Tanach · Rishonim on Tanach · Ramban · Torah
Ramban on Genesis 39:9/רמב"ן על בראשית ל״ט:ט׳
אוְחָטָאתִי לֵאלֹהִים בְּנֵי נֹחַ נִצְטַוּוּ עַל הָעֲרָיוֹת, לְשׁוֹן רַשִׁ"י (רש"י על בראשית ל"ט:ט'). וְנָכוֹן הוּא, רַק בַּעֲבוּר חֶסְרוֹן דַּעַת הַנָּשִׁים הִקְדִּים אֵלֶיהָ כִּי הַדָּבָר בְּגִידָה בַּאֲדוֹנָיו אֲשֶׁר בּוֹטֵחַ בּוֹ, וְאַחֲרֵי כֵן אָמַר כִּי יֵשׁ בָּעִנְיָן עוֹד חֵטְא לֵאלֹהִים. וְיִתָּכֵן לְפָרֵשׁ עוֹד "וְחָטָאתִי לֵאלֹהִים", בַּבְּגִידָה הַזֹּאת, כִּי רָעָה גְּדוֹלָה הִיא שֶׁיִּהְיֶה בָּהּ לִי חֵטְא לִפְנֵי הָאֱלֹהִים, כִּי עֵינָיו בְּנֶאֶמְנֵי אֶרֶץ (תהלים קא ו) וְלֹא לְפָנָיו בּוֹגֵד יָבֹא, וּדְבָרוֹ אֱמֶת, רַק לֹא הִזְכִּיר אִסּוּר הָעֶרְוָה כִּי דִּבֵּר עִמָּהּ כְּדֶרֶךְ הַנָּשִׁים:
1AND I SHALL SIN AGAINST G-D. The Sons of Noah225 were commanded concerning forbidden relations. This is Rashi’s language.This is correct. It is only due to the feminine lack of knowledge that he first told her that the act would constitute a betrayal of his master who trusted him, and following that he added that it also involves a sin against G-d.It is possible to further explain the verse, And I shall sin against G-d, by this betrayal, since “it would be a matter of great evil consequence which would be accounted to me as a sin against G-d since His eyes are upon the faithful of the land,226 and no traitor dare come before Him.” Joseph spoke the truth. However he did not mention the prohibition of the illicit relation227 because he spoke in language suitable to women.