Genesis 39:14Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Consider that following such a triumph, marked by profound bravery for which he deserved a crown and glory, the young man finds himself once again subjected to numerous misfortunes, treated as though he were guilty. The Egyptian woman, unable to endure the disgrace she had brought upon herself, devised a deceitful scheme. She first gathered her household and laid accusations against him, falsely attributing her own uncontrollable desire to him in an attempt to deceive everyone. This is the nature of vice: constantly at odds with virtue, it strives to shift its blame onto the innocent. Similarly, this woman defamed the young man by branding him as licentious while donning the façade of virtue, claiming that he had abandoned his clothing, whereas she had preserved it. Yet the Lord, in His mercy toward humanity, permitted these events to unfold, intending to elevate His servant even further.

Following his experiences of false accusations, he faced blame from a woman who sought to tarnish his reputation; yet, he responded with wisdom and nobility despite being charged with a despicable act. This pursuit of purity led to accusations against them, the holy ones, who were slandered by those inclined to view individuals aspiring to live in Christ as a burden, resulting in their temptation and imprisonment. They remained steadfast, recalling the words of Christ: “If ye were of the world, the world would love its own; but as ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you” (John 15:19), just as Joseph was reviled by the adulterous woman.

In her desire to avoid embarrassment before her servants, she raised her voice, summoning the household members to witness not her actions, but her words. She planned to assail the righteous man with the most despicable accusations, intending to present him before her husband in a way that would incite jealousy and lead to Joseph's demise. She thought to herself: “It would be far better for me if Joseph were to die; then I could find peace, as I cannot endure seeing his beauty in my home without yearning to possess it, whether openly or covertly. Thus, she gathered the servants and spoke to them: ‘Are you aware of what the Hebrew servant, whom my husband entrusted with the management of our home, has done to me? He sought to act immorally with me; having authority over my household was not enough for him; he aimed to take me away from my husband.’

Joseph fled, and she revealed the allure of her infidelity, crying out that the Hebrew had escaped, leaving his garments behind. Then she herself presented what she sought to hide, intending to bring harm to an innocent man through a fabricated accusation. Righteous Joseph was at a loss for how to defend himself, while the audacious one acted without consequence. Hence, I would truly describe as undraped one who, though possessing another's attire, has stripped away all the veils of purity. Conversely, I would consider one to be adequately clothed and secure whose voice remained silent, yet whose innocence declared itself.

She remained seated in sorrow, not solely because her façade of purity had been violated, but fundamentally because her desires had gone unfulfilled. Whether out of concern that her husband might hear of her indiscretion or with the intention of retaliating against Joseph, she became overwhelmed with rage. In that tumult of emotions—affection, grief, dread, bitterness, and fury—she concocted plans to exact revenge on the young man and fabricated a complaint, instead of bringing forth genuine grievances against him.

Following a moment of defeat, if she surrendered to fury, driven by both desire and wrath, she believed it beneficial to eliminate the one whom she perceived as having insolently wronged her. She felt that by ridiculing her, he might also cause her further shame through overwhelming desire. To the monk Agathius. Concerning Joseph and Susanna.

The distraught Egyptian woman cries out, summoning her household with piercing screams. They rush to her side. “Behold,” she exclaims to them, “this young Hebrew has been brought into our home to stir up trouble… He approached me… he said to me… I called out loudly…”

She summoned the members of the household. Does the enraged woman seek vengeance solely for herself, or does she foresee Joseph's potential accusations against her?