Jacob, Joseph & Egypt

About three months later Y'hudah was told, "Tamar your daughter-in-law has been acting like a whore; moreover, she is pregnant as a result of her prostitution."Y'hudah said, "Bring her out, and let her be burned alive!"

When she was brought out, she sent this message to her father-in-law: "I am pregnant by the man to whom these things belong. Determine, I beg you, whose these are - the signet, the cords and the staff."

Then Y'hudah acknowledged owning them. He said, "She is more righteous than I, because I didn't let her become the wife of my son Shelah." And he never slept with her again.

When she went into labor, it became evident that she was going to have twins.

As she was in labor, one of them put out his hand; and the midwife took his hand and tied a scarlet thread on it, saying, "This one came out first."

But then he withdrew his hand, and his brother came out; so she said, "How did you manage to break out first?"Therefore he was named Peretz [breaking out].

Then out came his brother, with the scarlet thread on his hand, and he was given the name Zerach [scarlet].

Yosef was brought down to Egypt, and Potifar, an officer of Pharaoh's and captain of the guard, an Egyptian, bought him from the Yishma'elim who had brought him there.

ADONAI was with Yosef, and he became wealthy while he was in the household of his master the Egyptian.

His master saw how ADONAI was with him, that ADONAI prospered everything he did.

Yosef pleased him as he served him, and his master appointed him manager of his household; he entrusted all his possessions to Yosef.

From the time he appointed him manager of his household and all his possessions, ADONAI blessed the Egyptian's household for Yosef's sake; ADONAI's blessing was on all he owned, whether in the house or in the field.

So he left all his possessions in Yosef's care; and because he had him, he paid no attention to his affairs, except for the food he ate. Now Yosef was well-built and handsome as well.

In time, the day came when his master's wife took a look at Yosef and said, "Sleep with me!"

But he refused, saying to his master's wife, "Look, because my master has me, he doesn't know what's going on in this house. He has put all his possessions in my charge.

In this house I am his equal; he hasn't withheld anything from me except yourself, because you are his wife. How then could I do such a wicked thing and sin against God?"

But she kept pressing him, day after day. Nevertheless, he didn't listen to her; he refused to sleep with her or even be with her.

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,

she grabbed him by his robe and said, "Sleep with me!" But he fled, leaving his robe in her hand, and got himself outside.

When she saw that he had left his robe in her hand and had escaped,

she called the men of her house and said to them, "Look at this! My husband brought in a Hebrew to make fools of us. He came in and wanted to sleep with me, but I yelled out loudly.

When he heard me yelling like that, he left his robe with me and ran out."

She put the robe aside until his master came home.

Then she said to him, "This Hebrew slave you brought us came in to make a fool of me.

But when I yelled out, he left his robe with me and fled outside."