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Friday, July 11th, 2025
the Week of Proper 9 / Ordinary 14
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The Holy Bible, Berean Study Bible

Genesis 39:11

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

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Accusation, False;   Adultery;   Character;   Chastity;   Conscience;   Continence;   Decision;   Integrity;   Joseph;   Master;   Servant;   Women;   Thompson Chain Reference - Joseph;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Egypt;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Egypt;   Joseph;   Pharaoh;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Genesis;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Pharaoh;   Potiphar;   Smith Bible Dictionary - Jo'seph;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Business;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Joseph;   Sidra;  

Parallel Translations

Hebrew Names Version
It happened about this time, that he went into the house to do his work, and there were none of the men of the house inside.
King James Version
And it came to pass about this time, that Joseph went into the house to do his business; and there was none of the men of the house there within.
Lexham English Bible
But one particular day he came into the house to do his work and none of the men of the house were there in the house,
New Century Version
One day Joseph went into the house to do his work as usual and was the only man in the house at that time.
New English Translation
One day he went into the house to do his work when none of the household servants were there in the house.
Amplified Bible
Then it happened one day that Joseph went into the house to attend to his duties, and none of the men of the household was there in the house.
New American Standard Bible
Now it happened one day that he went into the house to do his work, and none of the people of the household was there inside.
Geneva Bible (1587)
Then on a certaine day Ioseph entred into the house, to doe his businesse: and there was no man of the houshold in the house:
Legacy Standard Bible
Now it happened one day that he went into the house to do his work, and none of the men of the household was there inside.
Contemporary English Version
One day, Joseph went to Potiphar's house to do his work, and none of the other servants were there.
Complete Jewish Bible
However, one day, when he went into the house to do his work, and none of the men living in the house was there indoors,
Darby Translation
that on a certain day he went into the house to do his business, and there was none of the men of the house there in the house.
Easy-to-Read Version
One day Joseph went into the house to do his work. He was the only man in the house at the time.
English Standard Version
But one day, when he went into the house to do his work and none of the men of the house was there in the house,
George Lamsa Translation
And it came to pass one day that Joseph went in to the house to do his work; and none of the men of the household were there in the house.
Good News Translation
But one day when Joseph went into the house to do his work, none of the house servants was there.
Christian Standard Bible®
Now one day he went into the house to do his work, and none of the household servants were there.
Literal Translation
And it happened on this day, that he went into the house to do his work. And none of the men of the house were there in the house.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
It fortuned vpon a tyme, that Ioseph wente in to the house to do his busynesse, and there was none of ye folkes of the house thereby.
American Standard Version
And it came to pass about this time, that he went into the house to do his work; and there was none of the men of the house there within.
Bible in Basic English
Now one day he went into the house to do his work; and not one of the men of the house was inside.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
And on a certaine conuenient day, Ioseph entred into the house to do his businesse, and there was none of the housholde by, in the house.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
And it came to pass on a certain day, when he went into the house to do his work, and there was none of the men of the house there within,
King James Version (1611)
And it came to passe about this time, that Ioseph went in to the house, to doe his busines, and there was none of the men of the house there within.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
it came to pass on a certain day, that Joseph went into the house to do his business, and there was no one of the household within.
English Revised Version
And it came to pass about this time, that he went into the house to do his work; and there was none of the men of the house there within.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Forsothe it bifelde in a dai, that Joseph entride in to the hows, and dide sum werk with out witnessis.
Young's Literal Translation
and it cometh to pass about this day, that he goeth into the house to do his work, and there is none of the men of the house there in the house,
Update Bible Version
And it came to pass about this time, that he went into the house to do his work; and there wasn't any man of the men of the house there inside.
Webster's Bible Translation
And it came to pass, about this time, that [Joseph] went into the house to do his business; and [there was] none of the men of the house there within.
World English Bible
It happened about this time, that he went into the house to do his work, and there were none of the men of the house inside.
New King James Version
But it happened about this time, when Joseph went into the house to do his work, and none of the men of the house was inside,
New Living Translation
One day, however, no one else was around when he went in to do his work.
New Life Bible
Then one day Joseph went into the house to do his work. None of the men of the house were inside.
New Revised Standard
One day, however, when he went into the house to do his work, and while no one else was in the house,
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And it came to pass, when, on a certain day, he went into the house to attend to his business, - and there was no man of the household, there in the house,
Douay-Rheims Bible
Now it happened on a certain day, that Joseph went into the house, and was doing some business, without any man with him:
Revised Standard Version
But one day, when he went into the house to do his work and none of the men of the house was there in the house,
THE MESSAGE
On 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."
New American Standard Bible (1995)
Now it happened one day that he went into the house to do his work, and none of the men of the household was there inside.

Contextual Overview

7and after some time his master's wife cast her eyes on 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 be with 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 garment in her hand, he escaped and ran outside.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

none of the men: Job 24:15, Proverbs 9:17, Jeremiah 23:24, Malachi 3:5, Ephesians 5:3, Ephesians 5:12

Reciprocal: 2 Samuel 13:11 - Come lie Proverbs 7:9 - the twilight

Cross-References

Job 24:15
The eye of the adulterer watches for twilight. Thinking, 'No eye will see me,' he covers his face.
Proverbs 9:17
"Stolen water is sweet, and bread eaten in secret is tasty!"
Jeremiah 23:24
"Can a man hide in secret places where I cannot see him?" declares the LORD. "Do I not fill the heavens and earth?" declares the LORD.
Malachi 3:5
"Then I will draw near to you for judgment. And I will be a swift witness against sorcerers and adulterers and perjurers, against oppressors of the widowed and fatherless, and against those who defraud laborers of their wages and deny justice to the foreigner but do not fear Me," says the LORD of Hosts.
Ephesians 5:3
But among you, as is proper among the saints, there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed.
Ephesians 5:12
For it is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And it came to pass about this time,.... About a week, or a month, or rather a year, as Aben Ezra thinks, after she first began her solicitations to him. According to Josephus r, it was a public festival, at which women used to attend; but she excused herself, pretending illness; and so Jarchi takes it to be some noted day at the idol's temple, to which all used to go; but she pretended she was sick, and could not go, knowing that Joseph would not be there, but at home, and therefore judged this a fit opportunity to attack him once more: and so it was,

that [Joseph] went into the house to do his business: to inspect the accounts, as the Targums of Onkelos and Jonathan paraphrase it, and settle them:

and [there was] none of the men of the house there within; being all gone to the public festival, or however there were none in that part of the house where Joseph was.

r Antiqu. l. 2. c. 4. sect. 3.

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.


 
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