Verse

Genesis 39:17

ESV 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.
NIV Then she told him this story: 'That Hebrew slave you brought us came to me to make sport of me.
NASB 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;
CSB Then she told him the same story: "The Hebrew slave you brought to us came to make a fool of me,
NLT 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.
KJV 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:

What does Genesis 39:17 mean?

Seeing the incredible success brought on by God's favor, Joseph's master Potiphar put him in charge of the entire household. Other than making an oddly specific reference to his own wife (Genesis 39:9), the entire home is at Joseph's disposal. The master's affairs are blessed by this, and he trusts Joseph without reservation (Genesis 39:2–6).

Potiphar's wife also appreciates Joseph, but her interest is sexual. He has repeatedly refused her seduction, to the point of literally running away and leaving his cloak in her hands as she tries to throw herself at him (Genesis 39:7–12). This turned her lust into rage, and she lies to the other servants, claiming Joseph tried to rape her (Genesis 39:13–15).

Potiphar has returned home, and his wife repeats her story to him (Genesis 39:16). She begins again by holding Potiphar responsible: accusing him of being the one who brought a "Hebrew" to the house. As in her prior statement (Genesis 39:14), the Hebrew root word tsachaq, translated as "laugh at" or "make sport of," can have a sexual connotation. Potiphar would have clearly understood that his wife was accusing Joseph of trying to rape her.
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