Genesis 39:12 - Printer Friendly

ESV: she caught him by his garment, saying, “Lie with me.” But he left his garment in her hand and fled and got out of the house.

NIV: She caught him by his cloak and said, 'Come to bed with me!' But he left his cloak in her hand and ran out of the house.

NASB: So she grabbed him by his garment, saying, 'Sleep with me!' But he left his garment in her hand and fled, and went outside.

CSB: She grabbed him by his garment and said, "Sleep with me! " But leaving his garment in her hand, he escaped and ran outside.

NLT: She came and grabbed him by his cloak, demanding, 'Come on, sleep with me!' Joseph tore himself away, but he left his cloak in her hand as he ran from the house.

KJV: And she caught him by his garment, saying, Lie with me: and he left his garment in her hand, and fled, and got him out.

NKJV: that she caught him by his garment, saying, “Lie with me.” But he left his garment in her hand, and fled and ran outside.

Joseph rose to power and authority within the home of Potiphar, captain of the Egyptian royal guard (Genesis 39:1–6). This, along with his good looks, has attracted the attention of his master's wife, who has persistently tried to seduce him (Genesis 39:7–10). Joseph has refused these advances, making clear that to obey her would be dishonorable to Potiphar and sin against God.

Now, the predatory woman has Joseph trapped. Joseph is working inside the house, and all the other men are gone (Genesis 39:11). Potiphar's wife may have arranged for this; that her husband felt led to point out that she was off limits (Genesis 39:9) suggests her unfaithfulness was known. On purpose or not, she took advantage of the moment. She grabbed hold of Joseph's garment, likely meaning his outer cloak, and demanded he have sex with her.

Joseph's response to this intense situation is often used as the ultimate example of avoiding even the appearance of sin, no matter what (2 Timothy 2:22; 1 Thessalonians 5:22; Jude 1:23). He literally twists out of the cloak so he can leave—not even staying in the house or the compromising position. He did the most honorable thing he could think of, embarrassing though it might have been. He wisely ran away both from temptation and from the appearance of sin. Joseph was deeply committed to protecting the character and reputation he had built with his master, as well as protecting the honor of the God who had blessed him.

Sadly, his moral reaction will be the last straw for this woman he has continually rejected. She will turn from seduction to slander, seeking revenge on the slave who turned her down (Genesis 39:13).

Genesis 39:1–18 describes Joseph's rise and fall as the slave of Potiphar, the captain of the guard in Egypt. He arrives in this situation after being sold by his own brothers (Genesis 37:26–28). The Lord continues to be with Joseph and to bless him. Potiphar promotes Joseph to the head manager of his household, even giving credit to the Joseph's God for all the success that follows. Potiphar's wife is also impressed with Joseph, but in a less honorable way. She persistently tempts him to sleep with her. When Joseph refuses, she unfairly frames the young Hebrew slave for attempted rape.

Joseph's arrival as a slave in Egypt is not the end of his story. The Lord continues to be with him and to bless him. Joseph rises to become the right-hand man of his master, Potiphar, the captain of the guard. Eventually, he is betrayed by a false accusation of rape by his master's scorned wife. Even then, Joseph finds the Lord is still with him, still blessing him, even in prison. Soon Joseph oversees every aspect of the prison, serving once again under God's faithful blessing.

In chapter 37, Joseph narrowly escaped being murdered by his own brothers (Genesis 37:18–20), only to be sold as a slave (Genesis 37:26–28). Chapter 39 picks up his story after taking a detour into the scandalous life of Judah. Though a slave in Egypt, Joseph thrives under the Lord's blessing. He rises to the top position in his master's household, only to be jailed on a false accusation of attempted rape. Still, Joseph continues to be blessed by God, again rising to become the jailer's most trusted servant. Joseph's reputation and ability to interpret dreams will factor into his rise within the government of Egypt.

The book of Genesis establishes fundamental truths about God. Among these are His role as the Creator, His holiness, His hatred of sin, His love for mankind, and His willingness to provide for our redemption. We learn not only where mankind has come from, but why the world is in its present form. The book also presents the establishment of Israel, God's chosen people. Many of the principles given in other parts of Scripture depend on the basic ideas presented here in the book of Genesis. Within the framework of the Bible, Genesis explains the bare-bones history of the universe leading up to the captivity of Israel in Egypt, setting the stage for the book of Exodus.