Jacob, Joseph & Egypt

About three months later, Judah was told, “Tamar, your daughter-in-law, has played the prostitute. Moreover, behold, she is with child by prostitution.” Judah said, “Bring her out, and let her be burnt.”

When she was brought out, she sent to her father-in-law, saying, “By the man, whose these are, I am with child.” She also said, “Please discern whose are these—the signet, and the cords, and the staff.”

Judah acknowledged them, and said, “She is more righteous than I, because I didn’t give her to Shelah, my son.” He knew her again no more.

In the time of her travail, behold, twins were in her womb.

When she travailed, one put out a hand, and the midwife took and tied a scarlet thread on his hand, saying, “This came out first.”

As he drew back his hand, behold, his brother came out, and she said, “Why have you made a breach for yourself?” Therefore his name was called Perez.

Afterward his brother came out, that had the scarlet thread on his hand, and his name was called Zerah.

Joseph was brought down to Egypt. Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh’s, the captain of the guard, an Egyptian, bought him from the hand of the Ishmaelites that had brought him down there.

The LORD was with Joseph, and he was a prosperous man. He was in the house of his master the Egyptian.

His master saw that the LORD was with him, and that the LORD made all that he did prosper in his hand.

Joseph found favor in his sight. He ministered to him, and he made him overseer over his house, and all that he had he put into his hand.

From the time that he made him overseer in his house, and over all that he had, the LORD blessed the Egyptian’s house for Joseph’s sake. the LORD’s blessing was on all that he had, in the house and in the field.

He left all that he had in Joseph’s hand. He didn’t concern himself with anything, except for the food which he ate. Joseph was well-built and handsome.

After these things, his master’s wife set her eyes on Joseph; and she said, “Lie with me.”

But he refused, and said to his master’s wife, “Behold, my master doesn’t know what is with me in the house, and he has put all that he has into my hand.

He isn’t greater in this house than I, neither has he kept back anything from me but you, because you are his wife. How then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?”

As she spoke to Joseph day by day, he didn’t listen to her, to lie by her, or to be with her.

About this time, he went into the house to do his work, and there were none of the men of the house inside.

She caught him by his garment, saying, “Lie with me!” He left his garment in her hand, and ran outside.

When she saw that he had left his garment in her hand, and had run outside,

she called to the men of her house, and spoke to them, saying, “Behold, he has brought in a Hebrew to us to mock us. He came in to me to lie with me, and I cried with a loud voice.

When he heard that I lifted up my voice and cried, he left his garment by me, and ran outside.”

She laid up his garment by her, until his master came home.

She spoke to him according to these words, saying, “The Hebrew servant, whom you have brought to us, came in to me to mock me,

and as I lifted up my voice and cried, he left his garment by me, and ran outside.”