In Potiphar's house
Joseph had been taken down to Egypt. Potiphar, an Egyptian who was one of Pharaoh's officials and captain of the guard, bought him from the Ishmaelites who'd taken him down there. And the Lord was with Joseph, and he did well. He lived in the house of his Egyptian master. And his master saw that the Lord was with him, and that the Lord made everything he did go well in his hands. So Joseph found favour with him and became his personal attendant. Potiphar put him in charge of his household and handed everything he owned over to him. And from the time he put him in charge of his household and everything he owned, the Lord blessed the Egyptian's household because of Joseph. The blessing of the Lord was on everything he had, in the house and out in the field. So he left everything he had in Joseph's care. With Joseph there, he didn't have to worry about a thing except the food he ate. Now Joseph was well built and good-looking.
Joseph had been taken down to Egypt. Potiphar, an Egyptian who was one of Pharaoh's officials and captain of the guard, bought him from the Ishmaelites who'd taken him down there.
And the Lord was with Joseph, and he did well. He lived in the house of his Egyptian master.
And his master saw that the Lord was with him, and that the Lord made everything he did go well in his hands.
So Joseph found favour with him and became his personal attendant. Potiphar put him in charge of his household and handed everything he owned over to him.
And from the time he put him in charge of his household and everything he owned, the Lord blessed the Egyptian's household because of Joseph. The blessing of the Lord was on everything he had, in the house and out in the field.
So he left everything he had in Joseph's care. With Joseph there, he didn't have to worry about a thing except the food he ate. Now Joseph was well built and good-looking.
Day after day
And after a while his master's wife took notice of Joseph. “Sleep with me,” she said. But he refused. “With me here,” he said to his master's wife, “my master doesn't have to worry about anything in the house. He's put everything he owns in my care. Nobody in this house is greater than I am. He hasn't kept anything back from me except you, because you're his wife. So how could I do such a wicked thing and sin against God?” And though she went on at him day after day, he wouldn't sleep with her or even be with her.
And after a while his master's wife took notice of Joseph. “Sleep with me,” she said.
But he refused. “With me here,” he said to his master's wife, “my master doesn't have to worry about anything in the house. He's put everything he owns in my care.
Nobody in this house is greater than I am. He hasn't kept anything back from me except you, because you're his wife. So how could I do such a wicked thing and sin against God?”
And though she went on at him day after day, he wouldn't sleep with her or even be with her.
The coat
One day he went into the house to do his work, and none of the household staff were inside. She grabbed him by his coat and said, “Sleep with me.” But he left the coat in her hand and ran, and got outside. When she saw that he'd left his coat in her hand and run outside, she called the household staff. “Look,” she said, “this Hebrew has been brought in here to make fools of us. He came in to sleep with me, and I screamed. When he heard me scream for help, he left his coat beside me and ran outside.” She kept the coat beside her until his master came home. Then she told him the same story. “That Hebrew slave you brought us came in to me to make a fool of me. But when I screamed for help, he left his coat beside me and ran outside.” When his master heard his wife's story — “This is how your slave treated me” — he was furious. And Joseph's master took him and put him in the prison, the place where the king's prisoners were held. And there he stayed, in the prison.
One day he went into the house to do his work, and none of the household staff were inside.
She grabbed him by his coat and said, “Sleep with me.” But he left the coat in her hand and ran, and got outside.
When she saw that he'd left his coat in her hand and run outside,
she called the household staff. “Look,” she said, “this Hebrew has been brought in here to make fools of us. He came in to sleep with me, and I screamed.
When he heard me scream for help, he left his coat beside me and ran outside.”
She kept the coat beside her until his master came home.
Then she told him the same story. “That Hebrew slave you brought us came in to me to make a fool of me.
But when I screamed for help, he left his coat beside me and ran outside.”
When his master heard his wife's story — “This is how your slave treated me” — he was furious.
And Joseph's master took him and put him in the prison, the place where the king's prisoners were held. And there he stayed, in the prison.
The prison
But the Lord was with Joseph and showed him kindness, and gave him favour with the warden. So the warden put Joseph in charge of everyone held in that prison, and he was responsible for everything that was done there. The warden didn't have to worry about anything under Joseph's care, because the Lord was with him and made whatever he did go well.
But the Lord was with Joseph and showed him kindness, and gave him favour with the warden.
So the warden put Joseph in charge of everyone held in that prison, and he was responsible for everything that was done there.
The warden didn't have to worry about anything under Joseph's care, because the Lord was with him and made whatever he did go well.