What Does Genesis 39:15 Mean in the King James?
And it came to pass, when he heard that I lifted up my voice and cried, that he left his garment with me, and fled, and got him out.
The analysis reads the King James wording.
King James Version The King James Version, first published in 1611. Selah Verse shows the standard text.
THE KEY
The Hebrew word for Joseph’s garment shares its root with betrayal, and this covering becomes the object through which a false accusation is made to look true.
THE MEANING
A real garment lies beside a false account: the object is present, but its meaning comes through the voice that frames it. The reader sees how accusation can make what is true about an object seem to prove what is false about a person.
WHAT THIS UNDOES
A visible object does not prove the story told about it; the garment is real, but the accusation attached to it is false.
THE ROOT
בִּגְדוֹ
bigdo
GROWS FROM
בגד
To act treacherously; to betray.
The noun beged, “garment,” belongs to the same Hebrew word family as bagad, “to act treacherously.” A real covering is left behind, then its meaning is covered by a false story.
ALSO GROWS
beged: Garment, clothing.
בֶּגֶד
This is the garment Joseph leaves behind, the real object that the accusation makes speak.
bagad: To act treacherously, betray.
בָּגַד
The shared root echoes the treachery in turning the garment into apparent proof against Joseph.
THE PATTERN
False accusation can make an object, report, or witness appear to testify against the innocent.
Thou shalt not raise a false report: put not thine hand with the wicked to be an unrighteous witness.And there came in two men, children of Belial, and sat before him: and the men of Belial witnessed against him, even against Naboth, in the presence of the people, saying, Naboth did blaspheme God and the king. Then they carried him forth out of the city, and stoned him with stones, that he died.For many bare false witness against him, but their witness agreed not together.THE THREAD
And she caught him by his garment, saying, Lie with me: and he left his garment in her hand, and fled, and got him out.The same garment appears first in her hand as Joseph escapes, then in her account as apparent proof against him. Both verses use beged, a garment word linked to the root of betrayal, exposing how a real detail can serve a treacherous story.
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