Genesis 39:14

14 that she called those that were in the house, and spoke to them, saying, See, he has brought in to us a Hebrew servant to mock us—he came in to me, saying, Lie with me, and I cried with a loud voice.

Genesis 39:14 Meaning and Commentary

Genesis 39:14

That she called unto the men of her house
Of that part of the house which belonged to her; her eunuchs that waited upon her, or that were in another part of the home, at some distance: and spake unto them;
when they came to her: saying, see, he hath brought in an Hebrew unto us to mock us:
she means her husband, whom through contempt, and in her passion, she names not, having lost all affection for him, as her addresses to Joseph showed; and so the Targum of Jonathan supplies it,

``your master hath brought''

and Joseph she calls an Hebrew by way of reproach, and with a view to set her servants against him; who before this might not have any great regard to him through envy at him, for the favours he enjoyed, and the authority he had; and because he prevented their doing wrong things to serve themselves, and hurt their master: and holding up his garment in her hand, which they knew full well, bid them look at it, and observe, that this was the issue of his Being brought into the house by their master; that though it was not with such an intention, which can hardly be thought to be her sense, yet this was the event of it; an attempt to abuse, vitiate, and corrupt her, and so bring contempt upon the whole family, and expose them to the scorn and mockery of men, for their mistress to be abused by a base foreigner: she explains herself more fully by saying, he came in unto me to lie with me, and I cried with a loud voice;
both of them lies; for it was she that solicited him to lie with her, and not he; nor did she cry out at all; and if she did, how came it she was not heard by them, as well as when she called unto them; thus her impure love was turned into hatred, which put her upon framing lies and calumnies; and which has been also done in cases similar to this ^F19, as Sthenobaea against Bellerophon.

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FOOTNOTES:

F19 Vid. Juvenal Satyr. 10. Apollodorum de Deorum Origin. l. 2. p. 70.

Genesis 39:14 In-Context

12 And she caught hold of him by his clothes, and said, Lie with me; and having left his clothes in her hands, he fled, and went forth.

13 And it came to pass, when she saw that he had left his clothes in her hands, and fled, and gone forth,

14 that she called those that were in the house, and spoke to them, saying, See, he has brought in to us a Hebrew servant to mock us—he came in to me, saying, Lie with me, and I cried with a loud voice.

15 And when he heard that I lifted up my voice and cried, having left his clothes with me, he fled, and went forth out.

16 So she leaves the clothes by her, until the master came to his house.