Genesis 39:14

she called her household servants. “Look,” she said, “this Hebrew has been brought to us to make sport of us. He came to me so he could sleep with me, but I screamed as loud as I could.

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — Potiphar’s wife addresses her household servants immediately after witnessing Joseph flee and abandon his cloak in her room. She uses this moment to formally accuse him of attempted sexual assault.

The words — וַ/תִּקְרָ֞א (va./tik.Ra') translates literally as “and she called out,” marking the formal summoning. רְא֗וּ (re.'U) means “see” or “look,” functioning as a rhetorical command to direct the servants’ attention to her fabricated account.

The thread — The designation “Hebrew” appears in Genesis 14:13 when an escapee reports to Abram the Hebrew. The narrative of this attempted assault directly follows Potiphar’s wife’s initial advance recorded in Genesis 39:7.

Why it lands — The text records her verbal accusation and the servants’ implied compliance without endorsing her claim. It demands that readers distinguish between her spoken narrative and the factual reality established in the surrounding verses.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Hebrew words

וַתִּקְרָ֞אva./tik.Ra'and/ she called out לְאַנְשֵׁ֣יle./'an.Sheito/ [the] men of בֵיתָ֗הּvei.Ta/hhousehold/ her וַתֹּ֤אמֶרva./To.merand/ she saidלָהֶם֙la./Hemto <the>/ themלֵאמֹ֔רle./Mor<to>/ saying רְא֗וּre.'Usee הֵ֥בִיאHe.vi'he has broughtלָ֛נוּLa./nuto <the>/ usאִ֥ישׁ'isha man עִבְרִ֖י'iv.Ria Hebrew לְצַ֣חֶקle./Tza.chekto/ mockבָּ֑נוּBa./nu<in> <the>/ usבָּ֤אba'he came אֵלַי֙'e.La/ito/ me לִשְׁכַּ֣בli/sh.Kavto/ lie עִמִּ֔י'i.M/iwith/ me וָאֶקְרָ֖אva./'ek.Ra'and/ I called out בְּק֥וֹלbe./Kolwith/ a voice גָּדֽוֹל׃ga.Dolgreat

King James Version

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:

Cross-references

Genesis 10:21 And sons were also born to Shem, the older brother of Japheth; Shem was the forefather of all the sons of Eber.
Genesis 14:13 Then an escapee came and reported this to Abram the Hebrew. Now Abram was living near the Oaks of Mamre the Amorite, a brother of Eshcol and Aner, all of whom were bound by treaty to Abram.
Genesis 39:7 and after some time his master’s wife cast her eyes upon Joseph and said, “Sleep with me.”
Genesis 39:17 Then she told him the same story: “The Hebrew slave you brought us came to me to make sport of me,
Genesis 40:15 For I was kidnapped from the land of the Hebrews, and even here I have done nothing for which they should have put me in this dungeon.”
Psalms 35:11 Hostile witnesses come forward; they make charges I know nothing about.
Psalms 55:3 at the voice of the enemy, at the pressure of the wicked. For they bring down disaster upon me and resent me in their anger.
Psalms 120:3 What will He do to you, and what will be added to you, O deceitful tongue?
Proverbs 10:18 The one who conceals hatred has lying lips, and whoever spreads slander is a fool.
Isaiah 51:7 Listen to Me, you who know what is right, you people with My law in your hearts: Do not fear the scorn of men; do not be broken by their insults.