Genesis 39:7

THE MESSAGE

After Joseph had been taken to Egypt by the Ishmaelites, Potiphar an Egyptian, one of Pharaoh's officials and the manager of his household, bought him from them. As it turned out, God was with Joseph and things went very well with him. He ended up living in the home of his Egyptian master. His master recognized that God was with him, saw that God was working for good in everything he did. He became very fond of Joseph and made him his personal aide. He put him in charge of all his personal affairs, turning everything over to him. From that moment on, God blessed the home of the Egyptian—all because of Joseph. The blessing of God spread over everything he owned, at home and in the fields, and all Potiphar had to concern himself with was eating three meals a day. Joseph was a strikingly handsome man. As time went on, his master's wife became infatuated with Joseph and one day said, "Sleep with me."

Parallel Translations

Hebrew Names Version
It happened after these things, that his master's wife cast her eyes on Yosef; and she said, "Lie with me."

King James Version
And it came to pass after these things, that his master's wife cast her eyes upon Joseph; and she said, Lie with me.

Lexham English Bible
And it happened that after these things his master's wife cast her eyes on Joseph, and she said, "Lie with me."

New Century Version
After some time the wife of Joseph's master began to desire Joseph, and one day she said to him, "Have sexual relations with me."

New English Translation
Soon after these things, his master's wife took notice of Joseph and said, "Have sex with me."

Amplified Bible
Then after a time his master's wife looked at Joseph with desire, and she said, "Lie with me."

New American Standard Bible
And it came about after these events that his master's wife had her eyes on Joseph, and she said, "Sleep with me."

Geneva Bible (1587)
Nowe therefore after these thinges, his masters wife cast her eyes vpon Ioseph, and saide, Lye with me.

Legacy Standard Bible
And it happened after these events that his master's wife set her eyes on Joseph and said, "Lie with me."

Contemporary English Version
and Potiphar's wife soon noticed him. She asked him to make love to her,

Complete Jewish Bible
(vi) In time, the day came when his master's wife took a look at Yosef and said, "Sleep with me!"

Darby Translation
And it came to pass after these things, that his master's wife cast her eyes on Joseph, and said, Lie with me!

Easy-to-Read Version
After some time, the wife of Joseph's master began to pay special attention to him. One day she said to him, "Sleep with me."

English Standard Version
And after a time his master's wife cast her eyes on Joseph and said, "Lie with me."

George Lamsa Translation
And it came to pass after these things that his masters wife cast her eyes upon Joseph; and she said to him, Lie with me.

Good News Translation
and after a while his master's wife began to desire Joseph and asked him to go to bed with her.

Christian Standard Bible®
After some time his master’s wife looked longingly at Joseph and said, “Sleep with me.”

Literal Translation
And after these things, it happened that his master's wife lifted up her eyes to Joseph, and said, Lie with me.

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
And it fortuned after these actes, that his masters wife cast hir eyes vpon Ioseph, and sayde: Slepe with me.

American Standard Version
And it came to pass after these things, that his master's wife cast her eyes upon Joseph; and she said, Lie with me.

Bible in Basic English
And after a time, his master's wife, looking on Joseph with desire, said to him, Be my lover.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
And after this, his maisters wyfe cast her eyes vpon Ioseph, and saide: [come] lye with me.

JPS Old Testament (1917)
And it came to pass after these things, that his master's wife cast her eyes upon Joseph; and she said: 'Lie with me.'

King James Version (1611)
And it came to passe after these things, that his masters wife cast her eyes vpon Ioseph, and shee said, Lie with me.

Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And it came to pass after these things, that his master’s wife cast her eyes upon Joseph, and said, Lie with me.

English Revised Version
And it came to pass after these things, that his master's wife cast her eyes upon Joseph; and she said, Lie with me.

Berean Standard Bible
and after some time his master's wife cast her eyes on Joseph and said, "Sleep with me."

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And so aftir many daies the ladi castide hir iyen in to Joseph, and seide, Slepe thou with me;

Young's Literal Translation
And it cometh to pass after these things, that his lord's wife lifteth up her eyes unto Joseph, and saith, `Lie with me;'

Update Bible Version
And it came to pass after these things, that his master's wife cast her eyes on Joseph; and she said, Lie with me.

Webster's Bible Translation
And it came to pass after these things, that his master's wife cast her eyes upon Joseph: and she said, Lie with me.

World English Bible
It happened after these things, that his master's wife cast her eyes on Joseph; and she said, "Lie with me."

New King James Version
And it came to pass after these things that his master's wife cast longing eyes on Joseph, and she said, "Lie with me."

New Living Translation
and Potiphar's wife soon began to look at him lustfully. "Come and sleep with me," she demanded.

New Life Bible
The time came when his boss's wife saw him, and she said, "Lie with me."

