Genesis 39:17
New International Version
Then she told him this story: “That Hebrew slave you brought us came to me to make sport of me.

New Living Translation
Then she told him her story. “That Hebrew slave you’ve brought into our house tried to come in and fool around with me,” she said.

English Standard Version
and she told him the same story, saying, “The Hebrew servant, whom you have brought among us, came in to me to laugh at me.

Berean Standard Bible
Then she told him the same story: “The Hebrew slave you brought us came to me to make sport of me,

King James Bible
And she spake unto him according to these words, saying, The Hebrew servant, which thou hast brought unto us, came in unto me to mock me:

New King James Version
Then she spoke to him with words like these, saying, “The Hebrew servant whom you brought to us came in to me to mock me;

New American Standard Bible
Then she spoke to him with these words: “The Hebrew slave, whom you brought to us, came in to me to make fun of me;

NASB 1995
Then she spoke to him with these words, “The Hebrew slave, whom you brought to us, came in to me to make sport of me;

NASB 1977
Then she spoke to him with these words, “The Hebrew slave, whom you brought to us, came in to me to make sport of me;

Legacy Standard Bible
Then she spoke to him with these words, saying, “The Hebrew slave, whom you brought to us, came in to me to laugh at me;

Amplified Bible
Then she told her husband the same story, saying, “The Hebrew servant, whom you brought among us, came to me to mock and insult me;

Christian Standard Bible
Then she told him the same story: “The Hebrew slave you brought to us came to make a fool of me,

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Then she told him the same story: “The Hebrew slave you brought to us came to make a fool of me,

American Standard Version
And she spake unto him according to these words, saying, The Hebrew servant, whom thou hast brought unto us, came in unto me to mock me:

Contemporary English Version
Then she said, "That Hebrew slave of yours tried to rape me!

English Revised Version
And she spake unto him according to these words, saying, The Hebrew servant, which thou hast brought unto us, came in unto me to mock me:

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Then she told him the same story: "The Hebrew slave you brought here came in and tried to fool around with me.

Good News Translation
Then she told him the same story: "That Hebrew slave that you brought here came into my room and insulted me.

International Standard Version
and then this is what she told him: "That Hebrew slave whom you brought to us came in here to rape me.

Majority Standard Bible
Then she told him the same story: “The Hebrew slave you brought us came to me to make sport of me,

NET Bible
This is what she said to him: "That Hebrew slave you brought to us tried to humiliate me,

New Heart English Bible
And she told him the same story, saying, "The Hebrew servant, whom you have brought to us, came in to me to mock me, and said to me, "Let me sleep with you."

Webster's Bible Translation
And she spoke to him according to these words, saying, The Hebrew servant, which thou hast brought to us, came in to me to mock me.

World English Bible
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,
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
And she speaks to him according to these words, saying, “The Hebrew servant whom you have brought to us, has come in to me to play with me;

Young's Literal Translation
And she speaketh unto him according to these words, saying, 'The Hebrew servant whom thou hast brought unto us, hath come in unto me to play with me;

Smith's Literal Translation
And she will speak to him according to these words, saying, The Hebrew servant which thou broughtest to us, came in to me to mock me.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And said: The Hebrew servant, whom thou best brought, came to me to abuse me.

Catholic Public Domain Version
And she said: “The Hebrew servant, whom you have brought in to me, approached me to abuse me.

New American Bible
Then she told him the same story: “The Hebrew slave whom you brought us came to me to amuse himself at my expense.

New Revised Standard Version
and she told him the same story, saying, “The Hebrew servant, whom you have brought among us, came in to me to insult me;
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
And she spoke to him according to these words, saying, The Hebrew servant whom you brought to us, came in to disgrace me;

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And she said to him, “According to these words the Hebrew Servant, whom you brought to us, came in against me to mock at us:
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
And she spoke unto him according to these words, saying: 'The Hebrew servant, whom thou hast brought unto us, came in unto me to mock me.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And she spoke to him according to these words, saying, The Hebrew servant, whom thou broughtest in to us, came in to me to mock me, and said to me, I will lie with thee.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Joseph Falsely Imprisoned
16So Potiphar’s wife kept Joseph’s cloak beside her until his master came home. 17Then she told him the same story: “The Hebrew slave you brought us came to me to make sport of me, 18but when I screamed for help, he left his cloak beside me and ran out of the house.”…

Cross References
Exodus 23:1
“You shall not spread a false report. Do not join the wicked by being a malicious witness.

Proverbs 6:16-19
There are six things that the LORD hates, seven that are detestable to Him: / haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, / a heart that devises wicked schemes, feet that run swiftly to evil, ...

Psalm 35:11
Hostile witnesses come forward; they make charges I know nothing about.

Deuteronomy 19:16-19
If a false witness testifies against someone, accusing him of a crime, / both parties to the dispute must stand in the presence of the LORD, before the priests and judges who are in office at that time. / The judges shall investigate thoroughly, and if the witness is proven to be a liar who has falsely accused his brother, ...

Matthew 5:11
Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me.

1 Peter 3:16
keeping a clear conscience, so that those who slander you may be put to shame by your good behavior in Christ.

Acts 24:13
Nor can they prove to you any of their charges against me.

