She was beautiful, of that, there was no doubt; her skin was fair and as soft as the garden roses.

Because he towered over her, he could see straight into her eyes; her dark eyes, her knowing eyes, her fixated eyes.

Joseph looked way.

‘Lay with me.’ She pleaded for the umpteenth time.

A sudden heat coursed through his body; from his curly dark hair down to his leather sandals. He wished that one of the house servants would show up from their hiding at that very moment; but that was not to be.

He looked at his masters’ wife but only his masters’ face came to his mind; he had been good to Joseph, treating him as he would one of his own sons.

Her eyes were desperate; his were confused and helpless

Her demeanour was calm, he was agitated, and the sweat dripping down his face was proof of the turmoil inside his heart.

He could just give in, he thought; give her what she wanted and be out of there in a flash. No one needed to be any wiser about their indiscretion. He mulled over that thought and his lip tightened.

Yahweh!

But Yahweh, the God of his father Jacob.

Yahweh; sovereign, mighty and holy.

This would be a despicable act before his God.

She could see the struggle in his eyes and yet...she could not let him go.

She wondered what held him back; had she not been crowned a beauty of the Kingdom, second only to the queen? Did he not see that?

As her confidence faded, she loosened her grip on him and he stepped away.

His coat tore apart; it had gotten hooked on her precious hand jewels.

He took another back step but the tear only widened.

‘Don’t go Joseph.’ She pleaded

‘But, the master...I ....I,’ he stammered ‘I cannot do this.’

‘Joseph!’

‘I cannot...I ...I ...cannot ... I must not sin against my God’.

With that he turned his back to her, he loosened himself off his coat that had been clasped on her silver bracelet and made a ran for it, away from her and out to the palace garden.

The sharp wind caused his exposed skin to throb with pain but that was the least of his worries.

This was the last straw for sure; his master was going to hear of this. Whether it would come from him or from her, was the only concern he held.