Genesis 39:12
in Genesis 39She grabbed Joseph by his cloak and said, “Sleep with me!” But leaving his cloak in her hand, he escaped and ran outside.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
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.
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.
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This verse in Genesis 39
Commentary
6 notes on this verseFurther, she said to him, "Lie with me." The first weapons of the adulteress are those of the eyes, the second those of words, but one who is not seduced by the eyes can resist the word. A defense is at hand when the passions are still free. And so it is written that "he refused." Therefore Joseph first overcame her attack through a struggle in his heart and drove her back with the shield of his soul, so to speak; then he launched his word like a spear to force her retreat.
This site's exposition
spoke to Joseph day after day
on Genesis 39:10-12
The pressure runs day after day, and the verse says so. Joseph refuses her and keeps out of her way, and he does it every day she asks. One day the house is empty of servants, and she takes hold of his cloak. He leaves the cloak in her hand, escapes, and runs outside.
This site's exposition
he escaped and ran outside
Her demand is the same two Hebrew words she spoke in verse 7, now with her hand on his cloak. Paul gives the same counsel at 1 Corinthians 6:18, flee from sexual immorality. Joseph answers force with flight.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
When Joseph was accused by his master's wife, he could be held by his clothing but was unable to be captivated in soul. He did not even tolerate her words for a long time, considering it a dangerous influence if he delayed any longer, lest …
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
And she caught him by his garment, saying, lie with me,....
Now was her love turned into the utmost rage and malice, and she pretends she cannot endure the sight of him whom awhile ago she could not endure out of her sight. Chaste and holy love will continue, though slighted; but sinful love, like Amnon's to Tamar, is easily changed into sinful hatred.
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
Out of respect for his mistress he did not wish to take the garment from her hand with his superior strength, and he removed it from upon himself, as it was a garment which one wears as a robe and headdress.
1 more on this passage, in their own words ▾
On the same day that she had first asked him to lay with her.
This section is reception history: how the passage was read and kept in the Jewish tradition. Where a reading parts from an essential of the Christian faith, the section says so at that point.
Texts and citation data: Sefaria; each excerpt follows its version’s licence. 4 further sources are cited on this chapter that carry no English text this site may quote or only restate the verse.
The words behind it
11 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַתִּתְפְּשֵׂ֧הוּ | vatitpesehu | and she seized him | H8610 → | |
| בְּבִגְד֛וֹ | bevigdo | by clothing his | H899 → | 217 times |
| לֵאמֹ֖ר | lemor | <to> saying | H559 → | 5305 times |
| שִׁכְבָ֣ה | shikhvah | lie ! | H7901 → | 212 times |
| עִמִּ֑י | ʾimi | with me | H5973 → | 1050 times |
| וַיַּעֲזֹ֤ב | vaiyaazo | and he left | H5800 → | 215 times |
| בִּגְדוֹ֙ | bigdo | clothing his | H899 → | 217 times |
| בְּיָדָ֔הּ | beyadah | in hand her | H3027 → | 1618 times |
| וַיָּ֖נָס | vaiyanos | and he fled | H5127 → | 159 times |
| וַיֵּצֵ֥א | vaiyetze' | and he went out | H3318 → | 1067 times |
| הַחֽוּצָה׃ | hachutzah | the outside towards | H2351 → | 164 times |
וַתִּתְפְּשֵׂ֧הוּand she seized him
vatitpesehuH8610 →
בְּבִגְד֛וֹby clothing his
bevigdoH899 →217 times
לֵאמֹ֖ר<to> saying
lemorH559 →5305 times
שִׁכְבָ֣הlie !
shikhvahH7901 →212 times
עִמִּ֑יwith me
ʾimiH5973 →1050 times
וַיַּעֲזֹ֤בand he left
vaiyaazoH5800 →215 times
בִּגְדוֹ֙clothing his
bigdoH899 →217 times
בְּיָדָ֔הּin hand her
beyadahH3027 →1618 times
וַיָּ֖נָסand he fled
vaiyanosH5127 →159 times
וַיֵּצֵ֥אand he went out
vaiyetze'H3318 →1067 times
הַחֽוּצָה׃the outside towards
hachutzahH2351 →164 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
2 Timothy 2:22Flee from youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, together with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart.
it leads to
- 1 Peter 2:11
Beloved, I urge you, as foreigners and exiles, to abstain from the desires of the flesh, which war against your soul.
- 1 Peter 3:11
He must turn from evil and do good; he must seek peace and pursue it.
- 1 Corinthians 6:18
Flee from sexual immorality. Every other sin a man can commit is outside his body, but he who sins sexually sins against his own body.
- 1 Timothy 6:11
But you, O man of God, flee from these things and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, perseverance, and gentleness.
- Psalms 119:9
How can a young man keep his way pure? By guarding it according to Your word.
- 1 Peter 2:11
Through
Ecclesiastes 7:26And I find more bitter than death the woman who is a snare, whose heart is a net, and whose hands are chains. The man who pleases God escapes her, but the sinner is…
it leads to
- Proverbs 22:14
The mouth of an adulteress is a deep pit; he who is under the wrath of the LORD will fall into it.
- Proverbs 22:14
Through
Proverbs 5:8Keep your path far from her; do not go near the door of her house,
it leads to
- Proverbs 7:25
Do not let your heart turn aside to her ways; do not stray into her paths.
- Ephesians 5:11
Have no fellowship with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them.
- Proverbs 7:25
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies1
About Genesis
Who and where
1 name in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on Ambrose of Milan, On Joseph the Patriarch; Caesarius of Arles, SERMON 92.3; John Calvin, Commentary on Genesis; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.