Genesis 39:15Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Consider that following such a triumph and remarkable bravery, for which he rightly deserved a crown and honor, he finds himself once again, like a condemned individual, subjected to numerous misfortunes. This Egyptian woman, unable to endure the disgrace she had brought upon herself, concocts an outrageous scheme. She first gathers her household and falsely accuses the young man, attempting to project her own unrestrained desires onto him and to deceive everyone around her. This reflects the nature of wickedness, which consistently opposes righteousness and seeks to implicate it in its wrongdoings. The woman did precisely this: she maligned the young man as licentious while cloaking herself in a facade of virtue, claiming that he had abandoned his garments while she had retained them. Yet, in His compassion for humanity, God, in His patience, permitted this ordeal to unfold so that He might further exalt His servant.

In her anxiety about being ridiculed by her servants, she called out loudly, gathering everyone in the household not to witness her actions but to hear her words. Her aim was to tarnish the reputation of the righteous man with the most contemptible accusations, intending to bring him before her husband. She believed that her husband, upon hearing these allegations, would be so consumed by jealousy that he would have Joseph killed. She reflected on her thoughts: It would be far better for me if Joseph were to perish; that way, I would find peace, for I cannot constantly behold his beauty in my home without feeling compelled, either openly or covertly, to possess him and exploit his insights.

At first glance, the Egyptian woman appeared to triumph, but this perception was misleading, as even to the unknowing observer, it denounced her moral indiscretion. One who genuinely fears harm would not be inclined to remove the garments of one who poses a threat, but rather, she would ardently wish to escape the presence of such violence. Intoxicated by desire, the Egyptian woman mistakenly believed that the signs of her impropriety could be interpreted as evidence of virtue.

Upon hearing my plea, he ran away from me. Look, I hold his robe in my grasp!