וַיְהִ֕י כְּדַבְּרָ֥הּ אֶל־יֹוסֵ֖ף יֹ֣ום יֹ֑ום וְלֹא־שָׁמַ֥ע אֵלֶ֛יהָ לִשְׁכַּ֥ב אֶצְלָ֖הּ לִהְיֹ֥ות עִמָּֽהּ׃
And it came to pass, as she spoke to Yosef day by day, that he did not listen to her, to lie beside her, to be with her.
| # | Hebrew | Transliteration | Literal Gloss | Morph Tag |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | וַיְהִי | va-yehi | “and it came to pass” | Qal wayyiqtol 3ms |
| 2 | כְּדַבְּרָהּ | ke-dabberah | “as she spoke” | Prep כְּ + Piel infinitive construct + suff 3fs |
| 3 | אֶל | ʾel | “to” | Preposition |
| 4 | יֹוסֵף | Yosef | “Yosef” | Proper noun |
| 5 | יֹום | yom | “day” | N(ms) |
| 6 | יֹום | yom | “by day” | N(ms) |
| 7 | וְלֹא | ve-lo | “and not” | Conj וְ + neg. particle |
| 8 | שָׁמַע | shamaʿ | “he listened” | Qal perfect 3ms |
| 9 | אֵלֶיהָ | ʾeleha | “to her” | Prep אֶל + suff 3fs |
| 10 | לִשְׁכַּב | lishkav | “to lie” | Prep לְ + Qal infinitive construct |
| 11 | אֶצְלָהּ | ʾetslah | “beside her” | Preposition + suff 3fs |
| 12 | לִהְיֹות | lih’yot | “to be” | Prep לְ + Qal infinitive construct |
| 13 | עִמָּהּ | ʿimmah | “with her” | Prep עִם + suff 3fs |
Morphology
- וַיְהִי (va-yehi) – Root: היה (hayah); Root Type: III-He; Binyan: Qal; Form: Conjunction וַ + Qal wayyiqtol 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “And it came to pass”; Notes: Introduces a continuing narrative situation over a period of time.
- כְּדַבְּרָהּ (ke-dabberah) – Root: דבר (d-b-r); Root Type: Strong; Binyan: Piel; Form: Preposition כְּ + Piel infinitive construct + suffix 3rd person feminine singular; Translation: “as she spoke”; Notes: Describes repeated speaking or persistent verbal pressure from Potiphar’s wife.
- אֶל (ʾel) – Root: אל (ʾel); Root Type: Particle; Form: Preposition; Translation: “to”; Notes: Indicates direction toward Yosef as the recipient of the speech.
- יֹוסֵף (Yosef) – Root: יסף (yasaf); Root Type: I-Yod; Form: Proper noun masculine singular; Translation: “Yosef”; Notes: Refers to Yaʿaqov’s son, the object of the woman’s persistent temptation.
- יֹום (yom) – Root: יום (y-w-m); Root Type: Hollow; Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “day”; Notes: The first occurrence forms part of the distributive idiom “day by day.”
- יֹום (yom) – Root: יום (y-w-m); Root Type: Hollow; Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “by day”; Notes: Repetition creates an idiomatic expression indicating continual repetition over time.
- וְלֹא (ve-lo) – Root: לא (lo); Root Type: Particle; Form: Conjunction וְ + negative particle; Translation: “and not”; Notes: Introduces Yosef’s consistent refusal despite ongoing pressure.
- שָׁמַע (shamaʿ) – Root: שׁמע (sh-m-ʿ); Root Type: III-Guttural; Binyan: Qal; Form: Qal perfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “he listened”; Notes: In context means to obey, heed, or comply with her request.
- אֵלֶיהָ (ʾeleha) – Root: אל (ʾel); Root Type: Particle; Form: Preposition אֶל + suffix 3rd person feminine singular; Translation: “to her”; Notes: Refers to Potiphar’s wife as the one urging Yosef.
- לִשְׁכַּב (lishkav) – Root: שׁכב (sh-k-v); Root Type: III-Waw; Binyan: Qal; Form: Preposition לְ + Qal infinitive construct; Translation: “to lie”; Notes: Refers euphemistically to sexual relations.
- אֶצְלָהּ (ʾetslah) – Root: אצל (ʾ-ts-l); Root Type: I-Guttural; Form: Preposition + suffix 3rd person feminine singular; Translation: “beside her”; Notes: Indicates close physical proximity and intimacy.
- לִהְיֹות (lih’yot) – Root: היה (hayah); Root Type: III-He; Binyan: Qal; Form: Preposition לְ + Qal infinitive construct; Translation: “to be”; Notes: Expresses continued association or companionship.
- עִמָּהּ (ʿimmah) – Root: עם (ʿim); Root Type: I-Guttural; Form: Preposition עִם + suffix 3rd person feminine singular; Translation: “with her”; Notes: Extends beyond physical lying to ongoing relational closeness.