1 Timothy 5:19
Do not entertain an accusation against an elder, except on the testimony of two or three witnesses.

Matthew 26:59-60
Now the chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin were seeking false testimony against Jesus in order to put Him to death. / But they did not find any, though many false witnesses came forward. Finally two came forward

Mark 14:56-57
For many bore false witness against Jesus, but their testimony was inconsistent. / Then some men stood up and testified falsely against Him:

Luke 23:2
And they began to accuse Him, saying, “We found this man subverting our nation, forbidding payment of taxes to Caesar, and proclaiming Himself to be Christ, a King.”

John 18:29-30
So Pilate went out to them and asked, “What accusation are you bringing against this man?” / “If He were not a criminal,” they replied, “we would not have handed Him over to you.”

Acts 6:13
where they presented false witnesses who said, “This man never stops speaking against this holy place and against the law.

2 Corinthians 6:8
through glory and dishonor, slander and praise; viewed as imposters, yet genuine;

Psalm 109:2-3
For wicked and deceitful mouths open against me; they speak against me with lying tongues. / They surround me with hateful words and attack me without cause.


Treasury of Scripture

And she spoke to him according to these words, saying, The Hebrew servant, which you have brought to us, came in to me to mock me:

Genesis 39:14
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:

Exodus 20:16
Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour.

Exodus 23:1
Thou shalt not raise a false report: put not thine hand with the wicked to be an unrighteous witness.

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Genesis 39
1. Joseph is bought by Potiphar, and preferred in the family.
7. He resists temptation by Potiphar's Wife.
13. He is falsely accused by her.
20. He is cast into prison.
21. God is with him there, and he is advanced by the keeper of prison.














Then she told him this same story
This phrase indicates a repetition of a narrative, suggesting a deliberate attempt to reinforce a particular version of events. The Hebrew root for "told" is "נָגַד" (nagad), which means to declare or announce. This implies a formal and assertive communication, often used in contexts where the speaker is trying to establish authority or credibility. In the historical context, Potiphar's wife is attempting to assert her version of the incident with Joseph, emphasizing her perspective to her husband.

The Hebrew slave
The term "Hebrew" (עִבְרִי, Ivri) is significant as it denotes Joseph's ethnic identity, which in this context is used pejoratively. It highlights the social and cultural tensions between Egyptians and Hebrews. The use of "slave" (עֶבֶד, eved) underscores Joseph's low social status and vulnerability. Historically, this reflects the broader narrative of the Israelites' eventual enslavement in Egypt, setting the stage for their later deliverance.

you brought us
This phrase shifts some responsibility onto Potiphar, suggesting that he is partly to blame for the situation by bringing Joseph into their household. The Hebrew verb "בּוֹא" (bo) means to bring or to come, indicating an action initiated by Potiphar. This reflects a common human tendency to deflect blame and manipulate situations to one's advantage, a theme that resonates throughout biblical narratives.

came to me
The phrase "came to me" (בָּא אֵלַי, ba elai) implies an approach or advance, often with a connotation of intent or purpose. In the context of the accusation, it suggests an unwanted or inappropriate advance. This reflects the broader biblical theme of false accusations and the trials of the righteous, as seen in the lives of other biblical figures like Daniel and Jesus.

to make sport of me
The phrase "to make sport of me" (לְצַחֵק בִּי, letzachek bi) can be translated as to mock or to ridicule. The root "צָחַק" (tsachaq) is often associated with laughter or jesting, but in this context, it carries a negative connotation of derision or humiliation. This accusation is a pivotal moment in Joseph's story, leading to his imprisonment. It highlights the theme of suffering and injustice faced by God's chosen, yet it also sets the stage for divine intervention and eventual vindication.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
Then she told
וַתְּדַבֵּ֣ר (wat·tə·ḏab·bêr)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine singular
Strong's 1696: To arrange, to speak, to subdue

him the same
הָאֵ֖לֶּה (hā·’êl·leh)
Article | Pronoun - common plural
Strong's 428: These, those

story:
כַּדְּבָרִ֥ים (kad·də·ḇā·rîm)
Preposition-k, Article | Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 1697: A word, a matter, thing, a cause

“The Hebrew
הָֽעִבְרִ֛י (hā·‘iḇ·rî)
Article | Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 5680: Hebrews -- perhaps descendant of Eber, also another name for an Israelite

slave
הָעֶ֧בֶד (hā·‘e·ḇeḏ)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 5650: Slave, servant

you brought
בָּֽא־ (bā-)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 935: To come in, come, go in, go

us
אֵלַ֞י (’ê·lay)
Preposition | first person common singular
Strong's 413: Near, with, among, to

came
הֵבֵ֥אתָ (hê·ḇê·ṯā)
Verb - Hifil - Perfect - second person masculine singular
Strong's 935: To come in, come, go in, go

to me
לָּ֖נוּ (lā·nū)
Preposition | first person common plural
Strong's Hebrew

to make sport
לְצַ֥חֶק (lə·ṣa·ḥeq)
Preposition-l | Verb - Piel - Infinitive construct
Strong's 6711: To laugh outright, to sport

of me,
בִּֽי׃ (bî)
Preposition | first person common singular
Strong's Hebrew


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OT Law: Genesis 39:17 She spoke to him according to these (Gen. Ge Gn)
Genesis 39:16
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