Genesis 39

1 Joseph 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.

2 The LORD was with Joseph, and he was a prosperous man. He was in the house of his master the Egyptian.

3 His master saw that the LORD was with him, and that the LORD made all that he did prosper in his hand.

4 Joseph 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.

5 From the time that he made him overseer in his house, and over all that he had, the LORD blessed the Egyptian’s house for Joseph’s sake. The LORD’s blessing was on all that he had, in the house and in the field.

6 He 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.

7 After these things, his master’s wife set her eyes on Joseph; and she said, “Lie with me.”

8 But 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.

9 No 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?”

10 As she spoke to Joseph day by day, he didn’t listen to her, to lie by her, or to be with her.

11 About this time, he went into the house to do his work, and there were none of the men of the house inside.

12 She caught him by his garment, saying, “Lie with me!” He left his garment in her hand, and ran outside.

13 When she saw that he had left his garment in her hand, and had run outside,

14 she 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.

15 When he heard that I lifted up my voice and cried, he left his garment by me, and ran outside.”

16 She laid up his garment by her, until his master came home.

17 She spoke to him according to these words, saying, “The Hebrew servant, whom you have brought to us, came in to me to mock me,

18 and as I lifted up my voice and cried, he left his garment by me, and ran outside.”

19 When 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.

20 Joseph’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.

21 But the LORD was with Joseph, and showed kindness to him, and gave him favor in the sight of the keeper of the prison.

22 The 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.

23 The keeper of the prison didn’t look after anything that was under his hand, because the LORD was with him; and that which he did, the LORD made it prosper.

Around Genesis 39

Context

Context for this book is being written. A note appears here only once it names its sources.

AI explanation

Genesis 39 · Written by an AI model · Not reviewed by a theological reader

This explanation was written by an AI model to help you get started. It names no sources and can contain mistakes. Scripture comes first, and context with sources is shown separately on this page.

What this chapter says

Joseph is brought down to Egypt and bought by Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh. “The LORD was with Joseph,” and everything he touches prospers, and Potiphar sees it. Joseph is made overseer.

Then his master’s wife sets her eyes on him. “Lie with me.” He refuses. “How then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?” Day after day he does not listen. One day, with no one else inside, she catches him by his garment. He leaves it in her hand and runs outside.

She calls out to the men of her house and says the Hebrew came in to mock her. She keeps his garment until her husband comes home, and tells him the same story. Potiphar’s wrath is kindled, and he puts Joseph in the prison where the king’s prisoners are held. But the LORD is with him there too. The keeper of the prison puts all the prisoners in his hand.

Background

A garment taken from Joseph has become evidence against him once more; the tunic in Genesis 37 was the first. The woman calls him the Hebrew, and the text shows how a foreigner and a servant could be treated when it was one word against another. The chapter shows Joseph wronged twice, yet repeats that the LORD was with him. It does not say how long he stays in prison.

About this explanation

Written by Claude Sonnet 5.5, an AI model, on 21 October 2026. It draws on the WEB text and general knowledge and was not checked against sources by a person. Every quotation from Scripture is checked automatically against the WEB text.

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World English Bible. Public-domain source and edition notes