# Genesis 39 📖: Joseph and Potiphar's Wife [[📚 Explore the Bible Books]] [[-Genesis Overview]] | [[Genesis 38]] | [[Genesis 40]] > [!info] Table of Contents > [[#📜 Scripture Text (NET)]] > [[#📖 Verse-by-Verse Commentary]] > [[#🤔 Interesting Facts / Historical and Cultural Insights]] > [[#🧠 Chapter Summary]] > [[#✝️ Christ in This Chapter]] > [[#🔎 Key Observations / 🛟 Life Application]] > [[#💬 Discussion Questions]] > [[#✍️ Key Verses to Remember]] > [[#🔗 Related Passages]] > [[#🙏 Devotional Reflection]] > [[#📂 Internal Notes]] ## 📜 Scripture Text (NET) (The NET Bible: New English Translation. Biblical Studies Press, 2005) ### Joseph in Potiphar’s House [[#Verse 01.]] Now Joseph had been brought down to Egypt. An Egyptian named Potiphar, an official of Pharaoh and the captain of the guard, purchased him from the Ishmaelites who had brought him there. [[#Verse 02.]] The Lord was with Joseph. He was successful and lived in the household of his Egyptian master. [[#Verse 03.]] His master observed that the Lord was with him and that the Lord made everything he was doing successful. [[#Verse 04.]] So Joseph found favor in his sight and became his personal attendant. Potiphar appointed Joseph overseer of his household and put him in charge of everything he owned. [[#Verse 05.]] From the time Potiphar appointed him over his household and over all that he owned, the Lord blessed the Egyptian’s household for Joseph’s sake. The blessing of the Lord was on everything that he had, both in his house and in his fields. [[#Verse 06.]] So Potiphar left everything he had in Joseph’s care; he gave no thought to anything except the food he ate. Now Joseph was well built and good-looking. [[#Verse 07.]] Soon after these things, his master’s wife took notice of Joseph and said, “Come to bed with me.” [[#Verse 08.]] But he refused, saying to his master’s wife, “Look, my master does not give any thought to his household with me here, and everything that he owns he has put into my care. [[#Verse 09.]] There is no one greater in this household than I am. He has withheld nothing from me except you because you are his wife. So how could I do such a great evil and sin against God?” [[#Verse 10.]] Even though she continued to speak to Joseph day after day, he did not respond to her invitation to go to bed with her. [[#Verse 11.]] One day he went into the house to do his work when none of the household servants were there in the house. [[#Verse 12.]] She grabbed him by his outer garment, saying, “Come to bed with me!” But he left his outer garment in her hand and ran outside. [[#Verse 13.]] When she saw that he had left his outer garment in her hand and had run outside, [[#Verse 14.]] she called for her household servants and said to them, “See, my husband brought in a Hebrew man to us to humiliate us. He tried to go to bed with me, but I screamed loudly. [[#Verse 15.]] When he heard me raise my voice and scream, he left his outer garment beside me and ran outside.” [[#Verse 16.]] So she laid his outer garment beside her until his master came home. [[#Verse 17.]] This is what she said to him: “That Hebrew slave you brought to us tried to humiliate me, [[#Verse 18.]] but when I raised my voice and screamed, he left his outer garment and ran outside.” [[#Verse 19.]] When his master heard his wife say, “This is the way your slave treated me,” he became furious. [[#Verse 20.]] Joseph’s master took him and threw him into the prison, the place where the king’s prisoners were confined. So he was there in the prison. ### Joseph in Prison [[#Verse 21.]] But the Lord was with Joseph and showed him kindness. He granted him favor in the sight of the prison warden. [[#Verse 22.]] The warden put all the prisoners under Joseph’s care. He was in charge of whatever they were doing. [[#Verse 23.]] The warden did not concern himself with anything that was in Joseph’s care because the Lord was with him and whatever he was doing the Lord was making successful. ## 📖 Verse-by-Verse Commentary ###### Overall. ###### Verse 01. ###### Verse 02. ###### Verse 03. ###### Verse 04. ###### Verse 05. ###### Verse 06. ###### Verse 07. ###### Verse 08. ###### Verse 09. ###### Verse 10. ###### Verse 11. ###### Verse 12. ###### Verse 13. ###### Verse 14. ###### Verse 15. ###### Verse 16. ###### Verse 17. ###### Verse 18. ###### Verse 19. ###### Verse 20. ###### Verse 21. ###### Verse 22. ###### Verse 23. ## 🤔 Interesting Facts / Historical and Cultural Insights 1. The phrase "the Lord was with Joseph" frames the chapter at the beginning and the end (39:2, 21-23). 2. Potiphar was a high-ranking Egyptian official. 3. Joseph was put in charge of Potiphar's whole household (39:4). 4. Joseph is described as handsome (39:6), a description also given to David (1 Samuel 16:12). 5. Potiphar's wife pressured Joseph day after day (39:10). 6. An Egyptian story called the *Tale of Two Brothers* has a similar plot of a married woman falsely accusing a young man. 7. Some ancient Egyptian and Near Eastern texts call adultery "the great sin." 8. Potiphar put Joseph in the king's prison rather than executing him (39:20), which may suggest doubts about his wife's story. 9. Joseph was put in charge of the prison (39:22). 10. Joseph spent at least two more years in prison after interpreting the dreams in chapter 40 (41:1). ## 🧠 Chapter Summary > [!note] 🌱 Still growing. This section is on its way. ## ✝️ Christ in This Chapter Christ is the faithful Son who resisted every temptation without sin (Hebrews 4:15). Like Joseph, He suffered unjustly while the Lord was with Him. ## 🔎 Key Observations / 🛟 Life Application > [!note] 🌱 Still growing. This section is on its way. ## 💬 Discussion Questions 1. The chapter says the Lord was with Joseph four times (39:2, 3, 21, 23). What does God's presence look like in seasons of injustice? 2. Joseph refused to sin against God (39:9). Why does seeing sin as against God change how we resist temptation? 3. Joseph ran from temptation (39:12). What practical boundaries help you flee temptation? ## ✍️ Key Verses to Remember - 📖 verse 2: The Lord was with Joseph. - 📖 verse 9: Joseph asks how he could do such a great evil and sin against God. - 📖 verse 21: The Lord was with Joseph and showed him faithful love even in prison. ## 🔗 Related Passages - 🔗 [[Hebrews 04#Verse 15.|Hebrews 4:15]] - Tempted in every way, yet without sin. - 🔗 [[1 Corinthians 10#Verse 13.|1 Corinthians 10:13]] - God provides a way of escape. - 🔗 [[2 Timothy 02#Verse 22.|2 Timothy 2:22]] - Flee youthful lusts. - 🔗 [[Psalm 105#Verse 17.|Psalm 105:17-19]] - The Lord's word tested Joseph. - 🔗 [[Acts 07#Verse 09.|Acts 7:9]] - God was with Joseph. ## 🙏 Devotional Reflection 📝 SOAP: [[Genesis 39- SOAP|The Lord Is With You In Dark Places]] ## 📂 Internal Notes