Genesis 39: Joseph in Potiphar's house, and in prison
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What happens?
Joseph is sold in Egypt to Potiphar, one of Pharaoh's officers, and Yahweh makes everything Joseph does succeed. Potiphar's wife asks Joseph day after day to sleep with her. When he refuses and runs, she accuses him, and Joseph is put in prison, where Yahweh is with him again and the prison keeper puts him in charge.
Who is speaking?
The narrator tells the story. Potiphar's wife speaks, and Joseph answers her once (verses 8 and 9). God does not speak in this chapter. "Yahweh was with Joseph" is the narrator's line, not God's words, so it is not gold. God's own words are printed in gold, and those verses are marked God speaks
1Joseph was brought down to Egypt. Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh’s, the captain of the guard, an Egyptian, bought him from the hand of the Ishmaelites that had brought him down there.
In plain English: Joseph had been taken down to Egypt. Potiphar, an Egyptian, one of Pharaoh's officials (or: eunuchs) and the captain of the guard, bought him from the Ishmaelites who had brought him there.
The Hebrew word: "Officer" is saris. It can mean a royal official, or a eunuch (a man who has been castrated, often a servant at a king's court).
How it is translated: In its 42 verses this Bible says "eunuch" in 28 and "officer" in 15.
What changes: Read as "eunuch", Potiphar would be a eunuch, though says he had a wife. Read as "officer", it is simply his rank at Pharaoh's court. The text does not settle it.
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2Yahweh was with Joseph, and he was a prosperous man. He was in the house of his master the Egyptian.
In plain English: Yahweh was with Joseph, and he became a successful man. He lived in the house of his master, the Egyptian.
Good to know: This chapter names Yahweh in 5 verses (2, 3, 5, 21 and 23), always in the narrator's words. Joseph himself says "God" (). After this chapter, the name Yahweh appears only once more in Genesis, in .
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3His master saw that Yahweh was with him, and that Yahweh made all that he did prosper in his hand.
In plain English: His master saw that Yahweh was with him, and that Yahweh made everything he did succeed.
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4Joseph found favor in his sight. He ministered to him, and Potiphar made him overseer over his house, and all that he had he put into his hand.
In plain English: Joseph won his master's favor and served him. Potiphar put him in charge of his house and placed everything he owned in his hands.
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5From the time that he made him overseer in his house, and over all that he had, Yahweh blessed the Egyptian’s house for Joseph’s sake. Yahweh’s blessing was on all that he had, in the house and in the field.
In plain English: From the time Potiphar put him in charge of his house and all he owned, Yahweh blessed the Egyptian's house because of Joseph. Yahweh's blessing was on everything he had, in the house and in the field.
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6He left all that he had in Joseph’s hand. He didn’t concern himself with anything, except for the food which he ate. Joseph was well-built and handsome.
In plain English: He left everything he had in Joseph's hands, and he did not concern himself with anything except the food he ate. Joseph was well-built and handsome.
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7After these things, his master’s wife set her eyes on Joseph; and she said, “Lie with me.”
In plain English: After this, his master's wife set her eyes on Joseph, and she said, "Sleep with me."
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8But he refused, and said to his master’s wife, “Behold, my master doesn’t know what is with me in the house, and he has put all that he has into my hand.
In plain English: But he refused. He said to his master's wife, "Look, with me here, my master does not know what is in his house. He has put everything he owns in my hands.
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9No one is greater in this house than I am, and he has not kept back anything from me but you, because you are his wife. How then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?”
In plain English: No one in this house is greater than I am. He has held back nothing from me except you, because you are his wife. How could I do such a great wrong and sin against God?"
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10As she spoke to Joseph day by day, he didn’t listen to her, to lie by her, or to be with her.
In plain English: She spoke to Joseph day after day, but he would not listen to her, to lie beside her or to be with her.
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11About this time, he went into the house to do his work, and there were none of the men of the house inside.
In plain English: One day he went into the house to do his work, and none of the men of the household were inside.
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12She caught him by his garment, saying, “Lie with me!” He left his garment in her hand, and ran outside.
In plain English: She grabbed him by his garment and said, "Sleep with me!" He left his garment in her hand and ran outside.
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13When she saw that he had left his garment in her hand, and had run outside,
In plain English: When she saw that he had left his garment in her hand and run outside,
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14she called to the men of her house, and spoke to them, saying, “Behold, he has brought a Hebrew in to us to mock us. He came in to me to lie with me, and I cried with a loud voice.
In plain English: she called the men of her household and said to them, "Look, he has brought a Hebrew in to us to mock us (or: to play with us). He came in to me to sleep with me, and I screamed loudly.
The Hebrew word: "Mock" is tsachaq, the word for laughing.
How it is translated: In its 12 verses this Bible says "laugh" in 5 and "mock" in 3. In it is Isaac "caressing" his wife.
What changes: Read as "mock", she says the Hebrew was brought in to make fools of them. Read as in Genesis 26:8, she says he was brought in to make advances. The word allows both.
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15When he heard that I lifted up my voice and cried, he left his garment by me, and ran outside.”
In plain English: When he heard me scream, he left his garment beside me and ran outside."
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16She laid up his garment by her, until his master came home.
In plain English: She kept his garment beside her until his master came home.
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17She spoke to him according to these words, saying, “The Hebrew servant, whom you have brought to us, came in to me to mock me,
In plain English: She told him the same story: "The Hebrew servant you brought to us came in to me to mock me (or: to play with me),
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18and as I lifted up my voice and cried, he left his garment by me, and ran outside.”
In plain English: and when I screamed, he left his garment beside me and ran outside."
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19When 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.
In plain English: When his master heard his wife say, "This is what your servant did to me," he became very angry.
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20Joseph’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.
In plain English: Joseph's master took him and put him in the prison where the king's prisoners were kept, and he stayed there in prison.
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21But Yahweh was with Joseph, and showed kindness to him, and gave him favor in the sight of the keeper of the prison.
In plain English: But Yahweh was with Joseph and showed him kindness. He gave him favor in the eyes of the prison keeper.
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22The 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.
In plain English: The prison keeper put Joseph in charge of all the prisoners in the prison. Whatever was done there, Joseph was the one responsible.
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23The keeper of the prison didn’t look after anything that was under his hand, because Yahweh was with him; and that which he did, Yahweh made it prosper.
In plain English: The prison keeper did not check on anything in Joseph's care, because Yahweh was with him, and Yahweh made whatever he did succeed.
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