New Revised Standard
And after a time his master's wife cast her eyes on Joseph and said, "Lie with me."

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And it came to pass after these things, that his lord's wife lifted up her eyes unto Joseph, - and she said - Come! lie with me.

Douay-Rheims Bible
And after many days, his mistress cast her eyes on Joseph, and said: Lie with me.

Revised Standard Version
And after a time his master's wife cast her eyes upon Joseph, and said, "Lie with me."

New American Standard Bible (1995)
It came about after these events that his master's wife looked with desire at Joseph, and she said, "Lie with me."

Contextual Overview

⁷ After Joseph had been taken to Egypt by the Ishmaelites, Potiphar an Egyptian, one of Pharaoh's officials and the manager of his household, bought him from them. As it turned out, God was with Joseph and things went very well with him. He ended up living in the home of his Egyptian master. His master recognized that God was with him, saw that God was working for good in everything he did. He became very fond of Joseph and made him his personal aide. He put him in charge of all his personal affairs, turning everything over to him. From that moment on, God blessed the home of the Egyptian—all because of Joseph. The blessing of God spread over everything he owned, at home and in the fields, and all Potiphar had to concern himself with was eating three meals a day. Joseph was a strikingly handsome man. As time went on, his master's wife became infatuated with Joseph and one day said, "Sleep with me." ⁸He wouldn't do it. He said to his master's wife, "Look, with me here, my master doesn't give a second thought to anything that goes on here—he's put me in charge of everything he owns. He treats me as an equal. The only thing he hasn't turned over to me is you. You're his wife, after all! How could I violate his trust and sin against God?" ¹⁰ She pestered him day after day after day, but he stood his ground. He refused to go to bed with her. ¹¹On one of these days he came to the house to do his work and none of the household servants happened to be there. She grabbed him by his cloak, saying, "Sleep with me!" He left his coat in her hand and ran out of the house. When she realized that he had left his coat in her hand and run outside, she called to her house servants: "Look—this Hebrew shows up and before you know it he's trying to seduce us. He tried to make love to me but I yelled as loud as I could. With all my yelling and screaming, he left his coat beside me here and ran outside."

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

am 2285, bc 1719

cast: Genesis 6:2, Job 31:1, Psalms 119:37, Ezekiel 23:5, Ezekiel 23:6, Ezekiel 23:12-16, Matthew 5:28, 2 Peter 2:14, 1 John 2:16

Lie: 2 Samuel 13:11, Proverbs 2:16, Proverbs 5:9, Proverbs 7:13, Jeremiah 3:3, Ezekiel 16:25, Ezekiel 16:32, Ezekiel 16:34

Reciprocal: Genesis 3:6 - to the eyes Genesis 12:11 - a fair Genesis 12:14 - beheld Genesis 34:2 - saw her Genesis 39:14 - he came Genesis 39:22 - committed Genesis 49:23 - General 2 Samuel 11:4 - sent messengers Proverbs 1:10 - General Ezekiel 23:16 - as soon as she saw them with her eyes

Cross-References

Genesis 39:16
She kept his coat right there until his master came home. She told him the same story. She said, "The Hebrew slave, the one you brought to us, came after me and tried to use me for his plaything. When I yelled and screamed, he left his coat with me and ran outside."

2 Samuel 13:11
Some time later, this happened: Absalom, David's son, had a sister who was very attractive. Her name was Tamar. Amnon, also David's son, was in love with her. Amnon was obsessed with his sister Tamar to the point of making himself sick over her. She was a virgin, so he couldn't see how he could get his hands on her. Amnon had a good friend, Jonadab, the son of David's brother Shimeah. Jonadab was exceptionally streetwise. He said to Amnon, "Why are you moping around like this, day after day—you, the son of the king! Tell me what's eating at you." "In a word, Tamar," said Amnon. "My brother Absalom's sister. I'm in love with her." "Here's what you do," said Jonadab. "Go to bed and pretend you're sick. When your father comes to visit you, say, ‘Have my sister Tamar come and prepare some supper for me here where I can watch her and she can feed me.'" So Amnon took to his bed and acted sick. When the king came to visit, Amnon said, "Would you do me a favor? Have my sister Tamar come and make some nourishing dumplings here where I can watch her and be fed by her." David sent word to Tamar who was home at the time: "Go to the house of your brother Amnon and prepare a meal for him." So Tamar went to her brother Amnon's house. She took dough, kneaded it, formed it into dumplings, and cooked them while he watched from his bed. But when she took the cooking pot and served him, he wouldn't eat. Amnon said, "Clear everyone out of the house," and they all cleared out. Then he said to Tamar, "Bring the food into my bedroom, where we can eat in privacy." She took the nourishing dumplings she had prepared and brought them to her brother Amnon in his bedroom. But when she got ready to feed him, he grabbed her and said, "Come to bed with me, sister!"

