Joseph and Potiphar's Wife
1 The Ishmaelites took Joseph to Egypt and sold him to Potiphar, the king's official in charge of the palace guard. 2-3 So Joseph lived in the home of Potiphar, his Egyptian owner.
Soon Potiphar realized that the Lord was helping Joseph to be successful in whatever he did. 4 Potiphar liked Joseph and made him his personal assistant, putting him in charge of his house and all of his property. 5 Because of Joseph, the Lord began to bless Potiphar's family and fields. 6 Potiphar left everything up to Joseph, and with Joseph there, the only decision he had to make was what he wanted to eat.
Joseph was well-built and handsome, 7 and Potiphar's wife soon noticed him. She asked him to make love to her, 8 but he refused and said, “My master isn't worried about anything in his house, because he has placed me in charge of everything he owns. 9 No one in my master's house is more important than I am. The only thing he hasn't given me is you, and that's because you are his wife. I won't sin against God by doing such a terrible thing as this.” 10 She kept begging Joseph day after day, but he refused to do what she wanted or even to go near her.
11 One day, Joseph went to Potiphar's house to do his work, and none of the other servants were there. 12 Potiphar's wife grabbed hold of his coat and said, “Make love to me!” Joseph ran out of the house, leaving his coat there in her hands.
13 When this happened, 14 she called in her servants and said, “Look! This Hebrew has come just to make fools of us. He tried to rape me, but I screamed for help. 15 And when he heard me scream, he ran out of the house, leaving his coat with me.”
16 Potiphar's wife kept Joseph's coat until her husband came home. 17 Then she said, “That Hebrew slave of yours tried to rape me! 18 But when I screamed for help, he left his coat and ran out of the house.”
19 Potiphar became very angry 20 and threw Joseph in the same prison where the king's prisoners were kept.
While Joseph was in prison, 21 the Lord helped him and was good to him. He even made the jailer like Joseph so much that 22 he put him in charge of the other prisoners and of everything that was done in the jail. 23 The jailer did not worry about anything, because the Lord was with Joseph and made him successful in all that he did.
1 Now Ioseph was brought downe into Egypt: and Potiphar an Eunuche of Pharaohs (and his chiefe stewarde an Egyptian) bought him at the hande of the Ishmeelites, which had brought him thither. 2 And the Lord was with Ioseph, and he was a man that prospered and was in the house of his master the Egyptian. 3 And his master sawe that the Lord was with him, and that the Lord made all that hee did to prosper in his hande. 4 So Ioseph founde fauour in his sight, and serued him: and he made him ruler of his house, and put all that he had in his hand. 5 And from that time that he had made him ruler ouer his house and ouer all that he had, the Lord blessed the Egyptians house for Iosephs sake: and the blessing of the Lord was vpon all that he had in the house, and in the fielde. 6 Therefore he left all that he had in Iosephs hand, and tooke accompt of nothing, that was with him, saue onely of the bread, which he did eate. And Ioseph was a faire person, and well fauoured. 7 Nowe therefore after these thinges, his masters wife cast her eyes vpon Ioseph, and saide, Lye with me. 8 But he refused and said to his masters wife, Beholde, my master knoweth not what he hath in the house with me, but hath committed all that he hath to mine hande. 9 There is no man greater in this house then I: neither hath he kept any thing from me, but only thee, because thou art his wife: how then can I do this great wickednes and so sinne against God? 10 And albeit she spake to Ioseph day by day, yet he hearkened not vnto her, to lye with her, or to be in her company. 11 Then on a certaine day Ioseph entred into the house, to doe his businesse: and there was no man of the houshold in the house: 12 Therefore she caught him by his garmet, saying, Sleepe with me: but he left his garment in her hand and fled, and got him out. 13 Nowe when she sawe that he had left his garment in her hand, and was fled out, 14 She called vnto the men of her house, and tolde them, saying, Beholde, he hath brought in an Ebrewe vnto vs to mocke vs: who came in to me for to haue slept with me: but I cryed with a loude voyce. 15 And when he heard that I lift vp my voice and cryed, he left his garment with me, and fled away, and got him out. 16 So she layde vp his garment by her, vntill her lord came home. 17 Then she tolde him according to these words, saying, The Ebrew seruat, which thou hast brought vnto vs, came in to me, to mocke me. 18 But assoone as I lift vp my voyce and cried, he left his garment with me, and fled out. 19 Then when his master heard the wordes of his wife, which she tolde him, saying, After this maner did thy seruant to me, his anger was kindled. 20 And Iosephs master tooke him and put him in prison, in the place, where the kings prisoners lay bounde: and there he was in prison. 21 But the Lord was with Ioseph, and shewed him mercie, and got him fauour in the sight of the master of the prison. 22 And the keeper of the prison committed to Iosephs hande all the prisoners that were in the prison, and whatsoeuer they did there, that did he. 23 And the keeper of the prison looked vnto nothing that was vnder his hande, seeing that the Lord was with him: for whatsoeuer he did, the Lord made it to prosper.