My Family Devotion

Genesis 39:1-23

The LORD Was with Joseph

1Meanwhile, Joseph had been taken down to Egypt, where an Egyptian named Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh and captain of the guard, bought him from the Ishmaelites who had taken him there.

2And the LORD was with Joseph, and he became a successful man, serving in the household of his Egyptian master.

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

4Joseph found favor in his sight and became his personal attendant. Potiphar put him in charge of his household and entrusted him with everything he owned.

5From the time that he put Joseph in charge of his household and all he owned, the LORD blessed the Egyptian’s household on account of him. The LORD’s blessing was on everything he owned, both in his house and in his field.

6So Potiphar left all that he owned in Joseph’s care; he did not concern himself with anything except the food he ate. Now Joseph was well-built and handsome,

7and after some time his master’s wife cast her eyes upon Joseph and said, “Sleep with me.”

8But he refused. “Look,” he said to his master’s wife, “with me here, my master does not concern himself with anything in his house, and he has entrusted everything he owns to my care.

9No one in this house is greater 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?”

10Although Potiphar’s wife spoke to Joseph day after day, he refused to go to bed with her or even be near her.

11One day, however, Joseph went into the house to attend to his work, and not a single household servant was inside.

12She grabbed Joseph by his cloak and said, “Sleep with me!” But leaving his cloak in her hand, he escaped and ran outside.

13When she saw that he had left his cloak in her hand and had run out of the house,

14she called her household servants. “Look,” she said, “this Hebrew has been brought to us to make sport of us. He came to me so he could sleep with me, but I screamed as loud as I could.

15When he heard me scream for help, he left his cloak beside me and ran out of the house.”

16So Potiphar’s wife kept Joseph’s cloak beside her until his master came home.

17Then she told him the same story: “The Hebrew slave you brought us came to me to make sport of me,

18but when I screamed for help, he left his cloak beside me and ran out of the house.”

19When his master heard the story his wife told him, saying, “This is what your slave did to me,” he burned with anger.

20So Joseph’s master took him and had him thrown into the prison where the king’s prisoners were confined. While Joseph was there in the prison,

21the LORD was with him and extended kindness to him, granting him favor in the eyes of the prison warden.

22And the warden put all the prisoners under Joseph’s care, so that he was responsible for all that was done in the prison.

23The warden did not concern himself with anything under Joseph’s care, because the LORD was with Joseph and gave him success in whatever he did.

Berean Standard Bible

Joseph is taken down to Egypt and sold to Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh and captain of the guard. The LORD is with Joseph, and he becomes successful in Potiphar's house. Potiphar sees that the LORD is with him and that the LORD causes everything Joseph does to prosper. Potiphar puts Joseph in charge of his house and all he has.

The LORD blesses the Egyptian's house for Joseph's sake. Potiphar leaves everything in Joseph's care and does not concern himself with anything except the food he eats. Joseph is handsome and good-looking. After some time, Potiphar's wife looks at Joseph and asks him to lie with her.

Joseph refuses. He says that Potiphar has trusted him with everything in the house except her, and he will not do this great wickedness and sin against God. She speaks to Joseph day after day, but he refuses to lie beside her or be with her. One day she catches him by his garment. Joseph leaves the garment in her hand and runs outside.

Potiphar's wife uses the garment to accuse Joseph. She tells the household and Potiphar that Joseph came to lie with her and ran when she cried out. Potiphar's anger burns, and he puts Joseph in prison, the place where the king's prisoners are confined.

Even there, the LORD is with Joseph. The keeper of the prison puts Joseph in charge of the prisoners and everything done there. The keeper does not inspect what Joseph manages because the LORD is with him and makes what he does prosper.

The story is not saying that faithfulness always prevents false accusations or unjust consequences. Joseph does the right thing and still loses his freedom. God is with him in the prison, not only in the position of success.

Questions

1 Who bought Joseph in Egypt?

AnswerPotiphar, an officer of Pharaoh, bought Joseph.

2 Why did Potiphar trust Joseph?

AnswerPotiphar saw that the LORD was with Joseph and blessed his work.

3 How did Joseph respond to Potiphar’s wife?

AnswerHe refused her and ran away when she seized his garment.

4 Where was Joseph sent?

AnswerJoseph was sent to the prison for the king’s prisoners.

What This Means for Us

A person can do the right thing and still be misrepresented. Teach children that they may say no, leave a dangerous situation, and tell a trusted adult. Do not assume an accusation is false because the accused is respected, or true because the accuser has status. Seek careful investigation and protect people from retaliation while truth is being established.

Prayer

God who stays with the falsely accused, protect people from coercion, retaliation, and lies. Give us courage to leave danger and wisdom to investigate accusations carefully. Help our family honor boundaries, believe neither power nor panic automatically, and trust your presence when justice is delayed. Amen.