Job 31:1
"I made a solemn pact with myself never to undress a girl with my eyes. So what can I expect from God? What do I deserve from God Almighty above? Isn't calamity reserved for the wicked? Isn't disaster supposed to strike those who do wrong? Isn't God looking, observing how I live? Doesn't he mark every step I take?

Proverbs 2:16
Wise friends will rescue you from the Temptress— that smooth-talking Seductress Who's faithless to the husband she married years ago, never gave a second thought to her promises before God. Her whole way of life is doomed; every step she takes brings her closer to hell. No one who joins her company ever comes back, ever sets foot on the path to real living.

Proverbs 7:13
She threw her arms around him and kissed him, boldly took his arm and said, "I've got all the makings for a feast— today I made my offerings, my vows are all paid, So now I've come to find you, hoping to catch sight of your face—and here you are! I've spread fresh, clean sheets on my bed, colorful imported linens. My bed is aromatic with spices and exotic fragrances. Come, let's make love all night, spend the night in ecstatic lovemaking! My husband's not home; he's away on business, and he won't be back for a month."

Ezekiel 16:25
"‘And then you went international with your whoring. You fornicated with the Egyptians, seeking them out in their sex orgies. The more promiscuous you became, the angrier I got. Finally, I intervened, reduced your borders and turned you over to the rapacity of your enemies. Even the Philistine women—can you believe it?—were shocked at your sluttish life.

Ezekiel 16:32
"‘Wives who are unfaithful to their husbands accept gifts from their lovers. And men commonly pay their whores. But you pay your lovers! You bribe men from all over to come to bed with you! You're just the opposite of the regular whores who get paid for sex. Instead, you pay men for their favors! You even pervert whoredom!

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And it came to pass after these things,.... After he was the overseer of his house; in which office, after he had been some time, so it was

that his master's wife cast her eyes upon Joseph; he being a handsome young man, caught her eye, and that her heart, and led her on to lust after him, and frequently fed her eyes with amorous glances at him;

and at length being fired with lust, and having an opportunity,

she said, to him, in a bold and impudent manner, in plain words, having given signs and hints, and dropped expressions tending thereto before, as it is probable:

lie with me; now directly, there being both opportunity and convenience, perhaps her chamber was near: this was a very great temptation to a young man in single life and living well, from his mistress, who had it greatly in her power to make him should he consent, or ruin him should he deny.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

- Joseph in Potiphar’s House

According to our reckoning, Perez and Zerah were born when Judah was in his twenty-eighth year, and therefore, Joseph in his twenty-fourth. Here, then, we go back seven years to resume the story of Joseph.

Genesis 39:1-6

Joseph fares well with his first master. “Potiphar.” This is a racapitulation of the narrative in Genesis 37:0: “The Lord;” the God of covenant is with Joseph. “In the house.” Joseph was a domestic servant. “And his master saw.” The prosperity that attended all Joseph’s doings was so striking as to show that the Lord was with him. “Set him over” - made him overseer of all that was in his house. “The Lord blessed the Mizrite’s house.” He blesses those who bless his own Genesis 12:3. “Beautiful in form and look” Genesis 29:17. This prepares the way for the following occurrence.

Genesis 39:7-10

Joseph resists the daily solicitations of his master’s wife to lie with her. “None greater in this house than I.” He pleads the unreserved trust his master had reposed in him. He is bound by the law of honor, the law of chastity (this great evil), and the law of piety (sin against God). Joseph uses the common name of God in addressing this Egyptian. He could employ no higher pleas than the above.

Genesis 39:11-18

“At this day,” the day on which the occurrence now to be related took place. “To do his business.” He does not come in her way except at the call of duty. He hath brought in. She either does not condescend, or does not need to name her husband. “A Hebrew to mock us.” Her disappointment now provokes her to falsehood as the means of concealment and revenge. A Hebrew is still the only national designation proper to Joseph Genesis 14:13. Jacob’s descendants had not got beyond the family. The term Israelite was therefore, not yet in use. The national name is designedly used as a term of reproach among the Egyptians Genesis 43:32. “To mock us,” - to take improper liberties, not only with me, but with any of the females in the house. “I cried with a loud voice.” This is intended to be the proof of her innocence Deuteronomy 22:24, Deuteronomy 22:27. “Left his garments by me;” not in her hand, which would have been suspicious.

Genesis 39:19-23

Her husband believes her story and naturally resents the supposed unfaithfulness of his slave. His treatment of him is mild. He puts him in ward, probably to stand his trial for the offence. The Lord does not forsake the prisoner. He gives him favor with the governor of the jail. The same unlimited trust is placed in him by the governor as by his late master.