Joseph Prospers in Potiphar's House
Study note
Joseph is sold to Potiphar, an Egyptian official who serves as captain of Pharaoh's guard. The Lord is with Joseph and makes everything he does successful. Potiphar notices and puts Joseph in charge of his entire household and everything he owns. Because of Joseph, the Lord blesses everything in Potiphar's house. Joseph is described as well-built and handsome.
1 Joseph had been brought down to Egypt by the traders. An Egyptian man named Potiphar — one of Pharaoh's top officials and the captain of the royal guard — bought him from the Ishmaelites. And Joseph was brought down to Egypt; and Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh, captain of the guard, an Egyptian, bought him of the hands of the Ishmeelites, which had brought him down thither.
2 The Lord was there with Joseph, and everything Joseph did turned out well. He lived and worked in his Egyptian master's house. And the LORD was with Joseph, and he was a prosperous man; and he was in the house of his master the Egyptian.
3 Potiphar could see that the Lord was behind Joseph's success — that everything Joseph touched seemed to prosper. And his master saw that the LORD was with him, and that the LORD made all that he did to prosper in his hand.
4 Joseph quickly became Potiphar's favorite. Potiphar made him his personal assistant and put him in charge of his whole household and everything he owned. And Joseph found grace in his sight, and he served him: and he made him overseer over his house, and all that he had he put into his hand.
5 From the moment Potiphar put Joseph in charge, the Lord poured out blessings on the Egyptian's entire household — all because of Joseph. God's blessing touched everything Potiphar had, both inside the house and out in the fields. And it came to pass from the time that he had made him overseer in his house, and over all that he had, that the LORD blessed the Egyptian's house for Joseph's sake; and the blessing of the LORD was upon all that he had in the house, and in the field.
6 Potiphar trusted Joseph so completely that he stopped worrying about anything except what food to eat. Now Joseph happened to be a very good-looking, well-built young man. And he left all that he had in Joseph's hand; and he knew not ought he had, save the bread which he did eat. And Joseph was a goodly person, and well favoured.
Potiphar's Wife Tempts Joseph
Study note
Potiphar's wife notices Joseph's good looks and repeatedly asks him to sleep with her. Joseph refuses each time, explaining that his master trusts him with everything and he will not sin against God. One day when no one else is home, she grabs his cloak. Joseph runs out of the house, leaving his cloak in her hand. Furious at being rejected, she uses the cloak as evidence and tells the household servants and then her husband that Joseph tried to assault her.
7 After a while, Potiphar's wife started paying special attention to Joseph. She came right out and said, "Sleep with me." And it came to pass after these things, that his master's wife cast her eyes upon Joseph; and she said, Lie with me.
8 Joseph flat-out refused. He explained, "My master trusts me with everything in this house. He's given me total control over all he owns." But he refused, and said unto his master's wife, Behold, my master wotteth not what is with me in the house, and he hath committed all that he hath to my hand;
9 "Nobody in this house has more authority than I do. He hasn't kept anything from me — except for you, because you're his wife. How could I possibly do something so evil and sin against God?" There is none greater in this house than I; neither hath he kept back any thing from me but thee, because thou art his wife: how then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?
10 She kept pushing Joseph day after day. But he always refused to sleep with her or even spend time alone with her. And it came to pass, as she spake to Joseph day by day, that he hearkened not unto her, to lie by her, or to be with her.
11 One day Joseph came into the house to take care of his responsibilities. No other servants happened to be inside. And it came to pass about this time, that Joseph went into the house to do his business; and there was none of the men of the house there within.
12 She grabbed him by his coat and demanded, "Sleep with me!" Joseph yanked himself free, leaving his coat in her hand, and bolted out of the house. And she caught him by his garment, saying, Lie with me: and he left his garment in her hand, and fled, and got him out.
13 When she realized he had escaped and his coat was still in her grip, And it came to pass, when she saw that he had left his garment in her hand, and was fled forth,
14 she started screaming for the other servants: "Look what happened! My husband brought this Hebrew man here and he tried to force himself on me! I screamed at the top of my lungs!" That she called unto the men of her house, and spake unto them, saying, See, he hath brought in an Hebrew unto us to mock us; he came in unto me to lie with me, and I cried with a loud voice:
15 "The second he heard me screaming, he dropped his coat right here and ran outside." And it came to pass, when he heard that I lifted up my voice and cried, that he left his garment with me, and fled, and got him out.
16 She kept Joseph's coat with her until Potiphar got home. And she laid up his garment by her, until his lord came home.
17 Then she told her husband a made-up story. "That Hebrew slave you brought here tried to take advantage of me." And she spake unto him according to these words, saying, The Hebrew servant, which thou hast brought unto us, came in unto me to mock me:
18 "But when I screamed for help, he dropped his coat and ran." And it came to pass, as I lifted up my voice and cried, that he left his garment with me, and fled out.
Joseph in Prison
Study note
Potiphar is angry and throws Joseph into the prison where the king's prisoners are kept. But even in prison, the Lord is with Joseph and gives him favor with the prison warden. The warden puts Joseph in charge of all the other prisoners and everything that happens in the prison. Whatever Joseph does, the Lord makes it succeed. This repeated theme — 'the Lord was with Joseph' — shows that God's plan is moving forward even through suffering and injustice.
19 When Potiphar heard his wife's story about what his slave had supposedly done, he was livid. And it came to pass, when his master heard the words of his wife, which she spake unto him, saying, After this manner did thy servant to me; that his wrath was kindled.
20 Potiphar grabbed Joseph and threw him into the royal prison — the same place where the king's own prisoners were locked up. But even there in prison, And Joseph's master took him, and put him into the prison, a place where the king's prisoners were bound: and he was there in the prison.
21 the Lord stuck with Joseph. He showed Joseph kindness and made the prison warden like him. But the LORD was with Joseph, and shewed him mercy, and gave him favour in the sight of the keeper of the prison.
22 The warden put Joseph in charge of every other prisoner. Joseph ran everything that happened in the prison. And the keeper of the prison committed to Joseph's hand all the prisoners that were in the prison; and whatsoever they did there, he was the doer of it.
23 The warden did not have to worry about anything once Joseph was in charge. The Lord was with Joseph and made everything he did turn out well. The keeper of the prison looked not to any thing that was under his hand; because the LORD was with him, and that which he did, the LORD made it to prosper.