Genesis 39:14 kjv

That she called unto the men of her house, and spake unto them, saying, See, he hath brought in an Hebrew unto us to mock us; he came in unto me to lie with me, and I cried with a loud voice:

Genesis 39:14 nkjv

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

Genesis 39:14 niv

she called her household servants. "Look," she said to them, "this Hebrew has been brought to us to make sport of us! He came in here to sleep with me, but I screamed.

Genesis 39:14 esv

she called to the men of her household and said to them, "See, he has brought among us a Hebrew to laugh at us. He came in to me to lie with me, and I cried out with a loud voice.

Genesis 39:14 nlt

she called out to her servants. Soon all the men came running. "Look!" she said. "My husband has brought this Hebrew slave here to make fools of us! He came into my room to rape me, but I screamed.

Genesis 39 verses

Genesis 39 14 Meaning

Genesis 39:14 depicts Potiphar's wife's calculated and deceptive act of publicly accusing Joseph of attempted sexual assault. After her advances were rebuffed by Joseph, she manipulated the situation by using the garment Joseph left behind as false evidence and called upon the male servants of her household. She proclaimed that Joseph, "a Hebrew," had been brought in to "mock" or outrage them by attempting to lie with her, further claiming that she cried out loudly to repel him. This was a deliberate fabrication to protect her reputation and punish Joseph for rejecting her.

Genesis 39 14 Context

Genesis 39 is a crucial chapter in Joseph's life narrative. Following his sale into slavery by his brothers (Gen 37), Joseph is brought to Egypt and purchased by Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh and captain of the guard. Despite his slave status, God's favor is evident as Joseph prospers in Potiphar's household, eventually becoming the overseer of all of Potiphar's possessions. This elevated position brings him into daily contact with Potiphar's wife, who, noting his attractiveness, attempts to seduce him (Gen 39:7). Joseph consistently rejects her advances, citing loyalty to his master and, more importantly, a steadfast refusal to "sin against God" (Gen 39:9). On a day when no other household servants were present, she seized an opportunity to physically accost Joseph. When he fled, leaving his garment in her hand, her frustrated desire immediately turned to anger and a calculated plan of revenge through false accusation. Verse 14 is her first step in executing this deceitful plan, strategically invoking witnesses and leveraging Joseph's identity as an outsider—a "Hebrew"—to amplify the perceived offense and garner sympathy and belief for her fabricated story. This event sets the stage for Joseph's unjust imprisonment but ultimately aligns with God's sovereign plan to position him for greater things.

Genesis 39 14 Word analysis

• she called: וַתִּקְרָא (va-tìq-rā'). Hebrew verb qara, "to call out, to summon." This immediate action underscores her intent to escalate the situation and ensure witnesses for her false narrative. It shows her cunning and control over the household's staff.

• to the men of her household: לְאַנְשֵׁי בֵיתָהּ (lə-ʾan-šê vêt-āh). "Men" (ʾish, individuals) and "household" (bayit, house/family). This indicates she called the male servants or staff who worked in or resided within the Potiphar residence, implying they were under her authority and potentially her husband's protection, hence "our" house. She carefully selected her audience to disseminate the lie.

• and said to them, 'See,: וַתֹּאמֶר לָהֶם לֵאמֹר רְאוּ (va-tō-mer lā-hem lē-ʾmōr rə-ʾū). ʾamar, "to say," ra'ah, "to see/behold." The repetition of "to say" (lēʾmōr) and the imperative "See!" emphasize her command for their attention and their complicity in perceiving what she wants them to believe. It is a performative act to frame the incident.

• he brought in among us: הֵבִיא לָנוּ (hē-ḇî lā-nū). bo', "to come, to bring." The causative Hiphil form, "he caused to come," highlights Potiphar's role in bringing Joseph into the household. She strategically includes her husband in the culpability, shifting blame away from her own sexual designs and framing it as an insult not just to her but to the entire household's honor due to her husband's poor judgment in bringing such a person.

• a Hebrew: אִישׁ עִבְרִי (ʾîš ʿiv-rî). ʾish, "man"; Ivri, "Hebrew." This term emphasizes Joseph's foreign status, a non-Egyptian, an outsider. In a xenophobic culture, calling him "a Hebrew" made him an easy target for accusation and dehumanized him. It appeals to their ingrained prejudice against foreign enslaved people. The term 'Hebrew' likely refers to Joseph's descent from Abraham, indicating his Semitic origin, distinguishing him culturally and religiously from the Egyptians.

