Knowing The Word in Genesis 39:11-23, Things Get Worse for Joseph

11 But one day [her patience runs out], when he went into the house to do his work and none of the men of the house was there in the house [no witnesses], 12 she caught him by his garment, saying, “Lie with me.” [Patriarchal garments included mid-calf shorts and a tunic. To pull off either of these would have involved surprise and violence.] But he left his garment in her hand and fled and got out of the house [and failed to tell anyone else what happened]. 13 And as soon as she saw that he had left his garment in her hand and had fled out of the house, 14 she called to the men of her household [male slaves] and said to them, “See, he [your heartless boss, Potiphar] has brought among us a Hebrew to laugh at us [an appeal to xenophobia]. [She appeals to their plight not to hers.] He came in to me to lie with me, and I cried out with a loud voice. [“You may have had to endure Joseph’s insults, but I was nearly raped.] 15 And as soon as he heard that I lifted up my voice and cried out, he left his garment beside me and fled and got out of the house.” 16 Then she laid up his garment by her until his master came home, 17 and she told him the same story, saying, “The Hebrew servant [reminding her husband he is a foreigner and not an equal], whom you have brought among us, came in to me to laugh at me [make sexual advances]. [Her accusation sounds much like what Adam said to God about Eve—that he (God) gave Eve to Adam, trying to pin the blame on God rather taking responsibility for himself. How things never change!] 18 But as soon as I lifted up my voice and cried, he left his garment beside me and fled out of the house.” [She infers that Joseph voluntarily undressed in her presence prior to attempting rape. She puts the full blame on him.]

19 As soon as his master heard the words that his wife spoke to him, “This is the way your servant treated me,” his anger was kindled. 20 And Joseph's master took him and put him into the prison, the place where the king's prisoners were confined, and he was there in prison. [Her account has the desired effect. The future looks ominous for Joseph, who we now see as an innocent victim of an evil woman. He is in the prison overseen by his former boss. This is not a good situation.] 21 But the Lord was with Joseph and showed him steadfast love and gave him favor in the sight of the keeper of the prison. [There is hope. God is not out of the picture but right in the middle of it. Without the narrator, however, we would have no idea.] 22 And the keeper of the prison put Joseph in charge of all the prisoners who were in the prison. Whatever was done there, he was the one who did it. 23 The keeper of the prison paid no attention to anything that was in Joseph's charge, because the Lord was with him. And whatever he did, the Lord made it succeed. [God provides protection and promotion. Just as Potiphar did, the keeper puts Joseph in charge.]