Genesis 39:11

11 One day he went into the house to attend to his duties, and none of the household servants was inside.

Genesis 39:11 in Other Translations

KJV
11 And it came to pass about this time, that Joseph went into the house to do his business; and there was none of the men of the house there within.
ESV
11 But one day, when he went into the house to do his work and none of the men of the house was there in the house,
NLT
11 One day, however, no one else was around when he went in to do his work.
MSG
11 On one of these days he came to the house to do his work and none of the household servants happened to be there.
CSB
11 Now one day he went into the house to do his work, and none of the household servants was there.

Genesis 39:11 Meaning and Commentary

Genesis 39:11

And it came to pass about this time
About a week, or a month, or rather a year, as Aben Ezra thinks, after she first began her solicitations to him. According to Josephus F18, it was a public festival, at which women used to attend; but she excused herself, pretending illness; and so Jarchi takes it to be some noted day at the idol's temple, to which all used to go; but she pretended she was sick, and could not go, knowing that Joseph would not be there, but at home, and therefore judged this a fit opportunity to attack him once more: and so it was, that [Joseph] went into the house to do his business:
to inspect the accounts, as the Targums of Onkelos and Jonathan paraphrase it, and settle them: and [there was] none of the men of the house there within;
being all gone to the public festival, or however there were none in that part of the house where Joseph was.


FOOTNOTES:

F18 Antiqu. l. 2. c. 4. sect. 3.

Genesis 39:11 In-Context

9 No one is greater in this house than I am. My master has withheld nothing from me except you, because you are his wife. How then could I do such a wicked thing and sin against God?”
10 And though she spoke to Joseph day after day, he refused to go to bed with her or even be with her.
11 One day he went into the house to attend to his duties, and none of the household servants was inside.
12 She caught him by his cloak and said, “Come to bed with me!” But he left his cloak in her hand and ran out of the house.
13 When she saw that he had left his cloak in her hand and had run out of the house,

Cross References 2

  • 1. Exodus 18:20; Deuteronomy 1:18
  • 2. ver 14
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