• to mock us: לְצַחֶק בָּנוּ (lə-ṣaḥeq bā-nū). ṣaḥeq (Tsaḥeq). This Hebrew word is critically nuanced. While it can mean "to laugh" (as Sarah did when she heard she'd have a child, Gen 18:12), "to play" (as Isaac with Rebekah, Gen 26:8), or "to jest," in this context, it takes on a deeply negative connotation of "to insult," "to outrage," "to disgrace," or "to trifle sexually with" someone's honor. It implies an intent to humiliate or debase, fitting her narrative of an attack on their house's honor rather than a simple sexual advance.

• He came in to me: בָּא אֵלַי (bā ʾē-lay). A direct assertion of his initiation, the foundational lie of her account, contradicting Joseph's flight.

• to lie with me: לִשְׁכַּב עִמִּי (liš-kav ʿim-mî). shakav, "to lie down," often euphemistically used for sexual intercourse in the Bible. This is the explicit sexual charge she leveled against Joseph.

• and I cried out with a loud voice!: וָאֶקְרָא בְּקוֹל גָּדוֹל (vā-ʾeq-rāʾ bə-qôl gā-ḏôl). qol gadol, "great voice." Her performative, emphatic cry signifies her supposed distress, fear, and struggle. It is designed to appear as a genuine cry for help from a victim, reinforcing the fabricated narrative and indicating Joseph's alleged aggression. This cry would ideally gather attention and validate her version of events to the summoned household members.

• Words-group Analysis:

  • "She called to the men of her household": This act is not one of panicked victimhood, but of strategic manipulation. By calling on her staff, she establishes an immediate, albeit false, public record of her accusation. Her authority in the household allowed her to command this attention.
  • "'See, he brought in among us a Hebrew to mock us.": This sentence deftly deflects blame from herself, shifting it to her husband ("he brought in among us") and leveraging xenophobia against Joseph ("a Hebrew"). The phrase "to mock us" expands the accusation beyond a mere sexual act, portraying Joseph as having intended a deeper affront to the household's reputation and honor, making it a matter of profound disrespect.
  • "He came in to me to lie with me, and I cried out with a loud voice!": This is the heart of her fabrication. It outlines the false narrative of attempted assault ("he came in... to lie with me") and presents her manufactured victimhood ("I cried out..."). The "loud voice" serves as a theatrical element to convince her audience of the urgency and truth of her desperate plea.

Genesis 39 14 Bonus section

• The detail of Joseph leaving his cloak (beged) in her hand (Gen 39:12) is crucial to her deceit, serving as her physical "evidence." Her swift display of it to the household men (v.15) and later to her husband (v.17) shows her strategic use of circumstantial evidence to build her fabricated case.
• Potiphar's immediate and seemingly unquestioning belief of his wife (Gen 39:19-20), leading to Joseph's imprisonment, highlights the societal trust placed in a powerful woman's testimony against a subordinate slave, regardless of factual basis. This absence of investigation reveals the dangers of biased judgment and the power imbalance inherent in such relationships.
• This account demonstrates the integrity of Joseph, who chose to endure hardship and injustice rather than compromise his moral and spiritual principles. His commitment not to "sin against God" (Gen 39:9) stood firm even when faced with significant temptation and subsequent severe punishment.
• The phrase "to mock us" (l'tzacheq banu) can also carry the connotation of playing sexually or being overly intimate in a disrespectful way, making the accusation against Joseph even more degrading and an insult to the entire household's reputation. This suggests a calculated attempt to arouse deep indignation and a sense of betrayal.

Genesis 39 14 Commentary

Genesis 39:14 is a pivotal moment that underscores the depravity of unchecked desire and the devastating power of false accusation. Potiphar's wife, consumed by lust and then fury at Joseph's integrity, weaves a calculated lie. Her strategy is multi-faceted: she frames herself as a victim, attributes aggressive intent to Joseph ("to mock us"), and leverages his vulnerable status as a "Hebrew" slave. This shows the manipulative power dynamics within the household, where a master's wife wields immense social authority. Joseph's previous unwavering resistance (Gen 39:8-9), rooted in his fear of God and loyalty to Potiphar, ironically becomes the catalyst for his suffering. This false charge not only unjustly imprisoned Joseph but also tests his faith and faithfulness in a deeper way. Yet, even this betrayal falls within the divine plan, illustrating how God sovereignly uses even human wickedness to accomplish His ultimate good for those who fear Him. The scene is a stark reminder of the spiritual battle against slander and immorality, affirming that adherence to righteousness may lead to earthly tribulation but ultimately to divine vindication and advancement.