MSB GEN Chapter 39

Joseph and Potiphar’s Wife

Meanwhile, Joseph had been taken down to Egypt, where an Egyptian named Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh and captain of the guard, bought him from the Ishmaelites who had taken him there. 2 And the LORD was with Joseph, and he became a successful man, serving in the household of his Egyptian master.

3 

When his master saw that the LORD [was] with him [and] made him prosper in all he did, 4 Joseph found favor in his sight and became his personal attendant

Potiphar put him in charge of his household and entrusted him with everything he owned. 5 From the time that he put [Joseph] in charge of his household and all he owned, the LORD blessed the Egyptian’s household on account of [him]. The LORD’s blessing [was] on everything he owned both in his house and in his field. 6 So [Potiphar] left all that he owned in Joseph’s care; he did not concern himself with anything except the food he ate.

Now Joseph was well-built and handsome 7 and after some time his master’s wife cast her eyes upon 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 entrusted everything he owns to my care. 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?”

10 

Although [Potiphar’s wife] spoke to Joseph day after day, he refused to go to bed with her [or even] be near her. 11 One day however, [Joseph] went into the house to attend to his work, and not a single household servant [was] inside. 12 She grabbed [Joseph] by his cloak and said,“Sleep with me!” But leaving his cloak in her hand, he escaped and ran outside.

13 

Joseph Falsely Imprisoned

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.“Look,” she said“this Hebrew has been brought to us to make sport of us. He came to me so he could sleep with me, but I screamed as loud as I could. 15 When he heard me scream for help he left his cloak beside me and ran out [of the house].”

16 

So [Potiphar’s wife] kept Joseph’s cloak beside her until his master came home. 17 Then she told him the same story:“The Hebrew slave you brought us came to me to make sport of me, 18 but when 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 what your slave did to me,” he burned with anger. 20 So Joseph’s master took him and had him thrown into the prison where the king’s prisoners were confined.

While [Joseph] was there in the prison 21 the LORD was with [him] and extended kindness to him, granting him favor in the eyes of the prison warden. 22 And the warden put all the prisoners under Joseph’s care, so that he was responsible for all that was done in the prison. 23 The warden did not concern himself with anything under Joseph’s care, because the LORD was with [Joseph] and gave him success in whatever he did.