Genesis 39:7-13

39:7 Soon after these things, his master’s wife took notice of¹ Joseph and said, “Have sex with me.”² 39:8 But he refused, saying³ to his master’s wife, “Look, my master does not give any thought⁴ to his household with me here,⁵ and everything that he owns he has put into my care.⁶ 39:9 There is no one greater in this household than I am. He has withheld nothing from me except you because you are his wife. So how could I do⁷ such a great evil and sin against God?” 39:10 Even though she continued to speak⁸ to Joseph day after day, he did not respond⁹ to her invitation to have sex with her.¹⁰

39:11 One day¹¹ he went into the house to do his work when none of the household servants¹² were there in the house. 39:12 She grabbed him by his outer garment, saying, “Have sex with me!” But he left his outer garment in her hand and ran¹³ outside.¹⁴ 39:13 When she saw that he had left his outer garment in her hand and had run outside,

¹tn Heb “she lifted up her eyes toward,” an expression that emphasizes her deliberate and careful scrutiny of him.

²tn Heb “lie with me.” Here the expression “lie with” is a euphemism for sexual intercourse.

³tn Heb “and he said.”

⁴tn Heb “know.”

⁵tn The word “here” has been supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.

⁶tn Heb “hand.” This is a metonymy for being under the control or care of Joseph.

⁵tn The nuance of potential imperfect fits this context.

⁷tn The verse begins with the temporal indicator, followed by the infinitive construct with the preposition כְּ (kÿ). This clause could therefore be taken as temporal.

⁸tn Heb “listen to.”

⁹tn Heb “to lie beside her to be with her.” Here the expression “to lie beside” is a euphemism for sexual intercourse.

⁹tn Heb “and it was about this day.”

¹⁰tn Heb “the men of the house.”

¹¹tn Heb “he fled and he went out.” The construction emphasizes the point that Joseph got out of there quickly.

¹²sn For discussion of this episode, see A. M. Honeyman, “The Occasion of Joseph’s Temptation,” VT 2 (1952): 85-87.