Genesis
Summary
Genesis 39 returns to Joseph's life in Egypt, where he is sold to Potiphar, an official of Pharaoh. Despite his enslavement, Joseph prospers because the LORD is with him, eventually rising to manage Potiphar's entire household. However, Joseph’s integrity is tested when Potiphar's wife falsely accuses him of misconduct after he repeatedly refuses her advances; though Joseph is unjustly imprisoned, God’s favour follows him into the dungeon. The chapter emphasizes that God’s presence remains constant even in the face of betrayal and injustice, as Joseph eventually finds success even under the jailer’s supervision.
Joseph was brought down to Egypt. Potiphar, an official of Pharaoh and the captain of the guard, an Egyptian, bought him from the Ishmaelites who had brought him down there.
The LORD was with Joseph and he was a successful man; he lived in the house of his Egyptian master.
His master saw that the LORD was with him, and that the LORD made all that he did to prosper.
Joseph found favour in his sight. He served him, and Potiphar made him overseer of his house, putting into his hand all that he owned.
From the time that he made him overseer in his house and over all that he had, the LORD blessed the Egyptian's house for Joseph's sake. the LORD's blessing was on all that he had, both in the house and in the field.
Potiphar left all that he had in Joseph's hand; he did not concern himself with anything except the food which he ate. Now Joseph was well-built and handsome.
After these things, his master's wife set her eyes on Joseph and she said, "Lie with me."
But he refused and said to his master's wife, "Behold, my master does not know what is with me in the house, and he has put all that he possesses into my hand.
No one is greater in this house than I am, and he has kept back nothing from me but you, because you are his wife. How then can I do this great wickedness and sin against God?"
As she spoke to Joseph day by day, he did not listen to her to lie by her or to be with her.
About this time, he went into the house to do his work, and none of the household staff were inside.
She caught him by his garment, saying, "Lie with me!" But he left his garment in her hand and ran outside.
When she saw that he had left his garment in her hand and had run outside,
she called to the men of her house and spoke to them, saying, "Behold, he has brought a Hebrew in to mock us. He came in to me to lie with me, and I cried out with a loud voice.
When he heard that I lifted up my voice and cried out, he left his garment by me and ran outside."
She kept his garment by her until his master came home.
She spoke to him with these words, saying, "The Hebrew servant whom you brought to us came in to me to mock me,
and as I lifted up my voice and cried out, he left his garment by me and ran outside."
When his master heard the words of his wife which she spoke to him, saying, "This is what your servant did to me," his wrath was kindled.
Joseph's master took him and put him into the prison, the place where the king's prisoners were bound; and he was there in custody.
But the LORD was with Joseph and showed kindness to him, and gave him favour in the sight of the keeper of the prison.
The keeper of the prison committed to Joseph's hand all the prisoners who were in the prison; whatever they did there, he was responsible for it.
The keeper of the prison did not look after anything that was under Joseph's hand, because the LORD was with him; and that which he did, the LORD made it to prosper.