything he had to Joseph and didn’t pay attention to anything except the food he ate.

Now Joseph was well-built and handsome.

7Some time later, his master’s wife became attracted to Joseph and said, “Sleep with me.”

8He refused and said to his master’s wife, “With me here, my master doesn’t pay attention to anything in his household; he’s put everything he has under my supervision. 9No one is greater than I am in this household, and he hasn’t denied me anything except you, since you are his wife. How could I do this terrible thing and sin against God?” 10Every single day she tried to convince him, but he wouldn’t agree to sleep with her or even to be with her.

11One day when Joseph arrived at the house to do his work, none of the household’s men were there. 12She grabbed his garment, saying, “Lie down with me.” But he left his garment in her hands and ran outside. 13When she realized that he had left his garment in her hands and run outside, 14she summoned the men of her house and said to them, “Look, my husband brought us a Hebrew to ridicule us. He came to me to lie down with me, but I screamed. 15When he heard me raise my voice and scream, he left his garment with me and ran outside.” 16She kept his garment with her until Joseph’s master came home, 17and she told him the same thing: “The Hebrew slave whom you brought to us, to ridicule me, came to me; 18but when I raised my voice and screamed, he left his garment with me and ran outside.”

19When Joseph’s master heard the thing that his wife told him, “This is what your servant did to me,” he was incensed. 20Joseph’s master took him and threw him in jail, the place where the king’s prisoners were held. While he was in jail, 21the LORD was with Joseph and remained loyal to him. He caused the jail’s commander to think highly of Joseph. 22The jail’s commander put all of the prisoners in the jail under Joseph’s supervision, and he was the one who determined everything that happened there. 23The jail’s commander paid no attention to anything under Joseph’s supervision, because the LORD was with him and made everything he did successful.

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Genesis 39

Joseph Is Sold to Potiphar

1Now Joseph had been taken down to Egypt. An Egyptian named Potiphar was an officer to the king of Egypt and the captain of the palace guard. He bought Joseph from the Ishmaelites who had brought him down there. 2The Lord was with Joseph, and he became a successful man. He lived in the house of his master, Potiphar the Egyptian.

3Potiphar saw that the Lord was with Joseph and that the Lord made Joseph successful in everything he did. 4So Potiphar was very happy with Joseph and allowed him to be his personal servant. He put Joseph in charge of the house, trusting him with everything he owned. 5When Joseph was put in charge of the house and everything Potiphar owned, the Lord blessed the people in Potiphar’s house because of Joseph. And the Lord blessed everything that belonged to Potiphar, both in the house and in the field. 6So 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 and handsome. 7After some time the wife of Joseph’s master began to desire Joseph, and one day she said to him, “Have sexual relations with me.”

8But Joseph refused and said to her, “My master trusts me with everything in his house. He has put me in charge of everything he owns. 9There 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.”

10The woman talked to Joseph every day, but he refused to have sexual relations with her or even spend time with her.

11One day Joseph went into the house to do his work as usual and was the only man in the house at that time. 12His master’s wife grabbed his coat and said to him, “Come and have sexual relations with me.” But Joseph left his coat in her hand and ran out of the house.

13When she saw that Joseph had left his coat in her hands and had run outside, 14she called to the servants in her house and said, “Look! This Hebrew slave was brought here to shame us. He came in and tried to have sexual relations with me, but I screamed. 15My scream scared him and he ran away, but he left his coat with me.” 16She kept his coat until her husband came home, 17and she told him the same story. She said, “This Hebrew slave you brought here came in to shame me! 18When he came near me, I screamed. He ran away, but he left his coat.”

19When Joseph’s master heard what his wife said Joseph had done, he became very angry. 20So Potiphar arrested Joseph and put him into the prison where the king’s prisoners were put. And Joseph stayed there in the prison.

21But the Lord was with Joseph and showed him kindness and caused the prison warden to like Joseph. 22The prison warden chose Joseph to take care of all the prisoners, and he was responsible for whatever was done in the prison. 23The warden paid no attention to anything that was in Joseph’s care because the Lord was with Joseph and made him successful in everything he did.

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Genesis 39

Genesis 39